With guests including Picture This and Henry Shefflin on the first episode of the season, it was the ram lamb sold for €15,000 at Ballymena Mart whose appearance made The Dealer’s ears prick up.

Heart of Gold, the lamb bought by Donegal farmer Seamus Brown for 13,000gns last August, looked more than at home in the RTE studio with Tubs.

Brown told Tubridy “perfection in a lamb is difficult to find”. However, he said he has found it in Heart of Gold, with a nice head, a good line, a nice stand, lovely wool and a huge carcase.

Heart of Gold was named after the 1972 hit of Brown’s favourite singer, Neil Young.

“He really has the potential to breed top-quality lambs,” Brown said.

For €15,000, the Dealer would certainly hope so.

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