On the home front all eyes were fixed firmly on Punchestown last Sunday, where Sizing John made his return to action in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase. Last season’s Gold Cup hero could hardly have made a brighter start to his season as he registered a commanding success.

The comeback record of Gold Cup winners is decidedly patchy and, after an arduous campaign last spring, one wondered how Sizing John would return for his latest season. The answer is that Jessica Harrington’s charge is at least as good as ever. Over a trip that might be short of his best nowadays he was far too strong for old rival Djakadam who was chasing a third straight win in this race.

Sizing John did give his supporters a scare when clouting the second fence but otherwise he was on excellent terms with himself and he sets a daunting benchmark for success in the staying division this season. Quite possibly we are looking at Ireland’s first back-to-back Gold Cup winner since L’Escargot all the way back in 1970 and 71.

Marsha sells for 6m gns

On the sales front, the year continues to draw to a spectacular close and last Tuesday at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale was one to live long in the memory.

An extraordinary day’s trade was headed by a new European record for a thoroghbred sold at public auction as Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier forked out 6m guineas for the Group 1-winning sprinter Marsha.

Over the course of the day the relentless and ever growing appetite for high end bloodstock was amply illustratated.

Some 10 lots reached the 1m guineas barrier and the aggregate for the session broke the European record for turnover recorded in a single day at a thoroughbred auction. The last few weeks have been quite extraordinary and surely recent events can only give cause for encouragement at the industry looks to 2018.