More records set at strong Tatts October Book 2

Trade roared on into the third day of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale in Newmarket on Wednesday, with a 675,000gns daughter of Lope De Vega leading the way among a collection of 203 six-figure lots.

When all was done and dusted, 633 yearlings sold during the three-day sale for a total of 60,780,500gns and average of 96,020gns, up 14 per cent from 2021. The median rose by 13 per cent to 70,000gns while the clearance rate was a highly respectable 86 per cent.

“Three extraordinary record breaking days at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale have been followed by a second consecutive record breaking renewal of Book 2,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony.

“The word most commonly used to describe the trade we have experienced throughout this week has been ‘unrelenting’. There have been records established in pretty well every conceivable category. Turnover, average and median have all reached unprecedented levels and yet again Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale has been the second highest grossing yearling sale in Europe, second only to Book 1. The number of yearlings selling for 200,000gns or more is a wide-margin record as is the number selling for 300,000gns or more, and never before have seven yearlings at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale broken the 500,000gns mark.”

He added: “Following on from Book 1, buyers from America, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and throughout the Gulf region have all continued to make significant contributions over the past three days. European buyers have also been conspicuous at all levels of the market while the domestic British and Irish demand continues to be the bedrock of Europe’s largest yearling sale which annually showcases so many of the best commercial yearlings to be found and consistently produces top-class horses like this year’s outstanding unbeaten Derby winner Desert Crown.

“The support we receive from so many breeders and consignors from Britain, Ireland and further afield is the key to the enduring popularity of the October Yearling Sales at Tattersalls and is hugely appreciated. There is quality to be found at every level and next up is Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale which has produced two of this year’s top European two year olds; Lezoo, recent winner of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and Crypto Force, the impressive winner of the Group 2 Beresford Stakes.”

The session-topping filly capped a great day for her breeder Ballylinch Stud, who was also represented by a New Bay colt who sold for 450,000gns. Anthony Stroud landed the winning bid on both youngsters, signing on behalf of Godolphin for the Lope De Vega filly and for Peter Harris on the New Bay colt.

The Lope De Vega filly walked into the ring in possession of a significant update as a sister to the recent Acomb Stakes third Oviedo. They are out of Gallitea, a Ballylinch homebred half-sister to the champion two-year-old Chriselliam and Group 2 winner Very Special.

“This is a family that we have been associated with a long time – I originally bought [third dam] Ingabelle from Tom Lacy and we have bred most of the black-type on this page,” said John O’Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud.

“Lope De Vega’s stock appeals to so many people as well. He is such a good sire and we have been blessed to have him.”

“It is very exciting,” said Stroud after outbidding Tom Goff. “She is a very nice filly, very athletic and light on her feet. And she also had a good update in the pedigree.”

The agent added: “The New Bay colt is for Peter Harris and will be trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam. Peter very much has his own system and we work together and he’s actually my oldest client, I’ve worked with him for over 40 years. He loved the horse and obviously the success that Jane has had with New Bays, she was very keen to get one.

“New Bay is obviously a very good stallion and he came from a very good hotel in Ballylinch Stud. He moves very well and is very light on his feet and is a lovely horse.”

The colt is only the fourth foal out of the Listed-placed Fact Or Folklore, whose first, Statement, recently won the Listed Navigation Stakes and Group 3 Concorde Stakes within the space of a week.

“We raced the dam in partnership with David Hyland,” said O’Connor. “We had the Iuturna before that and also raced Laviniad. 

“It’s starting to look like Fact Or Folklore is an exceptional broodmare. Her first foal Statement has won two stakes since the catalogue was printed, a Listed race and a Group 3 within in the space of a week. And we think that her three-year-old, Self Belief, is a very promising horse. He won first time out at the Curragh very impressively and then he was a little bit unlucky when a close up fifth in a Listed race at Killarney. He’ll probably run in a Listed race this weekend.

“This particular colt is a beautiful tempered individual. He’s a lovely free-moving, well balanced horse. He took everything in his stride – there were a few horses who kicked off in the ring and he took it all very well. I think he has a racehorse mind. That’s an impression we’re getting of New Bay at the moment – the trainers like them. With the kind of mares he’s covering now, he has the opportunity to step to another level higher again. Obviously every horse has to take that opportunity, but we believe he can.”

He added: “The sale is still plenty strong for the top horses. When a nice horse comes in, the major players are still here and they’re still anxious to buy nice horses.”

Knight strikes again

Richard Knight, who has been so active in recent weeks on behalf of an undisclosed client, also continued to invest in high end stock on Wednesday, going to 600,000gns for a Starspangledbanner colt from John Foley’s Ballyvolane Stud.

“He was the only horse we really picked out in this sale,” said Knight. “We thought he was a lovely individual and I’m a big fan of Starspangledbanner having bought [Group 1 winner] The Wow Signal. 

“I like the fact that the mare was a useful two-year-old herself and he looks like he’ll be sharp and is a great addition to the horses we’ve already bought. He shouldn’t take a huge amount of time. He’ll be trained in Britain and we’re looking forward to seeing him.”

The colt is the first foal out of his dual-winning dam Great Dame, a half-sister to Group 2 winner Donnerschlag.

Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale starts today at 9.30am.