The sustained demand witnessed at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continued on the opening day of Book 2 with thirteen lots realising 300,000 guineas or more and a top price of 875,000 guineas. The average and turnover were both up on last year’s opening session and the clearance rate was an impressive 90%.
Godolphin Strike for Sea The Stars Colt at 875,000 Guineas
The top lot on the opening day of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale was the Staffordstown consigned SEA THE STARS colt out of the Listed placed BIGHEARTED who realised 875,000 guineas to Anthony Stroud, bidding on behalf of Godolphin, after a protracted bidding duel with Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown.
The February-born colt was bred by Michael Perlman and Sunderland Holding Inc. and is the first foal out of the Listed John Musker Stakes and Listed Prix Charles Laffitte second BIGHEARTED. The daughter of FARHH is out of BIANCA NERA, the Irish Champion two-year-old filly of 1996, and is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winners POSTPONED and GOD GIVEN.
"The mare is actually catalogued in the December Sale and that will freshen things up," said Richard Frisby, Staffordstown’s representative. "This colt was accepted for Book 1 but we felt that dropping him in here he would be a standout, and I think that is what has happened. He is a fine first foal, obviously he is a horse who will need a bit of time, but he has been bred to be a Classic horse and that is what you would expect, to need to give him some time. I bought Bianca Nera as a yearling and it is a family who has been very kind to us. Bighearted is in foal to Modern Games."
Of expectations coming to sale this week, Frisby said: "You never know really how much they are going to make - the price at half of what he has made was a good sale, and who could forecast that?"
Buyer Anthony Stroud said: "He’s a very strong, well-made horse from Staffordstown. It’s a wonderful family and he’ll be a nice staying horse for the future. He fitted the bill as a nice horse for Godolphin so he’ll go to Charlie Appleby."
As well as the entry in the Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, BIGHEARTED has a WOOTTON BASSETT filly foal catalogued as lot 810 in the Tattersalls December Foal Sale where she will be consigned by St Simon Stud.
St Mark’s Basilica Filly from Yeomanstown Realises 600,000 Guineas
The top priced filly on the opening day of Tattersalls October Book 2 was Yeomanstown Stud’s ST MARK’S BASILICA daughter of the Listed winning DARK ANGEL mare ANGELIC LIGHT who realised 600,000 guineas to the bid of Alex Elliott, on behalf of Amo Racing and Al Shaqab.
"We underbid Richard Brown on the Night of Thunder filly and Shadwell on the Kalpana half-sister," said Elliott. "She is an exceptional physical out of a fast Dark Angel mare, who has bred two decent horses. St Mark's is obviously an unknown but you would like to think he has got every chance. It was the physical that was attractive, and you’d like to think she could be a Royal Ascot filly. She is an early foal, she is very together, she was giving us all 'Fairy Godmother' vibes - let's hope we can replicate that."
The filly was bred by and sold by Yeomanstown Stud, who purchased ANGELIC LIGHT at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2019 for 165,000 guineas.
Elliott added; "We need to keep adding horses if we think they are the right ones, but this market is very, very strong, which is fantastic for everyone. It is making it very hard to buy horses as everyone homes in on the best ones - it is just who is going to bid last."
Norelands Sea The Stars Colt to Godolphin for 475,000 Guineas
Godolphin also secured the SEA THE STARS colt out of DARK ANGEL mare ANGEL FAIRY for 475,000 guineas. Consigned by Harry McCalmont’s Norelands, the filly is out of a daughter of SASSENACH whose descendants include a host of blacktype winners including the Group winners MUTHMIR, MY TITANIA, MY OBERON and MY PROSPERO.
Harry McCalmont commented: "We love this horse and he could have sold in any sale. We decided on this sale as we bring very few to Book 1 usually, but I wish I’d had thirty yearlings there. He is a beautiful colt, we thank Mrs Tsui for sending us the mare and are delighted to get another good result for her. Sea The Stars goes from strength to strength, and the page says it all."
The pedigree enjoyed a nice update last week when the WOOTTON BASSETT filly out of MY TITANIA was bought by William Haggas for 1,700,000 guineas on behalf of Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy.
Buyer Anthony Stroud said: "I thought he was a very nice horse from Norelands, he’s very athletic and fitted the bill as a nice horse for Godolphin so he’ll go to Charlie Appleby along with the other Sea The Stars colt. I thought they were the two standout horses."
Saeed Suhail Buys Night of Thunder Filly for 425,000 Guineas
Two fillies shared the billing for the joint fourth highest price for the day at 425,000 guineas and went through the sale ring in quick succession. The first of the pair was the Highclere Stud consigned NIGHT OF THUNDER filly out of the SHAMARDAL mare ZAIN HANA who was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown.
"I am a big fan of the stallion and he had a great weekend," said Brown. "The owner bought two fillies here last year, and they both ran on the same day at Haydock and won impressively. Saeed is here today and I showed him the filly out in the parade ring, and he fell in love with her. She is an outstanding individual and out of a Shamardal mare. We were keen to buy a Night of Thunder, I don't know who will train her."
The two fillies Brown referenced were NARDRA and SUPERMODEL who both won on debut at Haydock in late September by 8 ½ and 3 ½ lengths respectively for trainer William Haggas. Brown also purchased the Epsom Derby winner DESERT CROWN for Saeed Suhail at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2020.
ZAIN HANA is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners MANDAEAN and WAVERING and to WINTER’S MOON, the dam of Group 1 winning sire EARTHLIGHT and his younger brother SHADOW OF LIGHT who followed up his impressive Group 1 Middle Park Stakes win with victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday.
Sister to Kalpana Bought by Shadwell for 425,000 Guineas
Two lots later the TOO DARN HOT filly out of the DANSILI mare ZERO GRAVITY also sold for 425,000 guineas, knocked down to Angus Gold on behalf of Shadwell Estate Company. ZERO GRAVITY was bought by Richard Brown at the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for 35,000 guineas on behalf of Whatton Manor Stud, who sold the filly today.
The April-foaled filly is a half-sister to the Andrew Balding trained three-year-old STUDY OF MAN filly KALPANA, who won the Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton by 4 ¾ lengths at the beginning of September and is favourite for the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud said: "Richard helps us buy mares and he picked this one - at the time there was a very good half-sister in Dermot Weld's yard. Apparently she had been working incredibly well and we bought her on the back of that. But she got injured and never ran so we thought we were in trouble!
"But thankfully Kalpana has come out with the amazing update, so the mare has proved she can do it. Kalpana has got a very good chance on Saturday, but I think next year when she strengthens up, she could be a very nice filly. It is a dream to get a nice update like this and it helps."
Of the TOO DARN HOT mating he added: "We have always believed in Too Darn Hot and we believe in this mare. We always try and think big and use as good an option as we can on the mares. This is a lovely filly and I’m delighted that it has worked out, it is great to have a good sale. The guys on the farm work so hard, it is as much for them as anyone else to be able to show the work that they are doing - it is amazing.
"At the moment it looks as though the strength from last week's trade is continuing. We have got some lovely horses this week and we are hoping for some more good sales."
The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 10am on Tuesday, 15th October.
