Diverse buyers fuel strong opening day of Orby Sale

A diverse buying bench fighting over some impeccably bred offerings ensured the average and median prices at Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale both increased by eight per cent from last year.

Transactions included the first purchase at a European yearling auction of 2016 in the name of Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson, usually a prolific feature on buyers' lists but notable by its absence in recent weeks.

Ferguson struck at €500,000 for an Invincible Spirit brother to last month's Prestige Stakes second Promising, bred and consigned by the Irish National Stud.