Strong market continues at Park paddocks with new records set for average and aggregate
The strong appetite for yearlings seen at Park Paddocks over the last ten days continued on the first day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Thursday. The first day of the two-day sale saw 248 lots sell for 7,651,000gns, a new record aggregate, while the average finished at 30,851gns, up 10 per cent from 28,065gns a year ago, and the median was 26,000gns, on par with the 2021 figure. Eight yearlings sold for 100,000gns or more, eclipsing the previous record of four.
Gleneagles colt fetches 140,000gns
The most expensive lot to sell at Park Paddocks on Thursday was a colt by Coolmore Stud's Gleneagles (Galileo) who was bought for 140,000gns by Cormac McCormack on behalf of MV Magnier.
Sold by Croom House Stud, the colt is out of the unplaced mare Shannow (Pivotal), a sister to the Listed winner Mill Marin who has gone on to produce the German Group 3 winner Marshmallow (Soldier Hollow).
"He is for MV Magnier, trainer not decided!" said McCormack. "He is the nicest horse in the sale, he is a lovely horse - a great step, good delivery and a touch of class about him. Everyone says that Coolmore only buy expensive horses, but I think this is a nice horse. The colt was well placed in the sale by his owner who has been well paid."
Denis Brosnan, owner of Croom House Stud, was delighted with the sale of the colt and the stud's results across the October Yearling Sale, and said: "It's that typical cross of Galileo over Pivotal, which is the perfect cross really, and then the full-sister Mill Marin has gone on and produced three Group horses.
"He deserved to make that - Gleneagles has had his best season ever and I'm sure we won't see that stud fee next year or for the next few years again. It's a very strong market, the statistics say it all. Last week was a wonderful week for us and probably for everybody."
Cormac McCormack comes out on top at 140,000gns on behalf of MV Magnier for @CroomStud's Gleneagles colt at #TattsOctober Book 3.
— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) October 13, 2022
The bay colt is out of an own-sister to Stakes winner Mill Marin, dam of recent Gr.1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner Mendocino. pic.twitter.com/5Gpp8OXNOi
Havana Grey fillies sell well
Two fillies from the second crop of Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey (Havana Gold) proved popular, with Joe Foley going to 125,000gns to secure the first foal out of So Brave (Kyllachy) and Stroud Coleman Bloodstock paid 115,000gns for the filly out of Secret Romance (Sakhee's Secret).
Offered by breeder Carmel Stud as Lot 1499, the session topping filly's second dam is the Listed placed Anabaa (Danzig) mare Valiantly.
"She is a lovely filly. We saw her yesterday and she was the first one we saw - she was recommended to us by the breeders and by Ed Harper from Whitsbury," commented Foley.
"She is a really good-looking filly from a fast mare, who I remember when she was with Archie Watson, she was a real speedy fast two-year-old. This her first foal and importantly the breeders are mating the mare well - she has a foal by Showcasing and she has been to Pinatubo, which is encouraging for us."
Of the strength of the yearling trade, Foley added:
"It has been strong from the start and strong today, which is brilliant to see. It just shows the fortitude of this business, it is a great sport, a great business, and people get fun out of investing in racehorses. You can love football or cricket all you like, but you can't invest in them, you can love racing and you can invest in it - you get double the kick, gambling but also having the fun!
"It is a fun industry to invest in, you can't say that about many industries. Investing in stocks and shares, you don't get to go 'Yes!', enjoy a drink and have a bottle of champagne with your mates and say 'Yes, we won the Listed race!'"
Another Havana Grey yearling to light up the #TattsOctober Book 3 sale ring as @JoeFoleyBally buys @CarmelStud_'s filly for 125,000gns. pic.twitter.com/Fei3TiFuot
— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) October 13, 2022
A few lots earlier, Anthony Stroud paid 115,000gns for the Whitsbury Manor Stud filly out of winning Sakhee's Secret (Sake) mare Secret Romance. Catalogued as Lot 1482, the filly is a half-sister to three winners including the Listed winner Cuban Mistress (Havana Grey).
Whitsbury's Ed Harper was delighted with the sale.
"It's been a year of updates for our mares," he said.
"Mares that were in the twilight zone of our broodmare band are now mares that are zipping up the escalator and suddenly look exciting. When you get two stallions in your roster like Showcasing and Havana Grey they're just constantly doing favours to the broodmare band. It's just magic. It's been a fantastic year and I'm scared that 2022 might end!
"We try and buy mares who suit all our stallions so they can just hop around the roster. There seems to be an uncanny nick between Sakhee's Secret mares and Havana Grey as he's had a Cornwallis winner, a St Hugh's Stakes winner and an exciting-looking filly for Michael Dods from just three runners out of Sakhee's Secret mares.
"Anyone with a Sakhee's Secret filly seems to be ringing me up at the moment."
Havana Grey is the leading first crop sire in Europe by prize money with earnings totalling €1,384,175. He is currently sitting second behind Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy) in the table by winners having sired 36 winners to date, three behind Sioux Nation.
Another six-figure yearling at #TattsOctober Book 3.@StroudColeman secures @WhitsburyManor's Havana Grey full-sister to the smart 2YO Cuban Mistress for 115,000gns. pic.twitter.com/oSBzeY3uIf
— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) October 13, 2022
