17.30 Wolverhampton, Mdn, £9,950, 2yo, 8f 142y (AWT)
Godolphin's hitherto unraced ARABIAN TRIBE (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 half-brother to four-time Group 1 winner Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) and he encounters nine in this debut. Opposition to the Charlie Appleby trainee includes Rabbah Racing's fellow newcomer Ghostlore (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who is a €260,000 Arqana October half-brother to G2 Celebration Mile victor Duke Of Hazzard (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) out of a half-sister to G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Palace Episode (Machiavellian), from the Simon & Ed Crisford stable.

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This year was a big one for the 34-year-old. His family enjoyed its greatest success on a racecourse when homebred Thornbrook landed a listed contest in France for Joseph O'Brien.

Not long afterwards, the Tham family enjoyed its biggest day in the ring when a Night Of Thunder half-sister to Thornbook, out of their top producer Lillebonne, sold for a whopping 500,000gns at Book 1 at Tattersalls. 

Despite no racing background, Tham has cut his teeth from working with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing to developing a quality broodmare band. He has also embarked on pinhooking foals recently and added a €210,000 Night Of Thunder colt to the books at Goffs last week.

Good horses are what drives the native of Malaysia who, having studied Computer Science at University, adopts a mathematical approach to his racing and breeding endeavors without limiting himself to it.

In this week's Q&A, Tham sat down with Brian Sheerin at Park Paddocks where he explained how he became hooked on bloodstock, his approach to the December Foal Sale and much more. 

What's your background in the game?

I was just your regular student who loved to punt on horses. I got into the sport that way and have no background in horses. When I was at University, instead of studying for my final exams in Computer Science, I was punting on Cheltenham. I would have been a casual follower of the sport at that time but, the more racing I watched, the more fascinated I became. I thought, 'I really have to try and get into the industry somehow.' But, definitely, it was from punting on racing that the passion developed. 

Was there any particular horse responsible for developing that passion?

I am 34 now, so I wouldn't have been that young at the time, but Frankel (GB) was the first wow horse for me. I never really thought about pedigrees much until he came along. After Frankel, I became very interested in why certain horses are better than others. 

Were you a serious punter?

Yes, I started to get into it quite seriously. I approached races from a mathematical point of view and loved the puzzle of working out races. I have an analytical mind-as I said, I studied Computer Science and I also spent some time in real estate-and still like the punting side of things. But, the pinhooking and breeding has probably taken over. 

The breeding and pinhooking is another form of punting, isn't it?

It's all part of the problem solving aspect of racing that my mind has always been fascinated with. We have eight or nine broodmares in Ireland with some good friends of ours, Peter and Carol Henley, and we try to adopt a quality over quantity approach. Peter and Carol are based in Kildare and are very good breeders. They produce very good racehorses and we're delighted to have teamed up with them. 

How has your broodmare band and racing interests developed? You and your Dad have gone from owning fun handicappers like T For Tango, Our Manekineko and My Manekineko to winning listed races and breeding big-ticket lots at some of the premier sales.

My Dad [Terry] liked punting as well. He used to work in England in the seventies and eighties and would always tell me about Grundy and Bustino. We're originally from Malaysia but Dad got introduced to horses originally through punting and walking in and out of the bookies. Dad took me to a lot of race meetings when I was younger. So, our interest started out as a bit of fun and, even up until recently, it has been that way. Our family business is property. My Dad obviously wanted me to go into that but I was too contrary and wanted to have a career in horse racing. My older brother and older sister are helping him out with the property business and I'm helping him to waste money on horses! I've gone a different path and, while my family took some convincing initially, it's been going okay in the past number of years so hopefully that will continue. 

Doing okay might be an understatement. While people might not know a lot about you, they are probably aware of Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who is the latest high-class performer that your mare, Lillebonne (Fr) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), has produced. 

Thornbrook has won her listed race but we do think she is capable of winning Group races next year, which is why she will stay in training. The whole story with the mare is just incredible. We've had successes with pinhooks and things like that but nothing quite like Lillebonne. 

How did you get into the family?

I am very good friends with trainer James Nash in Ireland. He has introduced me to a lot of good people in the industry, including Peter Henley. A lot of people I have met at the sales and in racing, they have been through James's connections. Peter is a very nice guy and I always liked the stock he produced-they all had good bone and looked like proper racehorses. I can remember he wouldn't shut up about this big Mehmas (Ire) colt he had going to Goffs one year. He was telling me for weeks and weeks that I needed to buy this horse. He turned out to be Magnanimous (Ire), who we bought for €50,000, and put into training with Joseph O'Brien. We got him sold for over €500,000 to Hong Kong where he has turned out to be a brilliant horse. After that, I bought into Lillebonne, and she has done it every year since, which is pretty incredible.

She has an excellent track record.

It's not normal. She has produced Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Thornbrook, Magnanimous and, funnily enough, Micro Manage (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), who was probably the most talented of them all.  He had Group level talent but was very hard to keep sound. Seisai was sold to Lane's End last year and I understand she is going to visit Flightline, which is exciting. Then there was the Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly, who we sold for 500,000gns through Baroda Stud here at Book 1. That was another brilliant result with the mare. 

Where does that rank in terms of achievements in the sport?

It's by far the best result we've had. We got a touch out of Magnanimous but it was special to share the success with the Henleys at Book 1. Full credit has to go to them because Carol sourced the mare for 40,000gns here in 2013. Carol is an excellent judge of a mare and I have learned a lot from her. 

And how did the link with Joseph come about? 

We got a horse for my Dad, Uncle Henry, who was a pretty average jumper but we got to know Joseph through that and we got on very well with him. Joseph is young but is very intelligent, driven and is an incredible horseman. I wouldn't describe myself as a horseman but I can ask Joseph anything and he will help me. I rely on the best horsemen I know and surround myself with the best people who know what they are doing. 

You might not label yourself as a horseman but plenty of people have described you as a good judge. How have you gone from having no background in the game to breeding and pinhooking to a high level?

One of the first agents I followed was a guy called Justin Bahen. I got to know him through James Nash and he mainly works the horses-in-training sales for the Hong Kong market. I can remember being green as grass with Justin. I know I was not a good student but I still follow a lot of the stuff he did and adopt similar processes to how he shortlists horses, what to look for and what not to look for. He was quite particular and I'd say I am quite particular as well. But the key was just getting out there and looking at as many horses as I could. I'd go to every sale and look at every horse I could. Over time, you pick it up. It's only recently that I became confident in my own abilities to judge a horse.

That's handy because you spent €210,000 on a Night Of Thunder colt last week at Goffs!

The main focus is breeding but I want to supplement that with pinhooking and will aim to buy a couple of foals each year. It's funny, the first sale I ever went to was at Goffs and I went around with Bobby O'Ryan. I can remember it was the time of No Nay Never's first foal crop and I liked a filly by him. I bought her with Bobby and that was my first pinhook. 

