The record price for a Book 2 yearling was passed in emphatic style on Wednesday evening when a first-crop son of Darley's Poet's Voice (GB) was hammered down to a determined Angus Gold on behalf of Shadwell for 525,000gns.
Following a blockbuster Book 1 last week, it was in the cards that Book 2 would be similarly strong, but plenty of vendors engaged at Tattersalls this week have continued to express a mixture of surprise and delight at the market's depth, which has seen a rise in median of 35% to 50,000gns and average by 36% to 64,478gns. Conducted over three days instead of four, comparisons are tricky, but 119 fewer yearlings offered have neverthless contributed to a growth in aggregate of 17% to 42,555,500gns, illustrating the extraordinary level of demand for yearlings in Newmarket this week. Twenty-seven yearlings fetched 200,000gns or more in Book 2 this year compared to nine in 2013 and the clearance rate remained on a par at 87%.
“The momentum from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale has well and truly been sustained throughout Book 2,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “Competition for quality yearlings has been extraordinary from start to finish and record-breaking turnover for the fourth consecutive year, despite cataloguing 137 fewer yearlings than last year, is a measure of the intense demand we have seen over the past three days. As well as turnover second only to Book 1 amongst European yearling sales, Book 2 of this year's October Yearling Sale has achieved wide-margin increases in all the key indicators and, as ever, has paid an enormous tribute to the outstanding quality of the yearlings sent here from throughout Britain, Ireland and further afield. Numerically, Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is the largest of its type in Europe and the depth to the demand for yearlings this week illustrates why the sale is the preferred option for so many leading consignors.”
Players' Pleased…
Consigned by Peter and Kathy Player's Whatton Manor Stud, the sale-topping colt (lot 1270) out of Poppets Sweetlove (GB) (Foxhound)–a half-sister to crack sprinter Overdose (GB) (Starborough {GB})–was on a number of the major buyers' lists, with Gold having to hold off an equally stiff challenge from underbidder Saleh Al Homaizi which saw the previous 420,000gns Book 2 record knocked into a cocked hat.
“It is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Peter Player, who runs the Nottinghamshire stud with his son, Ed, and also sold a Teofilo (Ire) colt out of Poppets Sweetlove, now a dual winner named Patentar (GB), for 220,000gns to Al Homaizi's advisor Tony Nerses in the same ring two years ago. “All the credit must go to Ed now–I just get in the way. We were just hoping he would make six figures but we never believed it would be anything like this.”
Successful purchaser Angus Gold said: ” Sheikh Hamdan was very keen on the horse. He's a gorgeous horse, with plenty of scope.”
Having bought three by the sire during Book 2, he added, “Poet's Voice is a beautiful horse himself and has a real chance of making it – he is getting some lovely stock. When the vet went to see him earlier today he told me that he thought the horse was his nap of the sale–he is just so athletic.”
While John Ferguson ruled Book 1 with his 38 purchases on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, it was Sheikh Hamdan's turn to take the lead during Book 2, with his racing and bloodstock manager Angus Gold signing for 35 yearlings for a total of 4,875,000gns.
Cherry on Top–For a While…
Earlier in the session, a bidding war between Kieran McManus and Alastair Donald came close to bringing about a new record for Book 2 but as the hammer came down on the Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) colt (lot 1186), who was the object of their desire, the 390,000gns vouched by McManus fell just short of the target.
Son of prominent Irish jumps owner J P McManus, the successful buyer also signed for a Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to Derby winner Motivator (GB) for 500,000gns during Book 1. His Book 2 purchase was offered by Ballylinch Stud on behalf of his breeder Cherry Faeste of Tourgar House Stud. A half-brother to dual Grade II winner Grandeur (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), the colt is out of Misskinta (Ire) (Desert Sun {GB}), one of just two mares owned by Faeste and her Norwegian husband Arild at their Co Waterford farm.
“This is the only yearling we've sold this year and I can't believe that price, but he was an exceptional horse,” said Faeste, who confirmed that Misskinta has a Dubawi filly foal at foot.
John O'Connor, manager of Ballylinch Stud, added: “We felt this colt would stand out in Book 2–we had the option of putting him in Book 1. Cherry Faeste is an extremely successful breeder. She sends the yearlings to us when they are ready to be prepped and we've been selling for her for years. This horse was very straightforward with a great constitution. We were impressed with how professional he was when he came up to the ring and plenty of people were very taken with him.”
Faeste was congratulated by her brother, Philip Myerscough of Baroda Stud, who on Tuesday sold a filly by Mastercraftsman (lot 779) for 210,000gns with David Cox from Colbinstown Stud.
“Cherry asked me why I was crying,” joked Myerscough with tears in his eyes. “I told her it's called jealousy!”
The sale also provided an emotional moment for young bloodstock agent Cathy Grassick, who operates in the name of her late father as Brian Grassick Bloodstock.
“Cherry was the first person to ask me to buy a horse when I was still working for my dad and Misskinta was the first horse I bought her,” said Grassick. “I've bought two mares for Cherry and they've both produced two stakes horses so I think I'll stop there.”
In addition to Grandeur, Misskinta is the dam of listed-placed Magnolia Beach (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and three-time winner Magique (Ire) (Jeremy). Her further family includes Sea The Stars' (Ire) first Group winner My Titania (Ire).
Fresh from selling the top-priced filly at Goffs' Orby Sale, Ballylinch Stud recorded some terrific results during Book 2, selling nine yearlings for an average of 121,000gns. These included the leading lady on Wednesday (lot 1063), a filly by Lawman (Ire) from one of the stud's longstanding families who was bought by John Warren for 260,000gns.
