1,600,000gns Frankel filly heads selective final day of Book 1

Progeny of Frankel dominated the top end of the market during day three of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale in Newmarket on Thursday. Juddmonte’s champion sire accounted for both of the top two lots led by a filly out of Europe’s champion two-year-old filly Millisle, who will race for Shadwell Estate Company after selling for 1,600,000gns to the operation’s racing manager Angus Gold. 

One of seven purchases worth 3,600,000gns made during the sale by Shadwell, Gold outbid representatives of Al Shira’aa Farms for the filly, who was bred by Stonethorn Stud Farms Ltd out of the Cheveley Park Stud Stakes winner Millisle and sold by Watership Down Stud.

“She is a lovely first foal,” said Gold. “I saw her on the farm, loved her, and then loved her every time I saw her here. Sheikh Hissa also absolutely loved her when she saw her. I said I thought she would make a lot of money and she said ‘well, we need fillies for the stud’. She was very determined – it is period of rebuilding and it’s a long term project for her. 

“It’s exciting times for the stud. Sheikha Hissa loves coming here, she could stand at the rail all day – she loves coming to look at the yearlings. She is very knowledgeable like her father and she picks things up very quickly.

“This filly is the first foal out of a Cheveley Park winner and by one of the world’s great stallions. Frankel is the greatest horse I’ll ever see and what’s so fantastic is to see him do so well as a stallion. You think he can’t be as good because he was such a freak as a racehorse but he’s taken that to another discipline.”

While seven lots broke the million-guinea mark headed by the 2,000,000gns Frankel colt out of Bizzarria sold on Wednesday, it was undoubtedly a selective market, as illustrated by the final figures, notably the aggregate, which fell by 25 per cent to 95,395,000gns for 391 yearlings sold. The average dropped by 18 per cent to 243,977gns and the median decreased by ten per cent to 180,000gns. The clearance rate was 83 per cent.

“Book 1 of last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale produced some outlandish figures which will most likely remain in the record books for many years to come and it is no surprise that this year’s renewal has not matched the extraordinary 2022 returns which saw a year on year rise in turnover of almost 40 million guineas,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “Nevertheless Europe’s premier yearling sale has enjoyed plenty of memorable moments very much reflecting the quality of the yearlings which have been on show throughout the past three days.

“Year on year the consignors show enormous faith in Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale with the sale showcasing the very best that Europe has to offer and yet again we have seen so many of the world’s leading owners competing for the finest turf bred yearlings to be found anywhere in the world. Amongst them have been a greater number of yearlings selling for 1 million guineas or more than all other European yearling sales combined, Europe’s highest priced yearling yet again and 40 yearlings selling for in excess of 500,000 guineas which similarly is more than all other European yearlings sales to date this year.

“As ever Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale has attracted buyers from throughout the world, so many of them drawn annually to Park Paddocks by the consistent success of Book 1 horses at the highest level on the global stage. In the course of the past three days buyers from Abu Dhabi, Australia, Bahrain, China, Dubai, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the USA have all made significant contributions at all levels of the market confirming the unparalleled esteem in which the finest European yearlings are held and specifically those found annually at this particular sale. This is a sale that produces stallions and breed shaping broodmares on an annual basis and it is the sale’s unrivalled reputation which annually makes this fixture an unmissable event for so many of the most influential thoroughbred owners in the world.

“Amongst the success stories and numerous pinhooking triumphs, there has nevertheless been a selectivity to the market which we must recognise. Last year’s game – changing October Book 1 was always going to be a challenging target, and so it has proved with the sale turnover some way short of the massive 2022 total, but the median has held up well, second only to last year’s record level, the average of almost 250,000 guineas is an impressive figure and the clearance rate in excess of 80% is a solid number. We extend our gratitude as ever to the consignors and purchasers alike whose support is what makes Newmarket and Tattersalls a true hub for the European bloodstock industry and we look forward to seeing this year’s crop of October Book 1 yearlings competing globally at the highest level as well as earning their owners in Britain and Ireland yet more lucrative £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonuses.

“In the meantime, we now turn our attention to Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale which commences on Monday 9th October with a quality three day catalogue for Book 2 which is a sale with a rich history for producing outstanding racehorses including the likes of 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown, Emily Upjohn, Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior and this year’s outstanding two year olds Big Evs and Iberian.”

Godolphin spent 12,030,000gns on 20 yearlings to retain its place as leading buyer. Its total spend made it the week’s dominant buyer ahead of Blandford Bloodstock, which signed for 8,120,000gns worth of yearlings, but even so, it was less than half that of the 25,355,000gns that it spent on 25 yearlings in 2022.