And did you turn a profit?

No, but she was a Group 2 winner. Her name was Nay Lady Nay (Ire) and she won four times for Chad Brown. Her full-brother Arizona (Ire) came out the following year and she ended up selling for $1.7 million. It's a mad game. 

Will you try and buy another foal here at Tattersalls?

I'll be trying but it won't be easy. I tried on a few on Wednesday but got outbid. I'll try again on Friday and have plenty on the list. The market is very sire dominated. You need to be by the right sire-Havana Grey (GB), Blue Point (Ire), Pinatubo (Ire), Night Of Thunder, that kind of thing. It's very sire focussed and I need to factor that into my pinhooking. Everything by the big sires will make a little more than it should. The yearling market was tricky enough this year and, apart from the Night Of Thunder filly, we had a pretty average year. 

With all of that in mind, how will you approach the next few months in terms of doing up mating plans for your mares?

Lillebonne needs a good cover but we don't go too high on the sires. She is in foal to Saxon Warrior, so we'll have a sibling to Thornbrook, but we don't like to stretch ourselves. We've a few nice mares coming through who, hopefully, will be the next Lillebonne. We'll see. There's a lovely mare there called Statuesque (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who we bought off Cheveley Park here in 2019 for 52,000gns. She has been producing really good stock. We bought her in foal to Le Havre (Ire), who turned out to be Beechwood (Ire). She won her maiden for John O'Donoghue and looks a promising filly. Statuesque has a really nice Space Blues (Ire) filly who is probably the best foal on our farm. We'd give her a good shot. 

You say you approach everything with an analytical mindset but how do you apply mathematics to breeding horses?

It's all probability, isn't it? You have a good sire and a good dam, you've got a good chance. But, anyone who works solely on stats, the proper horsemen will just run rings around them. You need to understand where you are looking. It's good to have things in the background about certain sires and statistics can be good at times but nothing is more important than looking at the physical attributes of a horse.

Given numbers are your forte, how have you viewed the market in recent times?

The domestic market is a bit of an issue. The health of the industry over here is a big worry. Take for example the Night Of Thunder filly we sold at Book 1, almost all of the vets were on behalf of American buyers. Very few trainers in Britain and Ireland had orders and that can't be healthy because the racing product is going to suffer. There are some very good trainers in Britain and they don't seem to have orders. Obviously, I am a racing fan, and I think racing in Britain and Ireland is the most entertaining. I live in London and never miss Royal Ascot and go to Sandown quite regularly as well. Prize-money is a big problem and, if the talent drain continues for another 10 years, we're going to weaken the product quite significantly. It's turning into an exporting business. Book 1 is the best of the best over here in England but the majority of the big horses were being sold abroad. That has to be a big worry. We still have amazing stallions and brilliant owner-breeders over here so that's the positives. 

And what are your own aims going forward?

To be involved in good horses. Like everyone, I'd love to be involved in a Group 1 horse. It might take a long time but that's the aim. I just want to be involved in good horses, be that buying them or selling them. My Dad supports me and, as I said, it took a long time to convince him about the idea. We buy nice fillies and race them with Joseph. If they're good enough, they feed into the broodmare band, and the hope is that we keep on breeding nice horses. There are some very good breeders around, the likes of Lodge Park Stud, Ballyphilip Stud, those kinds of guys are people to look up to. I just try to emulate those guys. We've a lot of good people helping us out so hopefully one day it happens. This is a great game, full of interesting people and some fascinating characters. I don't know how I got down this road but I am hooked. It's one big puzzle and I love it. 

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The top lot was sourced by Middleham Park and was described as “a standout” on the day by the operation's Tom Palin. 

“We loved him, we thought he was a standout,” said Palin of lot 1919. “He walked around there with a bit of presence. He goes to Eve Johnson Houghton, he's our first horse with her and he's a strong, racy, two-year-old sort and looks to be the type that she'll do well with. Golden Horde was such an impressive racehorse and his stock looks racy. We're delighted to get him.”

Of this week's business Palin added: “We've got stuck in, we got eight since the start of Book 1. It's been competitive for the better lots and we've had to stretch a bit on some of them but it hasn't been silly. It's been sensible but strong. We're delighted with what we've bought.”

Golden Horde is best known for scorching to G1 Commonwealth Cup glory for Clive Cox in 2020. He stands for €8,000 at Montfort et Preaux  and his first yearlings have been well received by the market. 

Of the 1,862 yearlings offered across Book 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1,531 were sold at a clearance rate of 82%. That represented a drop of 4% on last year. 

The aggregate was down 20% to 158,567,500gns while the median fell 10% to 52,000gns and the average by 18% to 103,571gns.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “More than 165 million guineas has been spent on yearlings at Tattersalls in the past few weeks which, although some way below last year's runaway record-breaking returns, is a substantial sum that has only been bettered once.

“There have been some memorable highlights in amongst those impressive sums, including the 2,000,000gns October Book 1 sale-topping Frankel colt, who is the highest-priced yearling to be sold in Europe this year, the 725,000gns Dubawi filly, who headed Book 2 and is the second highest-priced filly ever sold at Europe's largest yearling sale, and some astounding pinhooking triumphs throughout the past two weeks which, as ever, reflect the professionalism and commitment of the consignors.

“The pre-eminent status of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales owes everything to the support of the breeders and consignors, primarily from Britain and Ireland, but also from France, Germany and Italy, who entrust us with the cream of the European yearling crop year after year.

“Evidence of this support and the peerless quality of the yearlings is to be seen on racecourses around the world with Tattersalls yearlings consistently winning at the highest level on the global stage. To date in 2023 Tattersalls yearlings bought for as little as 5,000gns have won Group 1 races in Britain, Ireland and France, as well as Australia, Hong Kong and the US. It is this unrivalled level of achievement which brings buyers to yearling sales at Tattersalls from throughout the world, alongside the domestic British and Irish buyers for whom the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales are unmissable.

“While the total 2023 yearling spend at Tattersalls has been the second highest ever, we should recognise that there has been a recalibration from the dizzy heights of last year and we should pay heed to this.

“With specific regard to Books 3 and 4 it has not been ideal to have coincided with the top-class racing at Newmarket, but this will not be the case again for the foreseeable future. With a wider perspective, our industry faces challenges which we all acknowledge.

“Nevertheless we should not lose sight of the fact that we have an outstanding internationally admired product, much of which has been showcased over the past two weeks at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales and which we will continue to work tirelessly to promote.”

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Not because the price wasn't expected as the quality of their offering was never in doubt. But when the filly gave herself a nasty cut en route to Book 1 and was forced to miss that engagement, plans B, C and D whirled through the head of her breeder Damien Burns.

