By Emma Berry
Newmarket, UK–Not even 24 hours had passed before another record fell at Tattersalls when 850,000gns was bid for a colt by Sea The Stars (Ire) to make the Italian-produced yearling the most expensive horse ever sold at Book 2.
Lot 1063 was the first yearling consigned at Tattersalls by his breeder Massimo Parri's Allevamento Le.Gi. and he caught the eye of a number of leading buyers, with Alastair Donald and Charlie Gordon-Watson both throwing in bids. Neither had the firepower to match Angus Gold of Shadwell for this particular colt, who duly took the sale to a new high after what had already been a strong start to the week's trade.
Not only was he a robust individual by a stallion enjoying a particularly good season but the yearling is a member of one of the strongest current families in Italy. His Listed-winning dam Biz Bar (GB) (Tobougg {Ire}) was a Listed winner herself and she had bred six winners from six runners, with all bar her current 2-year-old having earned black type. Top of the tree is the G1 Gran Premio di Milano and G2 Derby Italiano winner Biz The Nurse (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}).
“It has been a great honour to have so many of the leading buyers interested in him,” said Parri, who is based just outside Siena and is the chairman of Italy's Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.
“Platinum Bloodstock help me with my horses abroad and this colt was born in England. Sea The Stars was a champion and I've always thought a lot of him which was why I decided on him for Biz Bar.”
Another high-octane section of the Tattersalls October Sale was completed with Book 2 following its swankier big brother with gains across all sectors. The clearance rate on the final day slipped slightly to 78% when 196 yearlings sold but the session's tally was up by 26% to 16,262,000gns, while the average also grew by 25% to 82,969gns. The median was static at 50,000gns.
For Book 2 as a whole, turnover rose by 24% to 48,0220,000gns, the median imporved by 10% to 55,000gns and the average was up by 20% to 78,339gns. A sold rate of 83% was achieved from the sale of 613 horses from 743 offered.
Angel Delight
Yeomanstown Stud was the leading consignor at Book 2 and that accolade was earned in fine style during the final session in which they were represented by four six-figure lots, including the second-most expensive horse of the sale at 625,000gns.
It almost doesn't need saying that the colt was by Yeomanstown's banner stallion Dark Angel (Ire) whose popularity is now in the stratosphere when it comes to yearling sales. That has of course been underpinned by another stellar year on the track, with two of the five top-rated horses in Britain and Ireland being his Group 1-winning sons Harry Angel (Ire) and Battaash (Ire).
Lot 1256, a half-brother to Listed winner Lexington Times (Ire) (Paco Boy {Ire}) was pinhooked by Gay, Annette, David and Robert O'Callaghan at Goffs last November for €95,000 and he will run next year in the blue of Godolphin after being hammered down to John Gosden with MV Magnier as underbidder.
“It was magic, we've had a good couple of weeks,” said David O'Callaghan with some understatement. “It was a toss-up whether he'd come here or to Book 1–he's a really special horse and he'd have sold just as well in either. Everybody wants a piece of Dark Angel and the longer we can keep it that way the better.”
Yeomanstown also sold a daughter of Dark Angel (lot 1210) to Jeff Gordon, who has made the trip to Tattersalls from Australia and has bought five yearlings over the last fortnight on behalf of the Pan Sutong-owned Goldin Farms, formerly known as Linsday Park Stud.
Gordon went to 280,000gns for the filly out of the winning Shamardal mare Ellasha (GB) and he also selected a Kodiac (GB) filly at 300,000gns (lot 1158) from another branch of the family, Guy O'Callaghan's Grangemore Stud. The first foal of juvenile winner Dance Bid (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) was another good pinhook, having been bought for €58,000 at Goffs.
Gordon, who also bought a Speightstown filly (lot 1162) from Grove Stud for 240,000gns, said, “We are looking to buy fillies who will get on and run, with some precocity. They will stay here to race in Europe and have been bought as potential breeding prospects. We're only really dipping our toes in the water here at present.”
