Australian bred Starspangledbanner is riding high this year siring 12 stakes-winners in 2025 headed by his dual Group I winning filly Precise and he produced the top lot during the second session of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale with Islanmore Stud’s stunning chestnut filly fetching 900,000 guineas to become the second highest priced filly in the sale’s history.
Godolphin Secure Islanmore’s Starspangledbanner Filly for 900,000 Guineas
Islanmore Stud’s STARSPANGLEDBANNER filly lit up the sale ring on the second day of Book 2 when selling for 900,000 guineas to Godolphin, the second highest priced filly ever sold at Book 2 and the equal third highest priced lot. The underbidder was Ed Sackville, with Badgers Bloodstock’s Grant Pritchard-Gordon and Amo Racing also involved in the early exchanges.
Anthony Stroud, standing with David Loder and trainer Charlie Appleby, said: “She is a standout and an exceptionally good-looking filly. We bought her full-brother Avicenna here last year, and we think very highly of him. He is a good-looking horse too, though I think she just has the edge – she has been very well prepared by the farm.”
AVICENNA is in training with Roger Varian and has run twice and won twice, including a defeat of subsequent Group 3 Autumn Stakes winner HANKELOW in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.
Islanmore Stud manager Nigel Anderton commented: “We are over the moon, the hard work and dedication of the team at home, it is a great team and it is down to their dedication. This has been twenty years in the making, in 2005 we bought the granddam Potion as a yearling and she has bred some wonderful stock as has her daughter Love Potion.
“This filly has been minded since the day she was born, and she has been beautiful since then too. The full-brother last year made 450,000 guineas – we had 17 vets on him and we expected in and around the same for the filly, although we did not quite have the same number. But when two lads like what they see up here…”
On expectations going into the ring he added: “We never expected that, we thought if we got half of that it would have been a great day’s work! I’d like to thank Mr Stroud and the Godolphin team, they obviously think highly of Avicenna. I always say the easy part is the preparation, the hard part is getting them sold up in the ring!”
The filly is out of the GALILEO mare LOVE POTION from the prolific Group 1 family of European Champion Two-Year-Old and Three-Year-Old XAAR, Irish 2000 Guineas winner SISKIN and Group/Grade 1 winners CIRCLE OF FIRE, CITYSCAPE, CLOSE HATCHES, PROSPEROUS VOYAGE and SENURE.
Night Of Thunder Rolls on with 550,000 Guineas Colt
The progeny of NIGHT OF THUNDER continued to spark fireworks in the Tattersalls sales ring with a colt consigned by Genesis Green Stud fetching 550,000 guineas on the second day of Book 2. There was hot competition for the May-foaled colt with Kevin Ryan eventually seeing off fellow Yorkshire-based trainer Karl Burke.
“I have seen him four times over the last few days, he has a great attitude and is by a great sire,” said Ryan. “He never put a foot wrong every time I saw him, even coming up here. He is just a great physical, even as a May foal. I am delighted to get him, and he is for a client in the yard.”
The colt is a half-brother to smart colt DHABAB, third in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes and second in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes, out of a MASTERCRAFTSMAN half-sister to the multiple Listed winner BOOMSHACKERLACKER from the family of Champion US Older Horse VANLANDINGHAM.
After an outstanding Book 1 during which his progeny averaged 611,136 guineas, behind only Champion sires FRANKEL and DUBAWI, NIGHT OF THUNDER heads the Book 2 sire list this week with 13 sold for an average of 260,385 guineas to date.
La Motteraye’s Siyouni Filly to Doyles for 525,000 Guineas
There was a notable result on the second day for La Motteraye Consignment who brought a draft of five yearlings to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from Normandy. Their SIYOUNI filly, bred by Haras Voltaire, realised 525,000 guineas to Peter & Ross Doyle, who outlasted bloodstock agents Henry Lascelles and Anthony Stroud.
Ross Doyle commented: “She is a lovely filly. The cross is very good, but she is gorgeous physically, has a nice bit of size to her and is probably a back end two-year-old type, a Classic filly for the future. It is a big shout, but I hope that is what she ends up becoming.
“Her Pinatubo half-sister Zalina, who won at Deauville on debut in August, was extremely impressive and hopefully will give us a black type update, and that would be helpful long-term as a breeding prospect if all goes to plan for this filly.”
Doyle added: “Our client is Magne Jordanger’s Stall Perlen who has been leading owner in Scandinavia many times and has had horses with Richard Hannon for a long time. He has been a great client for many years with my father and now myself, and has been very loyal.”
Gwen Monneraye of La Motteraye said: “We are very pleased, Haras Voltaire is a great client and did a top job producing this filly. She has a bit of scope and walks well, so we hoped she would be a standout today. She has been the highlight of the trip over and has been very busy here – a lot of people noticed the sister’s win in the summer.”
Haras Voltaire’s manager Laurent Benoit commented: “We have sold quite a few at Tattersalls with Gwen and sold well here a few years ago when we brought over a Night Of Thunder filly. This has always been a very nice filly, and when Tattersalls came to see her in late spring they really liked her, and we planned then for Book 2.
“Her half-sister was very impressive in her maiden, and everything came together well. We decided to sell here as we have a lot of yearlings to sell each year – it is good to split them up, it is like playing a game of chess.”
The filly is out of the PIONEEROF THE NILE mare LADY BAKER, a daughter of multiple Group winning filly PEACE ROYALE from the deep German family of Champion Three-Year-Old Filly PALMAS.
Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 10am on Wednesday, 15th October.
