Dubawi Filly Becomes World's Highest Priced Yearling in 2015 at Tattersalls October Book 1
Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continued in robust fashion with four lots topping the 1 million guineas mark, and a daughter of DUBAWI realising the top priced yearling in the world this year. A total of 125 lots were sold for 28,690,500 guineas at an average of 229,524 guineas and a median of 130,000 guineas.
A stunning filly by DUBAWI topped Day 2 of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when knocked down to John Magnier for 2.1 million guineas, becoming the highest priced yearling sold in the world this year. She is out of SADLER’S WELLS mare LOVEISALLYOUNEED who is a full sister to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner YESTERDAY and three-time Classic placed QUARTER MOON.
Catalogued as lot 304, the filly attracted a wide range of bidders and the vanquished included underbidder John Ferguson and Tony Nerses, standing alongside Derby winning owner Saleh Al Homaizi. Nerses and Al Homaizi persisted until 1.5 million guineas, but Ferguson battled on, hoping to buy the beautiful filly by the leading Darley sire. In the end Magnier’s persistence caused Ferguson to smile and walk away at 2.1 million guineas.
Magnier was buying on behalf of Richard Henry, boss of Coolmore's advertising arm Primus Advertising and commented;
"I think he was overcome with emotion," referring to the fact that Henry had Jude, the wonderful stakes producing grand-dam of this filly.
Richard Henry added;
"I sold Loveisallyouneed and just after that Jude died. I wanted to get back into the family - it has been so good to us. We counted up - there are 12 Group winners on the page, including seven Group 1 winners and we raced three of them.”
"Yesterday is in-foal to red-hot first season sire Zoffany and Quarter Moon has produced two high-class fillies by Fastnet Rock in Group 1 winner Diamondsandrubies and Classic prospect for next season How High The Moon. Hopefully this filly might be as good as them!"
The first lot to break the million mark came earlier in the day when a colt by OASIS DREAM out of PIVOTAL’s multiple Group-winning daughter IZZI TOP went to John Ferguson for 1.1 million guineas. She was Lot 254 and from Meon Valley Stud’s great family of REPROCOLOR that includes Group 1 winners ZEE ZEE TOP as well as sires KAYF TARA and OPERA HOUSE.
Mark Weinfeld from Meon Valley Stud commented;
"We were hopeful, but you never know until the moment comes. The Green Desert cross has worked very well with this family and it is of course a fantastic result - he has always been a smashing horse."
In quick succession, the next yearling into the ring also topped the million mark. Lot 255, the colt by GALILEO out of the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR mare JACQUELINE QUEST was sold to a partnership of the China Horse Club and Qatar Racing for 1.2 million guineas following strong competition from Coolmore’s John Magnier.
JACQUELINE QUEST was first-past-the-post in the 2010 1,000 Guineas before being demoted in the stewards room to second place and was sold a year later at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 600,000 guineas.
David Redvers said of the colt;
"It is not every day you see a horse such as this and I have not been able to think of another horse since!”
Michael Wallace added;
“No trainer has been decided, but he will stay in Europe - he is a European horse. David and I talked about the horse and had similar views about him - it has been a meeting of minds, Sheikh Fahad's team are great to work with and he is an exciting horse to have bought. We are trying to secure a stallion and buying together spreads the risk."
The fourth lot to top the million guineas mark for the day was the GALILEO filly out of the DANEHILL mare LIKE A DAME who was knocked down to John Magnier for 1,000,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of Hugo Lascelles. Consigned from Barry Mahon’s Clare Castle Stud, the daughter of GALILEO is a half-sister to the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes winner LADYS FIRST.
Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 11am on Thursday, October 8th.