An estate I help with the sheep on buys 530 NCM (as well as Scotch form Castle Douglass) of the same size sheep from Tow Law, Lazonby 1st, Lazonby 2nd, Skipton and off one farm. By far the best are the Tow Law 530, they have real power and even some shape, lazonby seem to be far to narrow and skipton ones never grow on as well as you think.
Does Tow Law still have a Mule sale? I think the only thing it's still famous for is that it once hosted Arsenal in a football match.
I'm trying to remember the name of the farm manager (Harry ????) who came up each year and bought an artic load of mules at extreme rates for his boss on an estate in Hampshire - and pocketed a huge amount of luck.