The two-day Doncaster Bloodstock yearling sale closed on Thursday with an Oasis Dream colt that sold for a near record price of 280,000 pounds.

Stowell Hill Stud catalogued the Oasis Dream sale-topper that was purchased by Coolmore.  The colt came close to the Doncaster record held by an Invincible Spirit filly that made the equivalent of 288,750 pounds five years ago.

“Demi O’Byrne thought he was the best colt in the sale,” agent Eddie Fitzpatrick said.  “You would hope he’s an early sort.”

The colt is the first foal from Ronaldsay (Kirkwall) who won the 2008 Warwickshire Oaks.

Red-hot sire Acclamation was in demand again on Thursday with a cracking colt from winning Marju mare Lyca Ballerina making 115,000 pounds.  Agent John Warren outbid Peter Doyle for the colt who will be raced by Highclere Thoroughbreds.

“He had the best hind leg I had seen in the whole catalogue,” Warren said.  “He is a very powerful, strong horse and more than just a two-year-old.  I had to pay that bit extra for one with the scope to be a three-year-old as well.”

Acclamation had three lots make the Top 10 leader-board on Wednesday and another two in the Top 5 on Thursday.

The northern hemisphere results auger well for Swettenham Stud shuttler Equiano who is the first son of Acclamation to stand in Australia.

An Acclamation colt from a half-sister to the dam of Equiano was passed-in by Fernham Farm at the Doncaster Sale on Thursday.

Turnover for the two-day Doncaster Sale was 10.63 million pounds.  The average 28,206 pounds and median 21,000 pounds both increased by 5% and the clearance rate was a healthy 77%.

“We are absolutely delighted with two days of exceptional trade,” Doncaster managing director Henry Beeby said.  “In normal times we would have been quite bullish.  However, we really didn’t know what to expect and anyone paying attention to the news would understand that trepidation.”