Frankel was also responsible for the day’s dearest colt, a son of the Listed-placed Materialistic who sold for 950,000gns to M V Magnier and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.

Bred by Luca and Sara Cumani, the colt is a half-brother to two winners including the well-regarded three-year-old Naaey and belongs to their famous Souk family.

“He’s always been fantastic,” said Luca Cumani. “From the moment he was born, he was really strong. It’s a great result, great for the market, great for the people who support us and great for the people who work for us. We have to thank the Coolmore team and also Juddmonte, the underbidders.”

Cumani’s association with family dates back to 1989 with the purchase of Souk as a yearling at Goffs. The daughter of Ahonoora went on to be Listed-placed for Cumani before a lengthy and highly successful innings at stud, during which she foaled the Lancashire Oaks heroine Pongee and blue hen Platonic, whose legacy covers the likes of Magic Wand and Chicquita for Ecurie des Monceaux and partners. 

Pongee, meanwhile, is the dam of eight winners including the Listed scorers Drill and Pinzolo as well as the Listed-placed Poplin, whose own Frankel yearling colt made 900,000gns to Godolphin on Tuesday.

“I bought Souk as a yearling in Goffs for 100,000 Irish punts, which was a lot of money in those days,” recalled Luca. “And when I got home, I got a real bollocking for spending so much money! Luckily it worked out. It’s been an amazing family. We owe it an awful lot.”

His sentiments were echoed by Sara Cumani. “The family has been so good to us,” she said. “Even yesterday, Higgle, who is out of Haggle [a granddaughter of Souk], ran second in a Listed race, so it keeps on giving.”

She added: “Materialistic had a gorgeous foal by Frankel before and he died, which was a great shame. She’s back in foal to Frankel. 

“This is great for all of the guys back at the farm, especially as it’s not been the easiest sale which I think everybody is aware of. It’s been an up and down week for us – tricky.”

Another breeder to enjoy a good result was Guy O’Callaghan courtesy of a Dark Angel filly out of his high-class producer Futoon who sold for 850,000gns to Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe.

It marked a return to well-known territory for Bizakov since he campaigns the mare’s talented son Charyn, winner of the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and third in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Futoon is also dam of the Mill Reef Stakes winner Wings Of War.

“Obviously we know the family well,” said Sumbe general manager Tony Fry after outbidding Lordship Stud. “Charyn stays in training next season and he’ll have all the right targets next year. Hopefully this filly will be a nice one to go to Mishriff down the line.”

Futoon, who was Listed-placed in the Kilvington Stakes, Lansdown Stakes and Cecil Frail Stakes for Kevin Ryan, was purchased by O’Callaghan with his brother David for 100,000gns in 2017.

“She’s a dream for any farm to have,” said O’Callaghan. “As much as she’s been a success in the sale ring [Charyn also sold for 250,000gns as a yearling], it’s even more important that she is a bigger success on the track. That’s what it’s all about. 

“This is brilliant but you have to earn the right to sell well in the ring and that’s by producing talented horses that are good-looking and sound enough to warrant it.

“I bought her with my brother David from Stephen Hillen and Kevin Ryan for 100,000gns here off the track. She was a talented mare. I’d been following her all that year and I was thrilled when I got to the sales, liked her and was able to buy her.”

Futoon is the best of four winners out of Vermilliann (Mujadil), a winning sister to Gr.2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Galeota (Mujadil) who is a relation to the high-class, fast performers Brown Sugar (Tamayuz), Burnt Sugar (Lope De Vega), Darkanna (Dark Angel) and Oscula (Galileo Gold).

“It’s a fantastic, tough family,” said O’Callaghan. “I was stabled across the way from Brown Sugar and Burnt Sugar back in my days working for Yeomanstown when they came up under Ballylinch in Goffs. And I remember liking them and seeing Ed Sackville buying them both. Then you have Darkanna, a Dark Angel, in the pedigree. I’ve never been shy of saying that I’ll buy mares who I think will work with the Angel and she was perfect for him. 

“She has a cracking filly on the ground by the Angel and she’s back in foal to him. She’s a special mare.”

Newsells Park Stud was leading vendor for the sixth consecutive year following the sale of 25 yearlings for a total of 10,565,000gns.

Frankel wound up as the sale’s leading sire with 18 sold for an average of 617,778gns ahead of Dubawi, whose 11 yearlings sold realised an average of 540,000gns.

Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale starts its three-day run on Monday from 10am.