Bloodstock Desk: Royal Man sets the stage for a good week for his sire; Ed Prosser at the first day of Doncaster's largest-ever Spring Sale.

Byline: Ed Prosser

DONCASTER'S largest-ever Spring Sale began yesterday when one of the many French-breds catalogued held sway in the opening session of three and four-year-old untested National Hunt stores.

Top lot of the session was the already-named Royal Man, a three-year- old by Garde Royale, who will also provide the week's top lot on Thursday, when Aintree novice hurdle winner Garde Champetre is offered by the Million In Mind Partnership.

Prepared at Paul and Sara Thorman's Trickledown Stud in Hampshire, Royal Man - who realised EUR45,000 as a yearling at the 2002 Deauville October Sale - is the first foal of French and Belgian black-type performer Fayolia.

He walked into a packed ring, but there were only two serious players - agent Jessica Foster, standing above the gateway with Paul Webber, and Mags O'Toole, stood to the right, opposite the rostrum, and it was she who prevailed at 75,000gns.

The gelding will race in the colours of Co Westmeath-based Gigginstown House Stud, owned by Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary.

"He was the standout lot - he was racy, athletic and looked as if he would not take forever to see a racecourse," said O'Toole. "I don't know who will train him and I shouldn't think a decision will be taken for a while - he'll go back to Gigginstown now. Hopefully he shouldn't need too much time, he looked quite forward."

Philip Fenton is in his first season training at his Co Tipperary base after a glittering career in the saddle that saw him crowned champion amateur on both sides of the Irish Sea, through his association with the likes of Kerry Orchid, Elegant Lord and Sheltering.

He has made a bright start to his training career, highlighted by a treble at the Ballysteen points in Co Limerick on April 25, and added two new additions to the team in a 40,000gns Luso gelding, who had been bought by vendor Robert Chugg for EUR25,000 at Fairyhouse 11 months ago, and a 37,000gns Classic Cliche three-year-old gelding out of useful racemare Miss Optimist.

"I have given up riding in everything but bumpers now and am concentrating on the training," said Fenton. "They were two nice horses, especially the Luso, and have been bought for English-based owners. I will give them some time and see how they progress."

Richard and Sally Aston's Goldford Stud has had no peers as a vendor at this fixture in recent years and although the Cheshire nursery's best lots are set to appear today, their Monday team was headed by a 42,000gns four-year-old son of Classic Cliche out EBF Novice Hurdle Final winner Gospel, bought by Newbay Properties.

Coolmore National Hunt sire Oscar has made a promising start through the likes of Cheltenham bumper second Refinement, and a four-year-old by the sire who had made EUR27,000 at last year's Derby Sale made 37,000gns this time around when knocked down to Co Waterford agent John O'Byrne.

Yesterday's opening session lacked the six-figure lot seen on the equivalent day for the past two years, contributing towards a small decline in both aggregate and average, but Doncaster's managing director, Henry Beeby, was far from despondent. He said: "It was a steady trade and we're more than happy."

The store horse section of the sale concludes today when the three and four-year-olds will be joined for the first time by a handful of National Hunt two-year-olds.

Selling begins at 10am.

nLOT 272, a four-year-old Bob Back gelding out of Guinda to be offered today from Goldford Stud, topped the pre-sale show class on Sunday, as voted for by judges Henry Daly, Alan King and Charlie Swan.

CAPTION(S):

Garde Champetre (right): Aintree novice hurdle winner is certain to be sales topper at Doncaster Spring Sale, when offered on Thursday; Henry Beeby More than happy