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Day three of Book 1 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale burst into life late in the session when a daughter of Frankel and Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle brought a bid of 1,600,000gns (US$2,028,640, 1gns=US$1.2679). It was Angus Gold, standing by the partition opposite the rostrum, who pushed the price into seven figures with a subtle nod of the head, but the Shadwell man was soon engaged by the buying team from Al Shira’aa Farms, standing with David Cox outside the Park Paddocks auditorium.
The price rolled over in 50,000gns increments until Al Shira’aa’s Kieran Lalor stepped the bidding up from 1,200,000gns to 1,300,000gns. Gold, taking instructions on the phone, wasn’t for backing down, however, and once he delivered another nod of the head that signalled a play of 1,600,000gns, bidspotter Freddie McKibbin shook his head to indicate that Al Shira’aa had tapped out of the fight.
The filly was comfortably the most expensive of Shadwell’s seven Book 1 buys, a haul that cost a combined 3,660,000gns. All seven acquisitions were fillies.
“Obviously she’s a lovely first foal,” said Gold. “I saw her on the farm and loved her there and Sheikha Hissa absolutely loved her when she saw her up here. I told her she’d make a lot of money but she said, ‘We need some fillies for the stud’.
“She’s out of a Cheveley Park winner and by one of the world’s great stallions, so it’s fairly self explanatory. She seems very athletic and looks to have a very good mind. Now she’s got to be able to run a bit to justify that price.”
On the seven-figure sum, the second-highest at this year’s renewal of the blue-chip auction, Gold said: “I was getting my orders. I thought she’d make a million two, maybe a million three, but Sheikha Hissa seemed determined to buy her.
“This is obviously a period of rebuilding and it’s a long-term project for her, for long after I’m pushing up daisies! They won’t all make racehorses but we’ve been lucky this year with some of the older horses.”
End-of-sale statement
Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “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. 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. Among them have been a greater number of yearlings selling for one 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.”
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