To the delight of Burns, his Dubawi filly out of Galileo (Ire) mare Park Bloom (Ire) proved a model patient and made a swift enough recovery to sell as the sole wildcard on Monday and, in doing so, ended what was a tumultuous few days on a high note. 

Burns explained, “She got on the lorry and she was doing a little bit of jumping round, nothing unusual for any yearling, but the video from the next door stall and our best guess is that her headcollar got caught and she cut her jaw. This happened as they were going down the driveway! She came off the lorry and went back to her stable. She was fine but had a laceration on her jaw.

“We took her down to Fethard [equine hospital], they stitched her up, kept her overnight and she ate up fine. She got back home, and she was back out in her paddock. The Friday before Book 1 we got in touch with Tattersalls and the transporters and said, 'look we think this filly will be okay.”

He added, “The wheels were set in motion to come here for today. A lot of thanks goes to the guys at home. We were over here with Book 1 horses and they did a great job. Thanks also to Tattersalls for accommodating this. I think it helped being a week in front so we had time.

“We discussed everything and waiting for the December Sale was the original thought. It might have also meant us putting a saddle on her, but usually we don't keep them out of young mares as we are a commercial stud. We try to let them get a few foals sold–they are easier to look at when they have paid for themselves!”

Godolphin spent 2.675 million gns on four yearlings by Dubawi during Book 1 and, according to Anthony Stroud, who buys on behalf of the powerful operation among others, Monday's sale-topper stacked up with the best that was on offer here at Tattersalls last week. 

Stroud said, “She moved very well and has a good outlook. Obviously she's by Dubawi, who's an unbelievable stallion. She's bred on a good cross and comes from a very good farm, so we're very lucky to receive her. She compares very favourably with the stock on offer at Book 1, she's a lovely filly. She's very classy.”

He added, “They did very well to get her here this week–there's a scar under her jaw but the vets have clearly done a very good job. She's behaved incredibly well, especially considering she's been through a lot.”

Park Bloom boasts a Book 1 pedigree being a sister to Was, Amhran Na Bhfiann and Douglas MacArthur. She is from a deep family that goes back to Park Express (GB) and New Approach (Ire).

Burns concluded, “She is quite typical of Dubawi, but with a bit more action than some, which she gets from her dam line–that bit of quality. She vetted very well–the family does tend to vet well, I don't know why, those hidden genetics you can't see!

“The family has been very good to us. The Night Of Thunder [Lot 129 in Book 1] who sold for 400,000gns is from another branch. We have Park Bloom, Stellar Glow and a Dark Angel four-year-old filly called Express Way who won her sole start. She is in foal to Night Of Thunder. Park Bloom has a Wootton Bassett on the ground and is in foal to Baaeed.”

'We'd Be Delighted To See Her At Royal Ascot' – That Would Be Amazing

Peter and Michelle Morgan were left thanking their lucky stars for the heavy helping of good fortune involved in selling their homebred Showcasing (GB) filly to Ben McElroy on behalf of Stonestreet Stables for 325,000gns. 

It was at this sale in 2017 where Carmel Stud put So Brave (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), the dam of the Showcasing filly, on the market. However, the sales experience proved a bit much for So Brave and, after getting herself into a bit of a tizzy, she picked up a minor injury and was led out unsold at 30,000gns. 

The husband-and-wife team at Carmel Stud may not have viewed it as such at the time, but So Brave failing to sell six years ago has worked out to be the best thing for the operation. 

Peter said after Monday's sale, “I've only just stopped shaking! This is the classic case of getting lucky as we brought the dam to the sales a few years ago but she just lost the plot and got injured so we had to withdraw her. 

“We ended up racing her and she won a couple of races. Now, she has turned out to be a beautiful broodmare. If things hadn't gone wrong on that day, and it was a complete disaster at the time, we wouldn't now be in this position. It's a great day. You need luck at times.”

So Brave has already produced the goods for Carmel Stud. Her Havana Grey (GB) filly Queen's Guard (GB) looks a high-class prospect for Michael Bell having been sourced by Joe Foley on behalf of Clipper Logistics for 125,000gns at Book 3 last year. 

Peter continued, “The mare has already produced Queen's Guard, who is in training with Michael Bell. Unfortunately she didn't run in the Lowther because of the ground but she looks a very nice filly for next year. The mare has a lovely Pinatubo (Ire) colt foal at foot and is in foal to Blue Point (Ire).”

Asked if he expected the Showcasing filly to rock into 325,000gns, he replied, “No, absolutely not. She had 15 vets and over 180 shows. She was incredibly busy. She is a lovely model and lots of people liked her but, we're a bit like trainers approaching a race, as the closer we get to a sale, the less confident we are! We thought that she'd make one hundred thousand-plus, but it was certainly a good result. 

“Plenty of really good judges liked her. Ben McElroy bought her on behalf of Stronestreet so we'd be delighted to see her run at Royal Ascot next year–that would be amazing.” 

Monday's result represented one of the biggest Carmel Stud have achieved in the ring and Peter paid special tribute to local stud director Ed Harper of Whitsbury Manor, where Showcasing is based. 

He said, “Whitsbury Manor is our local stud. They are only fifty minutes away. Ed [Harper] has been a great help to us and, without his help, this probably wouldn't have happened today.”

Talking points

• One of the main takeaways from Book 1 was the strength of the top tier of the market and the patchiness of the middle tiers. With that in mind, there was some justifiable caution leading into the trade at Tattersalls this week but the early signs were positive. Granted the average was bolstered by the Dubawi filly who was initially placed in Book 1, but an aggregate of 18,530,500gns, average of 88,240gns and median of 69,000 bodes well for the rest of the week. A clearance rate of 84% compared to 86% on day one last year provides further encouragement for the week ahead.
• Anthony Oppenheimer carried on the momentum of a strong Book 1 sale for his Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd operation by accounting for the second-highest lot of the day, a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt, who sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock 350,000gns. Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd sold four horses on Monday for 830,000gns.
• There is no stopping Alex Elliott. The bloodstock agent spent more than 6 million gns on behalf of some of the biggest names in the game during Book 1. Elliott was busy again on Monday when signing for seven yearlings to the tune of 895,000gns and ended the day as the second busiest buyer.
• Pinatubo continues to impress. Once again, his yearlings were very well received by the market with Justin Casse, Najd Stud, Ed Sackville, Robson Aguiar and Ben McElroy some of the notable names on the list of buyers of the stallion's progeny. All told, Pinatubo averaged 186,333gns for six yearlings sold on Monday.
• Book 2 may have been billed as something of 'a bread and butter sale' by Tattersalls' Jason Singh when interviewed on Racing TV over the weekend and, while that is true, there was still plenty of international interest on day one. Along with Najd Stud and Ben McElroy getting in on the action, Nicolas De Watrigant of Mandore International Agency was another interesting buyer. The French-based De Watrigant spent 385,000gns on three yearlings headed by a No Nay Never filly from Watership Down Stud for 260,000gns.

