Sensational Start to Tattersalls October Book 2

The general consensus following the spectacular results last week at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale was that Book 2 would benefit from a knock-on effect but few could have predicted just how strong the opening day would be. The fireworks started on the opening lot which sold for 270,000 guineas and was one of eleven lots to better the 200,000 guineas mark compared with just 9 at the whole sale in 2013. Seven lots topped the 300,000 guineas mark including the session topping SHAMARDAL colt at 370,000 guineas which was the highest price at this sale since 2008. A total of 227 lots were sold for 15,511,000 guineas, a rise of 73% on the 2013 opening session whilst the average and median rose 48% and 37% respectively to 68,330 guineas and 52,000 guineas. The clearance rate was an impressive 89%. 

The top lot for the day was the SHAMARDAL colt catalogued as lot 671 who was knocked down to John Ferguson for 370,000 guineas. Consigned by Stauffenberg Bloodstock, having been bred by Haras de Saint Pair, the colt is out of Group 3 winner VIA MILANO and a half-brother to Group 3 winner VIA MEDICI.

"He's a lovely Shamardal colt from a very good, successful family and a very good breeder," said Ferguson. "The two-year-old is unbeaten and heads for a Group 3 at Deauville”

Stauffenberg Bloodstock’s Philipp Stauffenberg said: "I'm incredibly happy, the colt came to us in July and has always been a lovely horse to deal with."

The second highest price for the day and one of seven lots to top 300,000 guineas was lot 572, the filly by Derby winner POUR MOI out of the DUBAI DESTINATION mare SISTINE which sold for 350,000 guineas. The filly certainly has a Classic pedigree being out of a three-parts-sister to the Derby winner CAMELOT and was knocked down to John Warren for 350,000 guineas after he saw off Hannah Wall. The filly was sold by Oak Lodge and Springfield House Studs, and Linda Coffey, owner/manager of the farm, with her husband Reddy, said:

"I am thrilled, I am in shock!

"We board the mare for our client [breeder Elite Racing Club] and this filly has always been straight-forward and easy to do. Her dam Sistine is now in-foal to Dark Angel and she did not have a foal this year."

It is a great result for Elite Racing Club, who bought the mare Sistine at this sale in 2009 for 62,000 guineas.

Successful purchaser John Warren said: "The filly is an outstanding physical specimen and Pour Moi is getting some marvellous stock."

Warren was the leading purchaser on the opening day, buying eleven yearlings for a total of 1,655,000 guineas, and he secured the first lot to top 300,000 guineas on the day. Catalogued as lot 520, the colt is a PIVOTAL full-brother to the Group 1 Nassau Stakes third MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE and out of SABREON, a half-sister to the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner LANDSEER.

Warren, who bought the Watership Down Stud consigned colt on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid commented: "He was my pick of the day".

Gay O’Callaghan’s Yeomanstown Stud struck gold with a daughter by their resident stallion DARK ANGEL who was bought by Cheveley Park Stud for 300,000 guineas. The filly is out of the SHAMARDAL mare WARSHAH, who was purchased by Yeomanstown at the 2011 Tattersalls July Sale for just 26,000 guineas. She is a half-sister to the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera winner KINNAIRD, the dam of Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner BERKSHIRE and the grand-dam of this season’s Group 2 Richmond and July Stakes winner IVAWOOD.

"It is a very current family and she is a very athletic filly - she walked as well today as she did when I saw her three days ago," said Chris Richardson of Cheveley Park Stud. "We've had to dig deep, but she deserves it - and Mrs Thompson was very taken with her when she saw her today."

Richardson secured the filly after seeing off the efforts of Charlie Gordon-Watson and Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown.

Late in the evening lot 737, the DANEHILL DANCER colt out of the Listed winning GIANT’S CAUSEWAY mare ALSACE LORRAINE lit up the ring when knocked down to Paul Smith for 330,000 guineas. Standing alongside Coolmore’s Paul Shanahan and MV Magnier, Smith withstood the efforts of Hugo Lascelles and John Warren to secure the colt consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment. The sale has been a happy hunting ground for Smith who purchased Group 1 St Leger winner KINGSTON HILL here in 2012 for 70,000 guineas.

"He is a lovely strong sort, and really caught the eye in the ring," said Smith. "This horse will go to Roger Varian. I have had a great season and Kingston Hill stays in training for 2015."

Andrew Mead of Castlebridge East said: "He came to us about ten weeks ago from Fittocks Stud. He has always been a lovely straightforward colt, with a lovely temperament."

The sale continues at 10am on Tuesday, October 14.