Galileo Colt Sells For 3.6m At Tattersalls October Book 1

The European record for a yearling was shattered on the opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when the GALILEO brother to Oaks runner-up SECRET GESTURE was sold to John Magnier for 3,600,000 guineas. The sale represents a record for a yearling in Europe, eclipsing the 3,400,000 guineas paid for the subsequent Group 1 winner RIVER DANCER at the Tattersalls Houghton Yearling Sale in 2000. The sale also represents the highest price for a yearling in the World in 2013, with 3.6m guineas equivalent to $6,000,000 and €4,500,000.

The opening day saw rises across the board with a total of 124 lots sold for 26,319,000 guineas, a rise of 14% on the opening session in 2012. The average and median both rose 28% and 7% to 212,250 guineas and 117,500 guineas respectively. The turnover for the day was the highest for Book 1 of the October Yearling since its inception in 2003.

David Redvers stunned the packed auditorium when he opened the bidding on the GALILEO colt out of the DANEHILL mare SHASTYE at 1,000,000 guineas. This was soon countered by John Magnier with the pair swapping 200,000 guinea bids until Sheikh Fahad took over the reins from his bloodstock manager. Despite bidding 3.5m guineas he was unwilling to increase the final bid made by Magnier. The colt was consigned by Jacobs Family’s Newsells Park Stud which is managed by Julian Dollar.
 
“He has the pedigree, he ticks all the right boxes, he is by Galileo out of a Danehill mare - let's hope he has an engine," smiled MV Magnier. "Galileo, of course, speaks for himself, but you 'd never think you'd have to go that far."
 
The sale got off to a bright start when the MONTJEU colt out of GRAND LODGE mare MADEIRA MIST was knocked down to Ross Doyle for 600,000 guineas on behalf of Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing. Consigned from Lady Chryss O’Reilly’s Castlemartin Stud, the full-brother to dual Grade 1 Canadian International winner JOSHUA TREE was knocked down to Doyle after he saw off a determined effort by Dermot Weld and Badgers Bloodstock’s Grant Pritchard-Gordon, say alongside Russian owner/breeder Alexander Nezhenets.
 
"He's a lovely horse," said Doyle. "We missed on one by the sire last week, but we are delighted to have bought this lad. He has a great pedigree, a very classy - there are some lovely horses here."
 
The first two-year-olds by the Champion racehorse SEA THE STARS have caught the eye of many good judges of late with a number of good quality winners who look top-quality prospects for next year and so it was no surprise that his yearlings were in such demand on the opening day of the October Yearling Sale Book 1.

The highest-priced of his day 1 lots was lot 32, the colt out of the SHIRLEY HEIGHTS mare MOOD SWINGS consigned from Timmy Hyde’s Camas Park Stud. The colt was knocked down to Mandore International’s Nicholas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing and Sheikh Joaan for 550,000 guineas after he saw off agents John Warren, Ed Sackville and Jamie McCalmont.
 
"We bought the Sea The Stars out of Alpine Rose last year," said Nicolas de Watrigant, "and we like him a lot. This is a good-walking, good-looking individual and we like the sire. We are not sure where he is going to go as yet."
 
De Watrigant stuck again late in the afternoon when signing for lot 117, the INVINCIBLE SPIRIT filly out of the HALLING mare ROMIE’S KASTETT. Consigned from John and Clodagh McStay's Oaklawn Stud, the filly was knocked down to the Mandore International principal on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for 600,000gns after a prolonged duel with John Ferguson.

Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at midday on Wednesday, October 9.