Tattersalls October Book 1 Ends on High Note
Records were smashed on the final day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale which saw a GALILEO colt sell for 2.6m guineas, the highest price for a yearling in the world this year, and new records set for turnover, average and median for a single day and the whole sale. The turnover, which fell narrowly short of 80m guineas was also the highest turnover for a sale in European auction history.
The final day of the sale saw three lots top the million guinea mark which helped push the turnover to 30,159,000 guineas for the 106 lots sold, up 58% on last year’s final session. The average rose 56% to 284,519 guineas and the median rose 58% to 190,000 guineas. The turnover for the sale of 79,274,000 guineas for the 336 lots sold was a rise of 13% on the 2013 sale and a new record, whilst the average and median both rose 14% and 15% respectively to 235,935 guineas and 150,000 guineas, both new records for the sale. There were a remarkable 38 lots to sell for 500,000 guineas or more, up from 22 last year, whilst the number of seven-figure lots was also a new record at 6, up from the previous top of 4 in 2007 and 3 last year.
The GALILEO colt out of PENANG PEARL set a new benchmark for the highest priced yearling in the world this year when surpassing last night’s sale-topper when knocked down to MV Magnier for 2.6m guineas. Catalogued as lot 442, the half-brother to the Group 1 King George winner HARBINGER saw a battle between John Magnier and John Warren, despite the slow start that saw auctioneer Simon Kerins begin with the minimum bid of 5,000 guineas. The colt, easily the world's most expensive yearling of this year, was bred by Mr Nick Ooi, a Malaysian businessman who has been based in Britain for 30 years. He bought Penang Pearl as two-year-old breeze-up and raced her himself, keeping her as a broodmare after she retired. In 2005, Ooi made the decision to send her to Dansili, a mating that produced the Group 1 winner and stallion Harbinger, which as Ooi explains "made it possible for me to send her to Galileo”. The mare has another Galileo foal at foot and was covered by the champion sire again this spring.
GALILEO was also responsible for the second highest price for the day when the three-parts sister to the Derby winner POUR MOI was knocked down to James Delahooke for 1,250,000 guineas. Catalogued as lot 318, the daughter of the DARSHAAN mare GWYNN was consigned by Timmy Hyde’s Camas Park Stud and knocked down to Delahooke after he saw off SackvilleDonald’s Ed Sackville.
"She was my pick of the sale," said Delahooke. "I tried very hard to buy a filly by Bernardini filly earlier this summer, but was beaten by John Ferguson. This is the nicest filly I have seen since - she ticks all the boxes, she is gorgeous.
"She is for Bobby Flay and will probably race in Europe.”
When asked about this week's horses, Delahooke said: "I have only been looking at fillies, and there are lots of lovely horses here. The market has been strong - it is after all where the big boys are in action.”
The third lot to top the million guineas mark for the day was lot 398, by the late STREET CRY colt out of the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes winning DYNAFORMER mare MEEZNAH. Consigned by Charlie and Tracy Vigors’ Hillwood Stud, the colt was knocked down to John Ferguson for 1,000,000 guineas after he saw off the Al Shaqab team.
"He came to us in July and was always a stunning, straightforward colt, always easy to deal with and always oozed class," said a delighted Vigors. "It is easily our biggest sale and it is a fantastic feeling.”
The leading consignor for the week was Highclere Stud whose 27 sold yearlings realised a total of 8,035,000 guineas, ahead of Camas Park Stud and Watership Down whilst John Ferguson was the leading purchaser for the week, buying 38 yearlings for a total of 17,465,000 guineas.
At the conclusion of Book 1 of the 2014 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“Book 1 of last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale scaled some enormous heights which makes the record returns at this year’s renewal even more remarkable. A significantly smaller catalogue has produced unprecedented turnover of nearly 80 million guineas, new highs for average and median and extraordinary competition for yearlings of outstanding quality throughout the sale.
“The key to the consistent success of the sale can be seen on the cover of the catalogue. Derby winner AUSTRALIA and 2,000 Guineas winner NIGHT OF THUNDER were both bought at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale two years ago and the buyers here this week have been enticed by the very real prospect of finding future Classic winners or champions amongst the magnificent yearlings that the consignors bring to Book 1 year after year. All week the buyers have remarked on the quality of the yearlings on offer and not only are we enormously grateful to our vendors for sending the cream of the European yearling crop to Tattersalls, we are also delighted that their collective confidence in Europe’s premier yearling sale has been so richly rewarded.
"The depth to the trade, especially on days two and three, has been extraordinary and reflects the global demand for the best bloodstock that Europe has to offer. The quality of the stallions currently standing in Britain and Ireland has arguably never been higher and buyers from throughout the world are recognising this in ever increasing numbers. The influence of our regular and hugely valued buyers from the Gulf region has been truly immense this week, and to have so many of the principals in attendance from start to finish is a crucial part of the sale’s success. Long standing clients from America, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey have all been active, but new faces, particularly from America, China and Hong Kong, have added a new dimension and made a major contribution to a sale which has seen the record books completely rewritten.
“As well as the highest price in the world for an auction yearling for the third consecutive year, we have sold more seven figure yearlings than ever before at this sale, a record number for 500,000 guineas or more and new highs across the board for the fourth year in a row. The 2014 Tattersalls sales season has made a spectacular start and we now look forward to sustaining the momentum at Books 2 and 3 of the October Yearling Sale next week.”
Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale gets underway at 10am on Monday, October 13.