Mags O'Toole at the double at Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale

Five six-figure lots headlined the Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale at Prestbury Park on Thursday with the two most expensive prospects, the £170,000 Largy Fix and the £165,000 French Dynamite, going the way of agent Mags O'Toole.

The sale-topping Largy Fix, consigned by Stuart Crawford's Newlands Stables, fell on his debut but made amends in no uncertain terms when running out a four-length winner under the trainer's brother Ben at Loughanmore earlier in the month.

The four-year-old son of Notnowcato joined the Crawfords' academy via the Goffs Land Rover Sale, where he cost €28,000.

View full Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale results and stats

"I bought him at the Land Rover Sale and he's done nothing wrong since, he's been a very straightforward horse," said a delighted Crawford. "He had a run the first day when he fell, he was just creeping into contention at the time.

"But we always like to run our nice horses at Loughanmore, it's our local track and as far as point-to-point tracks go it's basically a Grade 1 course. We've produced horses like Malone Road and The Very Man to win there, they've gone on to be very decent horses and I'd say this fella could be another one that'll prove to be very good."

Reflecting on what appealed when he first saw the horse at the store sales, Crawford said: "He was a nice big, rangy type with an easy way of going. At the time the sire might've been a bit of an unknown but I certainly wouldn't be afraid of having more of them. I'm delighted with him."

Mags O'Toole with the docket for the top lot Largy FixCredit: Debbie Burt

O'Toole also signed for the day's second-top lot, the £165,000 French Dynamite, who was offered by Donnchadh Doyle of Monbeg Stables after the son of Kentucky Dynamite had made a winning debut in a four-year-old maiden at Tralee last Saturday. The four-year-old was signed for as a store at €32,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale by agent Ryan Mahon.

"They were both very impressive in their wins," said O'Toole, whose purchases will continue their racing careers in Ireland for an undisclosed client.

"They were both highly-rated and came very well recommended by their vendors. I thought they were two lovely individuals who can only progress as time goes on."

Malone dips into Doyle draft

Tom Malone got his name on the scoresheet early when going to £125,000 for Flash de Touzaine, who was offered by Liz Doyle's Saunderscourt Stables. The four-year-old son of Kapgarde finished a staying on third in a bumper on debut earlier in the month.

"He's a lovely horse and was third at Killarney on his only start," said Malone. "I've had some good luck buying out of Liz Doyle's yard before and this horse came highly recommended by her. He'll be going into training with Paul Nicholls."

The reigning champion trainer has already enjoyed success with this gelding's family, as he is a half-brother to former smart chaser Valco De Touzaine.

Hogan seeing into the future

The fifth and final six-figure lot of the session came when Gerry Hogan, bidding from his usual position by the rail to the left of the rostrum, went to £105,000 to secure one of the sale's talking horses Kakamora, who was another to be offered by Donnchadh Doyle and Monbeg Stables.

"He's a smashing individual," said Hogan. "He's a great mover who jumps super. He's a lovely horse for the future and has been bought for Tim and Charlotte Syder, though I'm not sure which trainer he'll go to yet."

Gerry Hogan in bidding modeCredit: Debbie Burt

The point-to-point winner was another Monbeg offering to have been signed for by Mahon, with the agent securing the son of Great Pretender with a bid of €50,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale in 2016.

Stateside calling

While the majority of those sold on the day will grace the racecourses of Britain and Ireland in future, Royal Drumlee will continue his racing days on the other side of the Atlantic, with Hamish Macauley partnering with US jumps trainer Leslie Young to secure the horse for £100,000.

The six-year-old son of Royal Anthem was offered by Sean McParlan, for whom he completed a hat-trick of point-to-point wins earlier in the year.

"He's been bought for an existing client in America to go timber racing," said Macauley.

"He's a savage jumper and his form is good. I know he's a six-year-old but he came highly recommended. We thought we'd get him for about £50,000 but my client wanted him so he was prepared to push the boat out a little."

Royal Drumlee was making his second visit to the sales, having failed to find a buyer at just €6,500 when offered as a store in 2016.

Crawfords in clover

As well as selling the session-topping Largy Fix, the Crawford brothers enjoyed another good touch later in the day when Highflyer Bloodstock's Anthony Bromley parted with £87,000 for Timberman from their Newlands Stables draft.

The son of Califet, sire of recent Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris hero Carriacou, finished a promising second to Kakamora, who fetched £105,000 earlier in the session, on his debut in a Loughanmore maiden earlier in the month.

"He came strongly recommended by Stuart, who I've bought the likes of The Organist and Dr Sanderson from before," said Bromley. "I liked the way that he ran on from the back of the field when he made his debut and physically he stood up to scrutiny. He has been bought for an owner of Nicky Henderson's."

Final figures

Trade proved far less lively than at the 2018 May Sale, where the top lot, the £280,000 El Barra, headed a list that featured 11 six-figure prices. However, time is likely to prove that was a particularly strong renewal, with this year's figures falling in line with those achieved in 2017.

By the close of trade on Thursday, 46 of the 64 offered lots had sold for a clearance rate of 72 per cent. Those results generated turnover of £2,341,000, a year-on-year drop of 34 per cent. The average dropped by 27 per cent to £50,890, though the median went in the opposite direction, up one per cent to £45,500.

The May Sale was the last auction staged at Cheltenham this sales season, and at the conclusion of trade, Tattersalls director of horses in training sales Richard Pugh said: "Today at Cheltenham the curtain came down on another successful sales season.

"Undoubtedly it was the best season to date on the track; history was made with graduate Tiger Roll winning back-to-back Grand Nationals, Envoi Allen declared himself one of the most exciting National Hunt prospects when winning the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Festival and an impressive 50 black-type races were won by our graduates in the 2018/19 season.

"In the sales ring, the Festival Sale produced its best ever set of results and provided the highest priced point-to-point mare on record when My Whirlwind sold for £400,000.

"As we break for the season here at Cheltenham, we would like to extend a thank you to our loyal vendors and purchasers and look forward to welcoming you back to this unique venue for the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale."

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