For those attending the first day of the Tattersalls February Sale on Thursday, there was the added bonus of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Flat Stallion Parade preceding the opening session.

Those in attendance at Park Paddocks enjoyed seeing a number of British-based first- and second-season stallions, including Highclere Stud’s newest recruit Land Force and Le Brivido, who stands his first season at Overbury Stud in 2020.

Also present was local operation the National Stud, whose Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe and Irish St Leger scorer Flag Of Honour, a dual-purpose sire who joined the roster this year, both on show.

Joe Callan, Marketing and Nominations Manager at the National Stud, highlighted the importance of the parade.

He said: “Last year we brought three stallions and we found the day excellent, as we got to meet a lot of breeders who we hadn’t met previously.

“We felt it was important this year to support it again and it’s worked out well for us. When you have the stallions that have the physical, you’re proud to show them off and an opportunity like this to showcase what you have is hugely important.

“Rajasinghe stood his first year last year. He’s an incredible physical who is a son of Choisir who is proven as a sire of sires. He was a bullet on the racecourse. The big thing about him is his owners Rebel Racing are supporting him and did so in the ring last year.”

Flag Of Honour, who stands at the National Stud on behalf of Trevor Hemmings’ Gleadhill House Stud, was last week part of the TBA’s National Hunt Stallion Showcase, held at Goffs UK.

On the prospect of standing the son of Galileo this year, Callan added: “There’s not many horses with his credentials standing as a dual-purpose sire. He won a Group race at two, a Classic winner at three and has some high-class form over a mile and a quarter at four.

“He’s such a good physical and his walk is incredible. We’re absolutely delighted to have him.

“Trevor Hemmings and his team are supporting him with some really nice mares, both Flat and National Hunt. It’s amazing to have someone like him behind the stallion with us and we look forward to the future.”

He may not have taken a turn in the ring, but the stud’s Time Test was available for inspection in the Left Yard following the parade. The dual Group 2-winning son of Dubawi will stand 2020 at a fee of £8,500.

“Time Test has such an incredible temperament and he was so popular here last year that we had to come back,” said Callan. “He is absolutely flying this year because of the results of his foals and he’s such an exciting stallion to have.

“We try to have a horse on the roster for everybody; that’s what we’re aiming to do. They’re all very young but it’s a bunch of horses we have a lot of faith in.”