'It's Fun For Sheikha Hissa' – Shadwell Spends Over 500k At Book 2

Shadwell's Angus Gold hinted after signing for a 1.6 million gns Frankel (GB) filly at Book 1 that Sheika Hissa may continue her shopping into this week. 

Well, we didn't have to wait long to find out whether that would come to fruition or not, with Shadwell signing for four yearlings for 665,000gns on day one of Book 2.

The haul was headed by a 230,000gns Night Of Thunder colt who, interestingly, is out of a mare that was dispersed by Shadwell in 2021 for 135,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock. 

“We bought three today, which is great,” Gold said. “We bought an elegant Mohaather (GB) colt for 75,000gns early in the day. Obviously, nobody knows yet about the stallion but I just thought this was a very elegant horse with a lot of scope to him. I don't think he'll be terribly early but I like the look of him.”

He added, “We bought a very nice Galiway (GB) filly that Sheikha Hissa liked very much. We haven't had one of those before but she seemed to have a great attitude. The Night Of Thunder colt is out of Ridaa (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who we sold during our dispersal. He's a nice solid horse and looks like a runner.”

It was well-bred fillies that were placed at the top of Shadwell's wish list for Book 1 but the modus operandi on Monday was a simple one; buy racehorses, be that colts or fillies. 

Explaining the brief, Gold continued, “We're mainly buying fillies but, for interest, as Sheikha Hissa is here, we have been showing her a few colts. We bought one colt here last year. He hasn't run yet but Sheikha Hissa said that she'd like to come and look at a few colts this year as well as the fillies. We'll try to cherry pick a few for her to see and she likes to see what the offspring of particular stallions look like. It's fun for her.”

Gold added, “We've had plenty of success from Book 2 and found plenty of good racehorses here. It's not the sort of thing where one can say, 'we'll only buy in Book 1 and leave Book 2 and 3,' because an awful amount of good horses have come out of here. There's a thousand-odd horses so I think this week is much more of a buyers' market. You get to see a good cross-section. It's a good sale to work.”

The Night Of Thunder was consigned by Greyridge Bloodstock, who were getting off to a dream start at Tattersalls. The new consignment is run from Denis and Clare Barry's Wiltshire-based Glebe Farm Stud and is managed by Carwyn Johns. 

“It has gone full circle and this colt has gone home,” Johns said. “He was the big one for us for the year. We bought the mare with Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock.”

Golden touch 

By Georgia Cox

Lot  541

Earthlight (Ire) colt out of One Spirit (Ire) 

Consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud 

Purchased by Qatar Racing, China Horse Club and David Howden 

Out of the Listed winner and Group 3-placed One Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is already the dam of Group 3 winner One For Bobby (Ire) Frankel {GB}), this Earthlight colt proved to be well-bought as a foal by Johnny McKeever and Ballyhimikin Stud at the Goffs November Foal Sale. 

The pair turned their initial outlay of €90,000 into 200,000gns on Monday with David Redvers, the China Horse Club and David Howden the winning bidders. 

These same connections have been busy snapping up well-bred colts at the premier yearling sales this year. After a strong Orby Sale, where Redvers revealed that the group were on the hunt for well-bred colts that could one day go to stud depending on what they achieved on the race track, they went on to spend over 1.1 million on three colts at Book 1. 

From the same family as Diktat (GB) and Cape Cross (Ire), the Earthlight colt fits that sort of criteria and was clearly well bought by McKeever and Ballyhimikin Stud as a foal given they more than doubled their money here. 

Buy of the day

Mark and Charlie Johnston are famous for bagging bargains at the yearling sales and they may well have found one in the shape of lot 584, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) colt out of champion older mare in France, Pride (Fr) (Peintre Celebre). 

Consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud, the Saxon Warrior is a half-brother to six winners, including the smart One Foot In Heaven and Queen.

He looks the type that could develop into a nice three-year-old and has plenty of scope. 

Older mares are not for everyone, and the fact that Pride was 22 when she produced this colt may have resulted in him being a bit of value in the ring. He looks well bought at 100,000gns.

Thought for the day

How early is too early to start blowing up a first season sire? Darley knocked it out of the park with Blue Point this season and the early signs are that Pinatubo is cut from the same cloth. An outstanding racehorse, Pinatubo seems to have really stamped his stock and a lot of the top judges have declared themselves a fan. He could be the real deal.

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NEWMARKET, UK–A Frankel (GB) filly out of the brilliant G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) provided a sprinkling of stardust on the final day of the Tattersalls Book 1 October Yearling Sale when selling to Shadwell for 1.6 million gns.

Sheikha Hissa has been a notable presence on the sales ground all week and, according to Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold, it was her determination that helped see off the attention of underbidder Kieran Lalor for the first foal out of the former Jessica Harrington-trained star. 

That result brought Shadwell's haul of fillies to seven and pushed the operation's total spend to 3.66 million gns this week. 

Gold said of lot 492 bred by Stonethorn Stud Farm, “Sheikha Hissa absolutely loved her when she saw her. I said she's probably going to make a lot of money and she said, 'well, we need fillies for the stud.' 

“A first foal out of the Cheveley Park winner by one of the world's great stallions, it's sort of self-explanatory. She seemed very athletic and had a very good mind for a Frankel. A very well-balanced filly.”

He added, “I thought she'd make a million and two, probably a million and three. We were determined to buy her and there is obviously a period of rebuilding. It's a long-term project for Sheikha Hissa. It's exciting times for the stud but obviously you need to keep regenerating.

Shadwell did not add any colts to the team this week but that's not to say that the major owner-breeders would be against the idea with Gold going on to reveal that there is a possibility that Shadwell will be active at next week's Book 2 sessions.

He said, “Obviously we'll be looking. The concentration has been fillies but we will see what Sheikha Hissa wants to do.”

The day-three topper was consigned by Watership Down Stud, who also sold a Dubawi (Ire) filly to Shadwell earlier this week for 450,000gns. 

Watership Down's Simon Marsh said, “This is a real reward for the breeder who has been with us for about 15 years. The filly was born and raised on our farm in Ireland at Kiltinan Castle Stud and it was a great result all round.

“It's wonderful for Sheikh Hissa and it's great to see the success of Shadwell since the very sad passing of Sheikh Hamdan. It's a great testament to him to see what's been happening on the racecourse. and it's wonderful to see her wanting to buy lovely fillies to put into the broodmare band in the future.”

The filly was the sole millionaire offering of the final session, with the trade lagging some way behind the record figures of 2022. The deficit was acknowledged by Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony in his closing statement.

