Three Top Million on Second Day of Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale

The second day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continued at the same frenetic pace as the opening day, with three lots selling for 1 million guineas or more. The trio were by DUBAWI, GALILEO and FRANKEL, arguably the three most in demand stallions in the world at the moment. Trade on the second day saw a total of 164 lots sell for 26,342,000 guineas at an average of 201,084 guineas and a median of 120,000 guineas.

The top lot on the second day was another son of DUBAWI with John Ferguson signing for the Watership Down Stud offering at 2,100,000 guineas. The son of the BEAT HOLLOW mare NATURE SPIRITS was bred by the Niarchos family and hails from one of their best families that includes Group 1 winners HERNANDO and JOHANN QUATZ. Ferguson secured the colt after a head-to-head battle with Roger Varian who trains DUBAWI’s best son POSTPONED and was also underbidder on last night’s session-topping DUBAWI.

"A number of mares board at Watership Down for the family," reported stud manager Simon Marsh, "and this horse was born and raised at our farm in Ireland, Kiltinan Castle Stud.

"He has been a delight all the way through and never a day's problem from a foal through to a yearling. There, of course, was some debate as to whether to keep him and race him, but I think this result has vindicated the decision to sell."

Few broodmares have been as rewarding to a stud farm as the DANEHILL mare SHASTYE has to her owners Newsells Park Stud. The Listed-placed daughter of the Champion Italian mare SAGANECA is the dam of the Group 2 Middleton Stakes winner and Oaks runner-up SECRET GESTURE as well as to progressive Group 3 winner SIR ISAAC NEWTON who sold at this sale back in 2013 for 3,600,000 guineas. So it was no surprise to see the GALILEO own-sister to that pair in great demand with MV Magnier and Sheikh Fahad, owners of SIR ISAAC NEWTON and SECRET GESTURE respectively, going head-to-head with the Qatar Racing principle successful at 1,350,000 guineas.

"She is very similar to Secret Gesture, a bit bigger and a bit stronger," reported Qatar Racing’s racing manager David Redvers. "Secret Gesture is going to the sales later this autumn in-foal to War Front, so it is great to be able to keep the family.

"She will be broken in with us and then probably follow the same route as her sister."

When asked of this year's buying policy Redvers said: "We are selective with our purchases this year. We are buying colts where we think we are thin on the ground in the colts' division, and buying fillies such as this whom we can't leave behind. We are trying to build the smartest broodmare band in the country."

The third of the three lots to top 1 million guineas for the day was the FRANKEL colt out of the dual Group 1 winning PIVOTAL mare PEERESS. The colt was bred and consigned by Cheveley Park Stud, who sold Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes hopeful SEVEN HEAVENS at this sale last year for 620,000 guineas. He was knocked down to MV Magnier who was stood alongside Mayfair Speculators’ Markus Jooste, for 1,300,000 guineas.

"He is a lovely horse and out of a good racemare," said Magnier. "Cheveley Park is a great producer and its record speaks for itself. We have got to know the Joostes very well now and they are straight-forward and very decent people, it is a pleasure to work with them."

"Our policy is to sell all the colts and retain fillies, and though I would have loved to have kept him, we have to stay true to our policy," smiled stud manager Chris Richardson. "He is bred on the same Frankel/Pivotal cross as Dewhurst hopeful Seven Heavens, also bred by Cheveley Park.

"It is a compliment to the stud that this horse was bought by MV Magnier, and shows that our breeding policy is working and is truly international. He is a beautiful horse, very powerful and much like his sire, and he is out of a great racemare. She is by Pivotal who is becoming a phenomenal broodmare sire."

The sale represented the highest price Cheveley Park Stud have achieved at auction when selling a yearling, beating the 620,000 guineas SEVEN HEAVENS yielded last year.

Newmarket-based trainer Roger Varian has been an active participant throughout the two days of the sale and despite being underbidder on the top two lots has still secured eleven yearlings for 4,220,000 guineas. The highest priced of these was the DUBAWI colt out of the RAINBOW QUEST mare SO SILK that he secured for 850,000 guineas. The colt is a half-brother to the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes winner SILK SARI and a grandson of the Champion Irish 3YO Filly GOSSAMER who hails from the Gerald Leigh family that also includes Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner BARATHEA.

"It is fair to say that we've given Dubawi some support this week!" joked Varian after successfully outbidding (this time) John Ferguson for this colt.

"This is a lovely horse out of a Rainbow Quest mare and has been bought for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. We have bought a number for him this week, but not everything we have purchased is for him.

"It has been tough, but we are happy with what we have bought."

Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues with the third and final session starting at 11am on Thursday, October 6.