The first 1,000,000 guineas yearling colt in the history of the sale provided a fitting climax to Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The sale saw wide margin year-on-year increases across the board and records set for turnover, average and median. There were 42 lots that realised 300,000 guineas or more and 93 above 200,000 guineas at the three-day sale, figures that bettered all other European yearling sales other than last week’s exceptional October Book 1.
Brother to G1 Winner New Century to Godolphin for 1,000,000 Guineas
Leading the way on the final day of Book 2 was the KAMEKO own-brother to the Grade 1 Summer Stakes winner NEW CENTURY who was knocked down to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin for 1,000,000 guineas, a record for a colt at this fixture.
Consigned by Tweenhills Farm & Stud, the colt is out of the STREET CRY mare POTENT EMBRACE, a daughter of the Group 1 Coronation Stakes second KAREN’S CAPER, and is also a half-brother to the Group 3 Glorious Stakes winner PASSION AND GLORY. NEW CENTURY is set to head to next month’s Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, for which is he currently favourite.
After the sale, Tweenhills’ David Redvers said: "It is the old cliché - he was on everybody's list! I am sad to see him go, but thrilled that he has been bought by Godolphin. Anthony [Stroud] loved the horse from the first time he saw him. I am sad for Andrew that he won't get to train him, as he has done such an outstanding job with the brother."
He added: "This colt has spent most of his life at Spring Lodge in Ireland and only came to us in the spring, so it is credit to Peter Molony and the job he did. I am so pleased as this is the first year we are selling under our own name again and the Tweenhills team has done an absolutely stunning job - Ivo, Scott, Pieter, Tallulah, and all of them."
When asked if this colt was like his talented brother, Redvers said: "He is actually more like his dad than his brother - his brother is strong and looks a proper two-year-old, and is a machine. I can see this horse being a 'scopier' sort than New Century.
"But the thing that is common with all of them by the sire is they have this incredible 'head' - it is why New Century was able to go across to Canada, and come back and go across to the US. When he got back from Canada, he was so fresh having taken it all so well that he nearly bucked off Maddy who was riding him. Both colts have got that good temperament in their favour."
Territories Colt to Sumbe for 750,000 Guineas
The TERRITORIES own-brother to the multiple Group placed MASSETO provided his connections with a stunning pinhooking triumph when he was purchased by Sumbe for 750,000 guineas, having been purchased at last year’s Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 65,000 guineas. He was consigned by Oaks Farm Stables.
Sumbe's stud director Tony Fry, who bid from his usual position on the back right stairs, outwitted the expected media invasion and presented six multiple choice answers pre-written in the back of his catalogue - ticks all the boxes, stood out at the sale, an absolute queen/king, didn't miss a beat, comes from a good nursery and didn't want to go home without him.
Unfortunately for Fry his attempt to evade questioning did not work, as he failed to pre-empt the question that Sumbe must be the biggest fans of stock by the Darley sire TERRITORIES - the farm's homebred colt LAZZAT is by the stallion and was a Group 1 winner this summer when successful in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
"Lazzat is in Australia now [ahead of the Golden Eagle]," revealed Fry, adding: "This is a similar type of horse and whether lightning will strike twice, I don't know! He is a nice horse and we can make a case for him, it is a lot of money - we should have bought him as a foal! It is nice that Nurlan [Bizakov] has put faith in us, I imagine the colt will go into training with Jerome Reynier."
Bizakov, Fry and the Sumbe team have an exciting Saturday to look forward to with Tattersalls October Book 2 purchase CHARYN set to run in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the DARK ANGEL colt looking to add a third Group 1 to his 2024 haul of top level victories.
"I saw Charyn the other day and he looks fantastic. He is a versatile horse, I don't think softer ground will inconvenience him as much as some of the others," reported Fry. "We will see how he is after the race, but it will possibly be on to Japan. In January everyone can come to the farm and see him at the stallion parade through the Route D'Etalons weekend."
Oaks Farm Stables’ Mark Dwyer commented: "We are thrilled, we have sold horses for clients who have fetched similar sums but this is the biggest result for a pinhook that we own - and I have been doing this since I packed in riding in 1996! It is the stuff of dreams. Willie Browne and Jim McCartan also owned him, and the colt was at Jim's Gaybrooke Lodge Stud in Ireland until August when he came to me to prep. I have to thank all the staff at both farms, they have done a great job."
When asked what stood out about the colt as a foal, he said: "We just liked what was in front of our eyes. He perhaps was not over big, but he is a good-moving sort and with some class - we just try and buy quality. I suppose Territories was not on everyone’s list then either. He came from Scarlett Knipe at Cobhall Court Stud."
He smiled: "Look - you pay your money and you take your chance, and, thankfully, it has worked out here."
Chairman’s Statement
At the conclusion of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said;
“The results from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last week were pretty remarkable and certainly instilled some confidence leading into Book 2, but yet again the level of trade has outstripped the most optimistic of pre-sale expectations.
“The extraordinary success of Book 1 has been well and truly replicated in Book 2 and again it is the outstanding quality of the yearlings and the sale’s reputation for consistently producing racehorses of the very highest calibre which have brought the buyers to Tattersalls in overwhelming numbers. Every year British and Irish breeders and consignors place enormous faith in the two weeks of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and the unrelenting demand throughout Book 2 shows that their confidence has been fully justified.
“Turnover and average have both reached new heights by considerable margins and the 1,000,000 guineas sale topping KAMEKO yearling is the highest price ever for a colt at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale, but it is the clearance rate above 90% and the sheer volume of horses selling for 200,000 guineas or more that have been truly incredible. The demand for quality yearlings from buyers from throughout the world, most notably America, Australia, Hong Kong and throughout the Gulf region, has resulted in 93 yearlings selling for 200,000 guineas or more; a number far in excess of any other European yearling sale except October Book 1 and a huge increase on the previous October Book 2 record of 58. Also noteworthy has been the significant year on year rise in the median demonstrating a market with real depth, driven not only by overseas demand, but also by a strong showing from the domestic British and Irish buyers for whom Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is always an unmissable event.
“Above all, however, we can reflect on another Tattersalls yearling sale which has exceeded expectations at a time when confidence has sometimes understandably been in short supply. It has not all been plain sailing in recent years, but we work hard to bring as many buyers as possible to Tattersalls for the October Yearling Sale and as we move on to Books 3 and 4 we can look forward with a little more optimism and look back on another Tattersalls sale which has brought a collective smile to the face of the British and Irish thoroughbred breeding industry.”
Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale starts at 9.30am on Thursday, 17th October.