O'Connor commented as the filly left the ring: “We bred her dam, Kerry Gal (Ire), but ironically she never raced as she was injured at the sales when we tried to sell her as a yearling. Long-term that's worked out to be a benefit for us as she's produced an exceptional first foal.”
Kerry Gal certainly has the bloodlines to be a broodmare of note, as she is by Galileo out of G1 Prix de Diane winner Caerlina (Ire) (Caerleon).
O'Connor added: “Everybody liked this filly–she has a great temperament and the most extraordinary action, she's an extremely fluent mover.”
Poignant Moment for Lavington Stud…
Less than a week after the death of Captain John Macdonald-Buchanan, a Dutch Art (GB) colt bred at his Lavington Stud in Sussex (lot 1062) was the early star of Wednesday's final session of Book 2 at Tattersalls when selling for 340,000gns to Al Mirqab Racing.
The second foal of Presque Isle Downs listed winner Kelowna (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), the chestnut attracted the attention of plenty of serious buyers, including Ross Doyle, John Warren, Richard Brown and eventual under-bidder Charlie Gordon-Watson.
The colt was consigned by Keith Harte, who said: “I thought he'd definitely make at least 150,000gns but I knew a lot of the big players were on him. I saw him in the summer and have had him all the way through his sales prep. Like all the Dutch Arts I've had, he had a great temperament and his last show was as good as his first.”
Family Ties that Bind for Muir…
Carmel Stud bought Just Devine (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) for 21,000gns as a yearling and though one placed finish was the best she could manage on the racecourse, the half-sister to Group 3 winner Airmail Special (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) has repaid the investment made by Kevin and Michelle Morgan by producing four winners, including Qatar Racing's listed-placed End Of Line (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}). Her latest success came in the sales ring on Wednesday morning when her Kyllachy (GB) yearling colt (lot 1052) was sold to William Muir for 280,000gns.
The trainer had three very good reasons to go right to the top of his budget for the colt as he trains or has trained three of this colt's winning half-siblings–Magic Secret (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}), Secret Weapon (GB) (Choisir {Aus}) and current 2-year-old Code Red (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), the eye-catching 4 1/2-length winner of a six-furlong Nottingham maiden Oct. 8 (video).
“I train his half-brother, who bolted in the other day, and from day one I thought he'd be top class,” said Muir. “I also trained Secret Weapon, who was sold to race abroad. This was a lovely colt but I couldn't have gone any further for him! I don't usually spend that sort of money, but I've got a syndicate together to race him and we thought 'let's just give it a go.'”
The trainer, who has signed for 10 yearlings in Book 2, has enjoyed success in the last few seasons with another son of Kyllachy, the multiple stakes winner Stepper Point (GB).
Fast and Expensive…
Joe Hernon's Castletown Stud was the consignor of another colt to pass the 200,000-guinea mark on Wedensday when offering a son of Fastnet Rock (Aus) (lot 1196) out of a half-sister to promising young sire Fast Company (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). The May-born colt was knocked down to Stephen Hillen at 220,000gns, while Japanese owner Pan Sutong, buying through Australian agent Jeff Gordon, added a Dark Angel (Ire) colt (lot 1111) to his purchases. Ballyhimikin Stud consigned the son of the unraced Dalakhani (Ire) mare Livadream (Ire), who hails from the family of dual Group 1 winner Linngari (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}).
Fresh Princes…
Within a handful of lots there were some eye-catching results for first-season sires on the final day of Book 2.
Lot 1113, a beautifully prepared son of Lilbourne Lad (Ire) gave Brendan Holland's Grove Stud a decent return on investment when improving his 65,000gns foal price to 140,000gns. A grandson of GI Beverly D S. winner Snow Polina (Ire) out of her unraced Peintre Celebre daughter Lola Rossa (Ire), the colt was bought by Ross Doyle, and was one of two six-figure colts for the sire in the session after lot 1105, out of Linngari's half-sister Lilakiya (Ire) (Dr Fong), fetched 100,000gns.
Shadwell stood their ground for the offspring of two freshmen, with Angus Gold signing for lot 1120, a Glenvale Stud-consigned son of Roderic O'Connor out of listed winner Lucky Pipit (GB) (Key Of Luck), at 170,000gns and lot 1125, a Poet's Voice (GB) half-brother to GII Goldikova S. winner Rhythm Of Light (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), at 160,000gns–as well as later going to 525,000gns for the top lot of the sale by the same sire. By the end of Book 2, Poet's Voice was the leading sire with 26 sold for an average of 94,096gns.
Coolmore's Cape Blanco (Ire) had three colts in Book 2, with Wednesday's offering, a colt out of listed-placed Keepers Hill (Ire) (Danehill) (lot 1061) selling for 150,000gns to MV Magnier.
Extraordinary Trade…
Following the sale, Mahony could not help but gush about the results. “Turnover in excess of 40 million gns has exceeded expectations by a considerable margin, as have the huge rises in average, median and the number of lots sold for 100,000 guineas or more,” he explained. “Last year's record average of 47,529gns has soared to more than 60,000gns, the median has jumped from 37,000gns to 50,000gns and the number of six-figure lots has risen from 62 to more than 100. Similar to Book 1, the influence of buyers from throughout the Gulf region has been enormous and the global demand, particularly from Hong Kong, has been hugely significant, but the backbone to Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale has always been the British and Irish trainers and they have been out in force, all contributing to a clearance rate of nearly 90%.
The first session of a two-day Book 3 sale begins today at 9:30 a.m.
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