OWN BROTHER TO WALK TO FREEDOM TOPS DAY 2 OF AUGUST NH SALE

Sold by Peter Nolan Bloodstock, the gelding is a full-brother to Walk To Freedom, the winner of two hurdle races, including at Punchestown in April. The five-year-old is now rated 140.

"This is a smashing horse and is for Nicky Richards," said Griffin. "I have not seen everything catalogued today, but I don't think there will be many more better than him. I did not think he'd cost so much, but sometimes you have to go the extra mile to get one.

"Jessie [Harrington] has the brother, who is a decent type, so the mare has already done it.”

Sire Arcadio stands at Arctic Tack Stud. His first crop are six-year-olds and are headed by the seven-time winner The Game Changer.

Despite protesting mid-way through the sale of Lot 439 that “he had no money left”, in the end John Munroe was happy to give one more bid to secure the bay son of King’s Theatre at €46,000.

Consigned by Margaret Brophy, the March-born three-year-old is a first foal out of her homebred bumper winner Lively Lass (Definite Article).

“We’ll take him home, break him in and then train him,” said Munroe, who hails from Galway.

Brophy’s good day continued with the sale of her Presenting filly (Lot 492) for €35,000 to Gordon Elliot. The bay filly is out of Princess Gaia, a King’s Theatre full-sister to 11-time winner and Hatton’s Grace (G1) heroine, Voler La Vedette.

Lot 334, a Flemensfirth gelding out of Bonny Hall (Saddlers’ Hall) and consigned by Leney Stud, was bought by trainer Tony Martin for €35,000, while Bernice Murphy went to €33,000 for the already named Solighoster, a son of Loup Solitaire sold by Monamore Stables.

Day 2 concluded with a satisfactory set of statistics: an average of €8,960, a median of €6,000, a turnover of €1,532,200 and a clearance rate of 75%.