A colt and a filly by GALILEO topped a strong opening day of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, both breaking the seven figure mark as 123 lots sold for 29,679,000 guineas at an average of 241,293 guineas and a median of 160,000 guineas with all key indicators posting significant rises on last year. A total of 15 lots sold for 500,000 guineas or more.

The top lot for the day was New England Stud’s GALILEO filly knocked down to John Magnier for 1.3 million guineas, fending off competition from China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace as well as agents Hugo Lascelles, John Warren and Stephen Hillen. Consigned from Peter Stanley’s New England Stud, the filly catalogued as lot 30 is out of the BERNARDINI mare A Z WARRIOR, a Grade 1 winner in USA.

"She is a lovely filly, and has always been straight-forward and a pleasure to deal with - she is a queen," said a delighted Stanley.

"It is always a relief - she was always going to make money, but you can never be sure.

"She was bred by Christopher Hanbury of Triermore Stud. He is putting together a nice bunch of broodmares and is looking to expand his bloodstock enterprise."

MV Magnier commented;

"The filly comes from a very good US family and she is a lovely sort. Galileo gets two-year-old winners, three and four-year-olds, winners on soft ground, fast ground and in the US, Australia and Europe - let's hope she is another for him."

Later in the morning, another GALILEO caught the eye of Magnier who went to 1.25 million guineas to secure the son of ALLURING PARK. The well-related colt hails from a classic Burns family and is a full brother to Oaks winner WAS as well as the European record breaking yearling AL NAAMAH and is also from the family of NEW APPROACH.

Damien Burns of Lodge Park Stud said of the stunning colt;

"This is the first colt that Alluring Park has produced. He is probably most similar to Was - he has always had the quality and has strengthened well.”

MV Magnier commented;

"The colt out of Alluring Park is from a great family and comes from a top farm. He is a full-brother to a very good filly - hopefully he will be as good as her. Damien Burns said that he has been good all the way through his sales prep."

Underbidders included Oliver St Lawrence and Ibrahim Araci, sitting with Rob Speers.

Locally based trainer Marco Botti secured the VERGLAS three-year-old SKATE for 85,000 guineas on behalf of agent Jamie Lloyd and an undisclosed Qatari client.

"He is a progressive horse, who is still unexposed," said Botti. "He is a sprinter and goes on the fast ground. I am not sure whether he will run here before travelling."

Owned and bred by Lady Rothschild, Skate is the winner of his last two races and is officially rated 85.

The third highest lot sold on Day 1 was Lot 71, the DUBAWI filly consigned by Corduff Stud out of the MARJU mare BADEE’A who was knocked down to the China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace for 900,000 guineas. She is a half-sister to listed winners DUNELIGHT and SPERRY as well as Royal Ascot winner INTERCEPTION. Underbidders on the filly included Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and Cheveley Park Stud’s Chris Richardson

Corduff Stud’s David Egan said of the filly:

"It is a family I knew when I was working at Jonabell and Joss Collins bought Badee'a for us - she has been very kind to us. This filly is lovely to look at and I am delighted Michael Wallace bought her - there were plenty of good underbidders.”

 

Local trainer Roger Varian had to go to 750,000 guineas to secure the OASIS DREAM colt offered by Clairemont Stud, consignors last year of 2015's leading two-year-old colt SHALAA. The sale represented as massive pin-hooking success for his owners who purchased him for 160,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

"He was such a lovely foal, and has been straight-forward all the way through," said Liam Norris of Clairemont Stud. The colt is out of the SAKHEE mare CAPHENE, a daughter of the Group 2 winner CLAXON, and a half-sister to the Listed winner CASSYDORA.

Varian indicated that the colt was purchased on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid who recently moved all his horses to Varian’s Kremlin House Stables.

Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 11am on Wednesday, October 7.