He 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.”

Cumani: 'We Owe That Family a Hell of a Lot'

The last Frankel (GB) colt in the sale, lot 493, from the Cumani family's terrific Souk (Ire) dynasty, lifted the spirits as the afternoon drew to a close when joining the list of Coolmore's purchases this week at 950,000gns.

Last year the Cumanis' Fittocks Stud sold Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for 1.9 million gns, and he timed his run rather well to score on debut at Navan on Wednesday. So it was back to a trusted source, and in fact as association that stretches back at least 24 years to when the Coolmore team bought a Sadler's Wells colt for 650,000gns at the Houghton Sale for 650,000gns and named him Milan (GB) after the birthplace of his breeder Luca Cumani. As a St Leger winner and a leading National Hunt sire for Coolmore, he served his owners well.

In the case of the team's latest purchase, a decent update could be in the offing, because John and Thady Gosden think enough of the Frankel colt's three-year-old half-sister Naaey (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to be planning entering her in the G2 Pride S. in the coming weeks. The dam Materialistic (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) won twice and was Listed-placed for Cumani in his training days. Now 10, she is a great-grand-daughter of the Fittocks foundation mare Souk, who was herself by Ahonoora (GB).

“From the moment he was born he was strong,” said Cumani of the yearling. “Obviously yesterday's result helped, and we have to thank the Juddmonte team, as they were underbidders and without them we wouldn't have got this far.”

His wife Sara added, “It'll be great for all the guys at the farm as it's not been the easiest sale. [The market has been] up and down. We sold one for more than we expected, four for less than we expected and two we took home. Anything that is bred to look like a mile-and-a-half horse they didn't seem to be excited about. But this was a great result and we are grateful to the people who support us and grateful to the people who work with us.”

Materialistic is now back in foal to Frankel, having lost an earlier colt by him as a weanling, and she has a colt foal by Wootton Bassett (GB).

Luca Cumani added, “We'd like to thank Coolmore very much. They have been great supporters of ours, especially this year and last year.

“I bought Souk as a yearling in Goffs for Ir£100,000, which was a lot of money in those days, and I got home and got quite a bollocking. I'm glad it has worked out okay. [Her grand-daughter] Platonic, who struggled to win, and finally won as a four-year-old in the French provinces, we sold for 100,000gns, and look what she has produced. It is a great family. We owe that family a hell of a lot.”

Talking Points

• Edmond Mahony highlighted a “selectivity to the market”, and that is reflected in the figures for Book 1. The final day's trade dipped by 35% year-on-year to 29,158,000gns, with the median being the lowest of the week at 155,000gns (-35%) and the average at 219,233gns (-32%). Across the three days, the aggregate was  down to 95,395,000gns (-25%), which was still up on the 'Covid years' of 2020 and 2021 and just beneath the preceding three years when the turnover passed 100 million gns. From 470 yearlings offered, 391 were marked as sold, to give a clearance rate of 83% (-5%) The median price for the three days was 180,000gns (-10%) and the average was 243,997gns (-18%).
• The trade at last year's Book 1 reached record levels, but it is worth reflecting that more than 10 million gns of that was attributed to yearlings 'bought' by Saleh Al Homaizi which ultimately had to be reoffered after payment wasn't forthcoming. Another 2.7 million gns was spent by John Dance of Manor House Farm, who has not been active in the yearling market this season since Dance's business affairs came under investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority earlier this year. On the other hand, Richard Knight, who last year signed for the yearlings on Al Homaizi's list, is now acting on behalf of a new name on the buyers' sheet, the Saudi Arabia-based Al Salhia Stud, which is owned by Mohammed Saleh Bin Laden. Al Salhia Stud, which has previously been involved in Arab racing, is now branching out into Thoroughbreds and was active at Arqana in August. Through Book 1, the operation bought 10 yearlings for a total of 2,555,000gns.
• Though Godolphin was still a significant presence as the leading buyer, with 20 horses bought for just north of 12 million gns, even this expenditure pales next to last year's outlay of 25.3 million gns for 35 Book 1 yearlings. Rabbah Bloodstock, too, spent 1.5 million gns at last year's sale but was absent from the buyers' list this week. 
• Tom Goff and Richard Brown buy for a range of clients, and their Blandford Bloodstock was the second-leading buyer at Book 1, with 25 yearlings signed for at a total outlay of 8.1 million gns. Brown has been the main buyer of horses in training for Wathnan Racing, owned by the Emir of Qatar, and a new name in the owner ranks in recent seasons. Though no confirmation was given of any yearling purchases for the operation, it is fair to assume that some of those bought under the Blandford banner may be seen racing in the Wathnan colours in the future.
• For the sixth year in a row, Graham Smith-Bernal's Newsells Park Stud topped the Book 1 consignors' list with 25 sold for a total of 10,565,000gns. There were also noteworthy results from the select drafts of Anthony Oppenheimer's Hascombe & Valiant Stud, which sold six yearlings at an average of 554,167gns, including the overall top lot, and for Paul and Marie McCartan's Ballyphilip Stud, which averaged 504,000gns for five sold.
• Frankel was responsible for the most expensive colt and filly in the sale, and two of the seven yearlings to have sold for a million or more. That number of seven-figure lots was down from 16 last year.
• Twelve late withdrawals on the day from the final session tells its own tale of how some vendors viewed the dip in trade on Thursday.

Another Gem for Grangemore

Grangemore Stud's full-sister to the Group 2 winners Charyn (Ire) and Wings Of War (Ire), both by Dark Angel (Ire), will join her brother Charyn in the ownership of Nurlan Bizakov, who, under his Sumbe banner, when to 850,000gns for the daughter of the 10-year-old mare Futoon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Grangemore owner Guy O'Callaghan bought Futoon in partnership with his brother David for 100,000gns, and she has more that repaid that outlay, with her repeat matings with Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel having produced those two black-type winners from as many foals of racing age.

O'Callaghan said of the yearling filly [lot 376], “She's always been a spectacular filly at home. I'm thrilled with the price she made and the home she's going to. We had to come over to the sales a day early with the storm last week, so she's been here nine days and she's not put a foot wrong. It's a lot for a yearling to take and she's been a class act. They're all so great out of the mare but she was probably the best of them.”

Futoon, who was placed multiple times at Listed level, is from the family of the G2 Mill Reef S. winner Galeota (Ire) and of the Group 3-winning siblings Burnt Sugar (Ire) and Brown Sugar (Ire).

O'Callaghan added, “My brother David and I bought the mare here as a four-year-old from Steven Hillen and Kevin Ryan. We were following her as a racehorse and she's been very lucky for us ever since. It's a real fast, tough family. There was a good Dark Angel in the family already, and she just made so much sense.”