Rocking Good Return
Less than an hour after the record-breaking colt had gone through, the sums on the bid board were shooting up again as Ballyhimikin's Lope De Vega (Ire) colt (lot 1076) stalked the ring. This time around it was Angus Gold who played second fiddle to trainer Roger Varian for the first son of the Group 3-placed Boston Rocker (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), herself out of a half-sister to Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {Ire}).
James Hanly, who bred the colt in partnership with Anthony Stroud and Skymarc Farm, bought Boston Rocker privately after her racing days. He said, “She is a lovely mare and it's a great family so this is a great start.”
Boston Rocker has a colt foal by Kingman colt foal and is now in foal to Muhaarar.
Billesdons' Sister A Tribute To McCreery
A hugely popular result during the third day of Book 3 was the sale of the Showcasing (GB) half-sister to this season's stakes winners Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}) and Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) for 380,000gns from Jeanette McCreery's Stowell Hill Stud.
Lot 1136 was offered on behalf of the Stowell Hill Partners, who have successfully raced the first two foals of the Manduro (Ger) mare Coplow (GB) bred by McCreery's late husband Bob, who died in December. To add further lustre to the family this season, Coplow's half-sister Anna Nerium (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) won the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. in McCreery's colours and is set to run on Friday in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. All three fillies are trained by Richard Hannon.
“It's wonderful,” said Jeanette McCreery after John Gosden, apparently not this time bidding for Godolphin, bought the chestnut filly. “It's just a shame that Bob's not here to see it.”
She added, “It's all thanks to the Hannons really, they have done such a good job with the family.”
Fab Result For Stauffenberg Bloodstock
Philipp Stauffenberg has enjoyed some decent results in the ring over the last fortnight, notably for his client Gestut Gorsldorf, for whom he sold a Lope De Vega filly in Book 2 for 230,000gns and a Sea The Moon (Ger) colt for 525,000gns in Book 1, in which he also sold a pinhooked Galileo filly for 575,000gns.
But the result which will have been the sweetest for Stauffenberg and his wife Marion is the sale of lot 1249, a grandson of their foundation mare Fraulein Tobin (J O Tobin) for 300,000gns to Roger Varian on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.
And in a sale chock-a-block with offspring of the commercial favourites, it is refreshing to be able to report the name of the Aga Khan Studs' stalwart Sinndar (Ire) as the sire of the dark brown colt who was named Fabriano (Ger) by Marion.
The colt is a full-brother to Four Sins (Ger), noteworthy not just for being a Group 2 winner but also for being an extremely rare yearling sales purchase by the Aga Khan back in 2005 for €120,000. Last year, another brother, now named Flintrock (Ger) and in training with Andrew Balding, was sold by the Stauffenbergs for 165,000gns.
“This was our own yearling and he's very close to our hearts as he's from the family of the mare who started it all for us, Fraulein Tobin. It's very special and I really can't believe what he sold for–I had put a 25,000gns reserve on him,” said Philipp Stauffenberg, who has had a fortnight of deeply mixed emotions after travelling back to Germany between Books 1 and 2 for his mother's funeral.
He added, “His dam Four Roses has done us proud and is still in action. She has a Maxios colt foal and is back in foal to Maxios but we know she's carrying another colt. Four Sins is the only filly she has produced.”
SackvilleDonald Play Leading Role
Alastair Donald has rarely left the sales auditorium during Books 1 and 2 and he and partner Ed Sackville bought another 31 yearlings over the last three days to making them second only in the buyers' table to Shadwell, with 42 bought for 5,920,000gns.
The SackvilleDonald tally came to 3,456,000gns and while a number of those were for an undisclosed client, a major new investor to the British scene this year has been the agency's client Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha of King Power Racing. The Thai businessman owns Leicester City Football Club along with his swiftly growing string of racehorses which includes G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. entrant Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), whose Exceed And Excel half-sister sold on Tuesday for 500,000gns to Donald.
Among the team's final-day purchases in Book 2 was lot 1221, an Acclamation (GB) filly out of the Listed Achilles S. winner Excelette (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), bred by Crossfields Bloodstock and sold by Bearstone Stud for 255,000gns.
