On the back of a strong sale 12 months ago, Tattersalls Ireland Ascot Breeze-Up Sale hit new heights on Wednesday surpassing £2 million in turnover for the first time.

The final aggregate of £2,041,600 was up 7% on last year. Not only this, the clearance rate was also much improved rising from 69% to 80% with 67 of the 84 lots offered finding new homes.

Peter and Ross Doyle stepped in to make the biggest purchase of the day, snapping up the Mocklershill consigned Worthadd colt for £130,000.

Worthadd, a winner of the Italian Derby and second behind Canford Cliffs in the Lockinge, is one of the Irish National Stud’s first-season sires and covered a book of 27 mares at his first go.

He will be joining trainer John Quinn in Yorkshire, who handled a past graduate of the sale and winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, The Wow Signal.

Not far behind in terms of digits was the Street Cry offering from Lynn Lodge Stud.

He went under the hammer to Agent Alex Elliot for £100,000 and is closely related to the likes of Nebraska Tornado, a dual Group 1-winner over a mile and a mile and a quarter for Juddmonte and Andre Fabre.

The Cool Silk Partnership, whose silks were carried to success at Royal Ascot last year by the Robert Cowell-trained Prince Of Lir, were in action again this year and teamed up with Stroud Coleman Bloodstock to acquire a colt by French sire Panis.

Offered by Bansha House Stables, the colt which has been named Kanizzi was knocked down to £75,000.

We were cautiously optimistic that there would be strong demand

Richard Pugh, Tattersalls Ireland Director of Horses in Training Sales, said: “In advance of the sale and based on the success of last years’ sale which saw increases in the aggregate of 120%, we were cautiously optimistic that there would be strong demand at today’s auction.

“This sentiment has been justified by breaking through the £2 million barrier the first time on record for this sale and it has also been pleasing to produce an increased clearance rate of 80%.

“We would like to thank all those that supported the sale and we will endeavour to make further strides forward with this sale in 2018.”