Along with Nurlan Bizakov, major owner-breeder operations Cheveley Park Stud, Shadwell and Al Shira'aa Farms were also among those to have selected well-bred fillies on the final day of Book 1.

On Shadwell's behalf, Angus Gold went to 575,000gns for lot 427, Meon Valley Stud's daughter of Sea The Moon (Ger) and Group 2 winner Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), whose second and third dams, Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic) and Colorspin (Fr) (High Top {GB}) are both Group 1 winners.

Kieran Lalor picked up another smart filly for Al Shira'aa in lot 393, a Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the G1 Nassau S. after publication of the catalogue. Shadwell were under-bidders on the filly, having sold her dam Hadaatha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to David Nagle of Barronstown Stud for 400,000gns when she was in foal to Siyouni in 2021.

Bennett's Merry Week

Craig Bennett of Merry Fox Stud signed off on a good week of selling alongside Newsells Park Stud when Godolphin went to 800,000gns to secure his Dubawi (Ire) filly (lot 470) out of Luminate (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Along with Newsells Park, Bennett brought four yearlings to the market this week and sold all four, with the owner-breeder describing himself as happy with the business conducted at Tattersalls.

He said, “Great week-I sold four out of four. Going home now! The first mare we bought in partnership with Newsells was Luminate. She is clearly a lovely-walking mare and she passes that walk on. This is the first one we have brought to market and got very well paid to go to a good home. It's a great cross and the Rainbow Quest in the second generation really suits the sire, particularly for fillies, so I think they have got a very good chance of her being a very good racehorse. The mare is in foal to Lope De Vega, carrying a filly, and we are just working out mating plans for next year.”

Market View

There were plenty of positives to take from Book 1, the highest-priced yearling sold in Europe this year being one of them, but there were just seven lots all told to break the million gns throughout the three days. 

Unlike the Orby Sale at Goffs, where well-bred fillies led the way, the majority of the big-ticket horses sold at Tattersalls this week were colts. 

Kieran Lalor, who buys on behalf of major owner-breeder Al Shira'aa Farms, cut the image of a frustrated figure on Thursday when sharing his feeling that the well-bred colts matched up better physically than the fillies this week. 

That played out in the results and Al Shira'aa signed for four yearlings–two fillies and two colts–in what was at times a patchy sale. 

Bloodstock agent Mark McStay shared that while he felt the top end of the market remained strong at Tattersalls this week, the middle tiers were difficult at times. 

In other words, the recession-proof buyers were there, but in reflection of what is going on in the wider world outside racing, the middle market has taken somewhat of a dent. 

He explained, “Like every sale that I have attended for the past number of years, for the very good stock, the trade is highly competitive. Underneath that top level, business is being done but it can be sticky in patches.

“The standard of horses has been high and all of the big players are here. What we have seen play out this week is probably a fair reflection of the worldwide bloodstock market.”

He added, “Some people who have been active here in the past number of years haven't appeared but, then again, some of the bigger players, the likes of Sheikh Mohammed, have participated stronger than ever.”

A much clearer picture will be painted on the middle market, according to McStay, after Books 2, 3 and 4 take place at Tattersalls next week. 

He continued, “I am very happy with how my week went. We bought some nice horses and, while we weren't in the big league, I'm happy and am looking forward to Book 2 and onwards. Next week will be telling and it will be interesting to see what trainers have orders.”

Edmond Mahony concluded his own assessment of the market in a philosophical fashion. He commented, “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 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 500,000gns 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.”

He added, “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 250,000gns 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.”

Buy Of The Day

Mark Flannery has turned water into wine on more than one occasion–the top breeze-up handler famously got €210,000 for €5,000 Book 2 buy Landshark.

Perhaps Flannery found more value at Tattersalls this week in the shape of a 40,000gns Kingman (GB) colt (lot 516) from Blue Diamond Stud. 

Kingman has done well with his breeze-up graduates and this could be another. He's gone to a top outfit and could rock into six figures or more at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale here in the spring. Time will tell. 

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Shadwell Stud give 1.6 million gns for a daughter of Frankel at #TattsOctober Book 1

Lot 492 is the first foal of G1 winner Millisle. She was consigned by @WatershipStud pic.twitter.com/i8lrwGXKo3

— TDN (@theTDN) October 5, 2023

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1.1 million gns for lot 260 at #TattsOctober Book 1

This colt by Lope de Vega had a timely update thanks to half-brother Iberian. He has been bought by @sumbe_fr and was consigned by @BallylinchStud. pic.twitter.com/qxYiTvhsQE

— TDN (@theTDN) October 4, 2023

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15.55 Navan, Mdn, €12,000, 2yo, 8fT
Ballydoyle representative EUPHORIC (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is out of a half-sister to G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Fillies' Mile and GI Just A Game S. placegetter Fantasia (GB) (Sadler's Wells), realised the fourth-highest price when knocked down for 1.9-million guineas at last year's Tattersalls Book 1 fixture and is one of two Aidan O'Brien-trained newcomers in this one-mile test. He is accompanied by stablemate South Pole (Ire) (No Nay Never), himself a 650,000gns Book 1 acquisition, who is a half-brother to Sunday's GIII Tokyo City Cup victor Missed The Cut (Quality Road) out of GI Flower Bowl S. fourth Beauly (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

12.50 Chantilly, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, c/g, 9fT
Godolphin's €130,000 Arqana October purchase CASAPUEBLO (IRE) (Le Havre {Ire}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with an encouraging debut score over this course and distance in his only prior outing last month. The Andre Fabre trainee encounters five rivals in this return.

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No matter the experience of the folk behind the yearlings for sale, there is always a degree of trepidation in the build-up, and at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale the stakes are perhaps higher than anywhere else. For the last five years straight, and for a number of other editions of the sale before that, Newsells Park Stud has been the leading vendor at Book 1, with that success maintained throughout the sale of the stud in 2021 to Graham Smith-Bernal by the Jacobs family. This year's draft of 31 looks as strong as ever.

A chapter will be closed on Tuesday on an extraordinary run at Tattersalls for the great mare Shastye (Ire) (Danehill), the dam of Group 1 winners Japan (Ire) and Mogul (Ire), Group 2 winner Secret Gesture (Ire) and Group 3 winner Sir Isaac Newton (Ire), all of whom are by Galileo (Ire). Shastye died last year after at the age of 21 foaling a colt by Dubawi (Ire), who sells as lot 96. A May foal, he will have plenty of hopes resting on his bay shoulders considering not just the racecourse performances of his half-siblings but also their sale-ring records: eight of Shastye's offspring have previously sold at Tattersalls for a collective 14,430,000gns.

“I don't think we'll ever find another one like her,” says Dollar of Shastye. “Obviously that was quite emotional for all of us last year when she produced the Dubawi colt. It was just great to see them both out in the nursery paddock on that first day, and they looked so happy. And then suddenly we got a call that all was not well. She was haemorrhaging and we lost her, and it was a really sad day.