Donald also bought lot 1273, who provided a sale-ring highlight for Tara Stud's first-season sire Alhebayeb (Ire)–a son of Dark Angel–when selling for 180,000gns. The half-brother to GIII Providencia S. winner Spirit Of Xian (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was a 95,000gns pinhook by Michael Fitzpatrick of Kilminfoyle House Stud.
Peace Offering For Gordon-Watson
It would be almost impossible to file a sales report these days without mentioning Kodiac (GB) and Ballyphilip Stud's daughter of the Tally-Ho Stud stallion (lot 1103) duly made her presence felt when selling for 320,000gns to Charlie Gordon-Watson on behalf of Saeed Suhail.
“I was underbidder on the two colts I really wanted but this is the filly that I wanted–her fourth dam is Pass The Peace (GB) and she was the first Group 1 winner that I bought,” said the agent, who also bought the G1 2000 Guineas winner King's Best for Suhail back in 1998.
“She will grow some more, but she should be a July-type. She is from a very good farm and will be trained by Sir Michael Stoute.”
A 100,000gns foal pinhook by Paul McCartan's CBS Bloodstock handle, the filly is out of 3-year-old winner Carved Emerald (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself a daughter of Listed winner Emerald Peace (Ire) (Green Desert).
Australia On High
Coolmore's young stallion Australia (GB) ended Book 2 as the leading first-season sire with 12 sold for an average of 130,833gns. His leading light on day three was lot 1183, the first foal of the Listed-placed Dorothy B (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was the star of the Clare Castle Stud draft at 350,000gns.
John Gosden will train the colt who was bought by Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock. The agent said, “John trained his dam and she was a tough, hardy racemare by Fastnet Rock. I have loved the horses by Australia, they have really impressed me and we have been trying to get involved with them as much as possible. This is a lovely, quality horse.”
Tweenhills sire Havana Gold (GB) has been well represented by his first runners this season and his yearling crop has been understandably popular, with five sold through Book 2 for an average of 148,000gns. Nicholas Jones of Coln Valley Stud has had a enjoyable season on the track with his 2-year-old homebred Give And Take (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) who looks a stakes filly in the making, and her Havana Gold half-brother (lot 1275) sold for 250,000gns to Shadwell.
Earlier in the day, lot 1065, the full-brother to Group 3 winner and G1 Darley Prix Morny runner-up Havana Grey (GB), sold from Mickley Stud for 140,000gns and will follow his sibling to the stable of Karl Burke.
Book 3 Begins
After rousing returns from three days each of Books 1 and 2, we now head into an elongated Book 3, with a full day of trade on Thursday from 9.30am, shortened sessions on Friday morning and evening around the racing, plus an extra half-day on Saturday morning. The dominance of certain major buyers through the first two parts of the October Sale has not only boosted trade but has also meant that a number of other players have had to sit on their hands. We'll see over the next few days how well trade can be sustained through a super-size Book 3, which is up from 474 to 662 catalogued lots.
At the conclusion of Book 2, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “Book 1 of the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale entered uncharted territory last week with wide margin records across the board and Book 2 has followed in similar fashion. Yet again, Book 2 has grossed more than any other European yearling sale except October Book 1 and the turnover, average and median have all reached unprecedented levels.
“The strength at the top of the market has at times been breathtaking and the statistics tell the story. Not only have we seen a new record Book 2 top price of 850,000gns, and a 500,000gns Book 2 record for a filly, but the number of yearlings sold for 300,000gns or more has risen from two last year to a massive 19 this year. Eight different buyers featured among the top 10 lots this week and only Book 1 among European yearling sales has produced more 100,000gns yearlings. As ever, the support from the Maktoum family and their associates has been amazing and this has been backed up by truly international participation at all levels as well as British and Irish owners and trainers competing strongly from start to finish.”
He continued, “High praise should also be directed towards the vendors whose confidence in both Books 1 and 2 of the October Yearling Sale has been so well rewarded. Every year the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale showcases the best yearlings from Britain, Ireland and further afield, and the buyers come here confident that Tattersalls and Britain are great places to do business.
“We now move on to Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale where buyers will continue to find plenty of quality yearlings all of which are eligible for the ever – popular £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction S.”
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