Kodiac Colt Tops Strong Opening Session of Tatteralls October Book 3

Lot 1617: Kodiac (GB) / Lucky (IRE)
Lot 1617: Kodiac (GB) / Lucky (IRE)

The strong trade achieved at Book 2 continued into the opening day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale which was topped by a KODIAC colt at 135,000 guineas, the second highest price ever achieved at this fixture.  There were increases in the turnover and average and the clearance rate was an impressive 84%.

Kodiac Colt Heads Day 1 of Book 3 at 135,000 Guineas

It was into the evening when the headline act on the opening day of Book 3 walked into the ring and provided Ballyhimikin Stud with their second six-figure lot for the day.  The KODIAC colt out of the Group 3 winning SADLER’S WELLS mare LUCKY, an own sister to the 2,000 Guineas winner KING OF KINGS, attracted bids from all corners of the ring before being knocked down to Oak Tree Farm’s Norman Williamson for 135,000 guineas.

Williamson commented:

"He was the stand out lot for us today.  Mags O'Toole and I saw the colt this morning and loved him. He has come from a great farm, he has some size and hopefully he will come back to breeze in the spring.

Williamson has bought a handful of horses as breeze-up prospects this week and, of the strong market seen at Tattersalls this week and last, he reported:

"Trade has been fantastic, if we could afford everything we wanted to buy there would be no point to it! We've got to come back and sell in the spring; we'll deal with that then!"

The well-related colt provided an impressive pinhooking result for his owners who purchased him for 40,000 euros as a foal last year.

James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud was understandably delighted with the result and commented;

"We bought the colt last autumn - we loved the pedigree and the sire, he is a lovely big strong colt by Kodiac. We bought him especially for this Book 3 sale as Tattersalls does such a good job." 

Six Figures for Ballyhimikin Stud’s Society Rock Colt

James Hanly’s Ballyhimikin Stud was also responsible for the second highest price on day 1 of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when their son of SOCIETY ROCK was bought by Alex Elliott for 100,000 guineas.

The February born colt is out of the winning FALCO mare CHANTALEEN, a half sister to Group 3 Premio del Piazzale winner SPOIL THE FUN and from the family of Group 1 Prix de Moulin winner GRAVELINES.

Following his purchase, Elliott commented;

"He is for Jeremy Noseda and looks a fast horse, a real two-year-old type, a horse that Jeremy typically does so well with. 

“We have followed a lot of horses through and been underbidder, but am delighted to get this one. He is from a top farm, James Hanly is a phenomenal breeder."

All yearlings sold at Books 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are eligible for the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes which James Hanly referred to when he commented after the sale;

"We bred Society Rock and this horse looks the image of his father. We wanted to bring this horse to this sale for the Tattersalls sale race - he should be a spot on type for it as he is a real ready to run two-year-old.

"I like to give the race some support as it is valuable option, and I was confident that there would be a good market for this horse.”

Champs Elysees Colt Fetches 90,000 Guineas

The CHAMPS ELYSEES colt out of the GIANT’S CAUSEWAY mare ELPIDA attracted a flurry of potential purchasers into the ring but it was Kevin Ross who struck the winning bid of 90,000 guineas, with Charlie Johnston as underbidder.

It has been an exciting week for the team at Whatton Manor Stud with their Book 2 consignment yielding more than 1.4 million guineas, headlined by yesterday’s 420,000 guineas DARK ANGEL colt.  Today’s colt had twice enjoyed a significant update to his pedigree since the catalogue was printed after his KODIAC half-brother SPORTING CHANCE won the Listed Ripon Champion Trophy Stakes, following up with a win in the Group 3 Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte soon after.

Ross said;

"He is a beautiful horse and his dam has already had a good horse from one runner.  We knew we'd have to push the boat out.

"He is for Paul and Clare Rooney, who have had a winner today with Good Boy Bobby at Carlisle." 

Poet’s Voice Filly Makes 80,000 Guineas

Glebe Farm Stud’s POET’S VOICE filly was a highlight on the opening day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when knocked down to Richard Frisby for 80,000 guineas.

The attractive filly is out of the ARAKAN mare ASHFORD BELLE, an own sister to dual Group 2 winner TRUMPET MAJOR.

Glebe Farm Stud manager Carwyn Johns said:

"We are delighted with that - we were not expecting it at all! She is lovely filly, big and strong for an April foal.  We came up to the ring in good time and she was pulled out for inspections more than going around it!

"We have had a good year and at the beginning of the week sold a Mastercraftsman first foal for 150,000 guineas and a Free Eagle for 40,000 guineas. It is the first year we have consigned under our own banner and we are delighted."

Denis and Clare Barry have been at Glebe Farm for "six or seven years" and Houghton Bloodstock have consigned the horses until this year.

"We wanted to find our feet first before consigning ourselves," said Denis Barry. "Carwyn and his team have done a fantastic job this year, we are very happy."

80,000 Guineas for No Nay Never Filly

The popularity of NO NAY NEVER continued into Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale and his daughter out of HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR mare FLAVIA TATIANA fetched 80,000 guineas when knocked down to Katie Walsh’s Greenhills Farm.

The Jamie Railton-consigned bay filly is a sister to two winners, both in-training with Joseph O’Brien; the 94 rated two-year-old COSMIC HORIZON as well as the Group 3 placed DAMSELFLY.

"Hopefully she’ll come back to breeze next year" said Walsh, "It's a lot of money to pay, and it seems everyone wants a No Nay Never. There's a lot going on in the family."

The sale represented a quick and impressive return for her owners, who had purchased her for just 17,000 euros earlier this year through agent Jill Lamb.

Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 9.30am on Friday, October 19.