He adds, “But she left us with a lovely Dubawi colt, and he was always the apple of Graham's eye. He actually did some hand-feeding, giving him a bottle for a few sessions. So he quickly made a bond with the colt and I never thought actually he could bear to part with him, but sensibly, he's a businessman, and we are taking him to the sales.”

Newsells Park's flagship stallion Nathaniel (Ire) is represented by three yearlings in Book 1, with the colt in the Newsells draft being a brother to the 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown (GB), bred by Gary Robinson, and consigned as lot 316 on Wednesday.

“We've got a couple of very nice fillies by Nathaniel in Book 2 that could arguably be in Book 1,” Dollar says. “But this colt is a very good-looking horse, very good mover. I like him a lot and he's been entrusted to us through Gary Robinson's Strawberry Fields Stud, who asked us if we'd take him on in January. So we've had him with us for a while, and he's a nice person, and nice to do anything with. Hopefully he'll be well received.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the stud will offer a Kingman (GB) half-brother to another of its resident stallions, Without Parole (GB), on behalf of breeders John and Tanya Gunther. Without Parole himself has his first yearlings for sale this year, including three in Book 1, while Newsells Park will offer two by him in Book 2, both of whom are half-brothers to stakes winners.

“The Without Parole foals were very well received and we hope the yearlings will be as well. Those that we've got have really developed well from foals to yearlings. They're very much like their dad, which is good. They've got great minds and they're really easy to work with and very trainable,” he says.

“Sadly, it was a tough year for us last year, because not only did we lose Shastye, but we also lost [Without Parole's dam] Without You Babe. So both Shastye's and Without You Babe's foals were brought up by foster mares and I don't know if it's a result of that, but they've both got the most incredible temperaments.”

Despite Andreas Jacobs of Gestut Fahrhof no longer being directly involved with Newsells Park Stud, he still has an association in that he is selling two smart yearlings in the farm's draft in Book 1.

“The vast majority of the yearlings are born and bred here,” Dollar says. “We always have a couple of guests, if you like. It's nice to keep a strong relationship with Andreas Jacobs, and he's entrusted us with two yearlings this year, a colt by Wootton Bassett [lot 179], who's very classy, and a very well-bred Mehmas filly [lot 520] whose two half-siblings, the only two other foals that the mare has had, are stakes winner. She's hit the board in spectacular style twice.”

He continues, “We've also always had a link with Al Shahania, and they've selling a cracking Siyouni colt out of Vorda [lot 178]. He's everything you'd want a Siyouni to look like, for me. And then there's Sea The Moon colt out of Teppal [lot 147] is what who is a big, strong, scopey horse with a lot of class.

“But otherwise, pretty much everything else is bred on the farm. And we have that confidence that we know the mares. We know their other progeny. We know these progeny from day one. And when people ask us about them, we can tell them with confidence what they're like. It helps.”

On that theme, Dollar admits that, although almost the entire Newsells Park yearling crop is at the sales over the next few weeks, there is the potential for the operation to race more homebreds in future.

He says, “We always had to make a profit if we possibly could, and look after our bottom line. And we still do have to do that, of course we do. Graham expects us to do that as much as we possibly can but I think there is more scope for Newsells to race fillies especially. We're prepared to put confidence behind them and race them. I'm not saying what we've done in the past has been wrong, because we've been lucky enough to buy some nice mares, Shastye among them, Yummy Mummy and others. But there is a big advantage in understanding families, and putting those horses into training with the right trainers. Obviously, operations like Juddmonte are brilliant. Having those families going back generations, understanding those families, putting them with trainers who also trained that family for generations, has a big advantage. And I'd like to see us developing a few more of our families. I know Graham very much feels that way.”

Despite admitting to being a “pessimist at heart”, Dollar has drawn some encouragement from results from the first half of the European yearling sales.

“Arqana read like a very strong sale,” he says. “Donny was okay, Baden-Baden was okay. We sold a couple of horses in Somerville, which I'd never done before, but the traffic through Somerville was extraordinary. Over the years, we've always seen that the prices at the top remain strong, and we've always felt that if we want to play in this business, commercially, we've got to be playing at the top level because that's where the big money is.”

He continues, “But this is the most amazing business, isn't it? You sort of scratch your head and think, well, how is this happening? A year ago we'd just lost Her Majesty the Queen, and I always felt that our business was almost held together by a 90-odd-year-old lady. But you turn it around, nine months later, and the King and Queen are at Royal Ascot and they have a winner, and there's huge warmth for them both, and then they turned up at Doncaster for the St Leger, and had a live contender who ran a great race, and they seemed to be really enjoying it. And suddenly you think, well, we're still going strong, and everybody still loves and appreciates racing in this country.

“We still have the best racing, and we still seem to breeding some extraordinary good horses. So long may it continue. And while it does, I think we're going to be the focus of buyers from all over the globe. I'd love us not to be such an export market. In the long run, I don't think that's good. But it is where we are at the moment, and I'd rather have that than nobody be interested in buying our stock.

“But as long as we've got top-class stallions, and as long as we've got fellow breeders of the quality of Juddmonte, Cheveley Park, et cetera, we're in pretty good shape.”

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By that stage, there will be frenetic action of a different kind just a mile up the road at Park Paddocks where several days of Book 1 inspections will be underway ahead of the start of the nine-session October Sale on Tuesday. The first three days are devoted to Book 1, the profile of which continues to rise to ever dizzier heights. A 200,000gns median last year tells its own story, that figure having doubled in a decade. The average meanwhile settled at its own record high, just shy of 300,000gns and, at the final ringing of the tills, more than 126 million gns was spent across three days in 2022 for 424 fledgling racehorses. Looking ahead to this year's sale, it is hard not to envisage more of the same, or perhaps just more. 

Jimmy George, the marketing director for Tattersalls, says, “It's an outstanding catalogue. Book 1 seems to collect the cream of the British and Irish, and perhaps wider European yearling crop year after year. And it's not only a catalogue of real quality, it has diversity as well. In simple terms, it's probably fair to say that it represents the biggest collection of yearlings by the best turf stallions in the world that you'll find anywhere.”

In the bloodstock world's version of chicken-and-egg, the fact that Britain and Ireland continue to enjoy a golden age of stallions no doubt influences the fact that there is a growing throng of international breeders keeping mares in those countries, or indeed transporting them to be covered. We cannot forget, however, the importance of those blue hens and classy matrons in making these stallions what they are in the first place. 

“The consistency of these top stallions at the moment, the seamless movement on from the Galileo era, it's just amazing,” George says. 

“I'm not ranking them in any particular order, but you have Frankel, Dubawi, Kingman, Lope De Vega, Wootton Bassett, Sea the Stars, and there's the thick end of 200 yearlings by those six stallions in Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale.

“And I think that tells prospective buyers all they really want to know, these are game-changing stallions on their own, but that collection together is pretty mighty.”

From Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) landing the GI Saratoga Derby on only his third start to the victory of Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) claiming his third Group 1 – one for each season of racing – in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Good Guess (GB) dominating the G1 Prix Jean Prat for a Japanese owner in France, the broad international success of the October Sale, and Book 1 in particular, remains a strong theme.

“It gives [owners and breeders] access to these top stallions; they recognise the quality of the horses standing in Britain, Ireland and also France at the moment,” George continues. “And if they're going to have regular access to these sort of horses, they come here and buy them as yearlings, and in the case of yearling fillies, perhaps leave them over here [to race] and breed from them in the future.

“One of the aspects of Book 1 that strikes me year after year, is that the top owner-breeders will also target Book 1 for their broodmare bands. They're racing these beautifully-bred fillies and they can go on to have a huge impact on their own broodmare bands later down the line.

“In the Juddmonte International this year, which was won by Mostahdaf, and Nashwa was second, both of them are raced by owner-breeders, and both of them are out of mares who those owner-breeders have bought as yearlings at Book 1.”

The sale dovetails nicely with two weekends of Group 1 action on the Rowley Mile, making a trip to East Anglia in October an extra draw.

“Newmarket is the hub, not only in the British racing and breeding industry, but really the European racing and breeding industry,” says George.

“We've got two racecourses here, we've got numerous stud farms in and around the area standing some of the best stallions in the world, we've got all the top veterinary facilities, we've got 70 to 80 different racehorse trainers here, the most fantastic training grounds, and we've got Tattersalls.”

He adds, “The owner-breeders feel comfortable here, they come to Newmarket, whether it's to race or whether it's to see their broodmare bands and their young stock, or to buy. Which is obviously why they come to Tattersalls.”

Some 500 Book 1 yearlings will usher in a fortnight of action at Park Paddocks, where the newly refurbished and levelled yards at Somerville R, S, T have just been unveiled. Naturally there are some swanky pedigrees to digest. 

The brother (lot 316) to 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) – himself a 280,000gns Book 2 gradate in 2020 – features among the Newsells Park draft, while a Dubawi half-brother to Imad Al Sagar's treble Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) heads a select consignment from Blue Diamond Stud and, catalogued as lot 35, may well prove to be one of the early highlights on Tuesday.

The McCartan family's Ballyphilip Stud brings lot 240, a half-brother to that brilliant sprinter Battaash (Ire) who is by another brilliant sprinter and budding young stallion, Blue Point (Ire). Meanwhile, Blue Point's own immediate family is represented by his three-part-brother [lot 81] from the first crop of fellow Darley stallion Earthlight (Ire) and consigned by Hillwood Stud. 

From the same Shamardal sireline, and with a typically strong female family behind him, comes the Lope De Vega (Ire) half-brother to St Leger and Irish St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the colt having been pinhooked for 300,000gns from Kirsten Rausing's St Simon Stud draft at the December Foal Sale. He is reoffered by Eugene Daly's Longview Stud as lot 226.

Among the colts on offer from Cheveley Park Stud is a three-quarter-brother to the farm's champion filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The son of Ulysses (Ire) features on the first day of Book 1 as lot 127 and is one of eight yearlings to be offered by the Thompson family, along with a Kingman (GB) colt out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

The above is just a taster. It's easy to make a case for pretty much every yearling in the opening book, and for agents and trainers tasked with doing just that for potential purchasers, it is made a little easier by the existence of the Book 1 Bonus. It's a scheme which is now well established and has over recent years pumped almost £8 million in additional prize-money to owners with more than 340 bonuses now having been won. From next year, that individual bonus is set to rise from £20,000 to £25,000, with all yearlings catalogued for Book 1 of this year's sale eligible for the scheme.

George says, “I think people are unnecessarily negative about the sport in Britain at times. There's so much to be positive about. One, it is the most magnificent sport.

But two, there are aspects of British prize-money that need to be recognised, and Britain is the most lucrative place to own a horse in Europe, if it's a decent horse. British prize-money for group and listed races is superior to anywhere else in Europe, and that's a fact. And it isn't always a fact that is put out there often or loudly enough, in my humble opinion, but you only just have to look through the Pattern book and look at the prize-money available for British group and listed races and compare it with France and Ireland, who are the obvious main competitors in that respect. Britain is comfortably number one. The average prize-money for a Group 3 race, a Group 2 race, a Group 1 race in Britain is significantly higher than anywhere else in Europe.”

What is often grumbled about of course is the lower levels on offer for maiden races and handicaps, but a significant number of maiden and novice races for two- and three-year-olds have been boosted this year by extra sponsorship from Juddmonte, Darley and the British EBF. On top of that, a Book 1 graduate has a chance of scooping an extra pot, and that is not restricted to British races, but also includes Ireland.

“We know the impact it's having,” he continues. “We've distributed directly to racehorse owners in Britain and Ireland the thick end of £8 million in prize-money, with no deductions, just directly to the owners, since the inception of that scheme.

“That is a lot of money to win for winning your maiden. The average price, or the average win prize-money next year for a Book 1 Bonus winner, will be I'd say comfortably over £30,000, which is significant. It's not headline prize-money, it doesn't show up in statistics, but it is significant.”

George adds, “I think it's so important for us not to talk ourselves into thinking that there isn't opportunity out there, because there is. Whether it's our bonuses for Book 1, or whether it's Great British Bonuses, or certain sales races, or other angles that are out there, there's more there than sometimes we're led to believe.”

Traditionally, the October Sale, under its various guises over the years, brought the curtain up on the autumn season at Tattersalls, but since a reshuffling of venues, which brought the Ascot Yearling Sale, now known as the Somerville, to Tattersalls, the sale grounds have already been busy in Newmarket since the yearling season began, and we head into a frenetic fortnight on the back of encouraging results not just at the Somerville, but pretty much across the board in Europe and America. 

“The sales calendar bears no resemblance to how it once was, and we've had the addition of the August Sale and Somerville Yearling Sale in recent years just at Park Paddocks alone. Under the Tattersalls umbrella it's grown out of all recognition, with Cheltenham and Tattersalls Ireland and the online sales,” George says. 

“But it still remains that the Tattersalls sales season really kicks off with the October Yearling Sale. That's when we become the focal point and it's pretty intense for those two weeks of Books 1 through to 4.

“It's a busy time, but it's an exciting time, and there's a lot riding on it for everybody. It's very busy for the trainers and the agents, but the owners enjoy their time at the sales as well. And long may that last, it's very much part of the ownership experience.”

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