2007 OCTOBER YEARLING SALE Book 1
DAY 4 PRESS STATEMENT

 

WORLD RECORD PRICE AS THREE TOP MILLION AT TATTERSALLS OCTOBER 1

The world record price for a yearling filly was shattered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when the SADLER’S WELLS filly out of the IRISH RIVER mare BRIGID sold for 2,500,000 guineas on a day when three yearlings sold for 1,000,000 guineas or more. A total of 121 yearlings sold for 18,837,000 guineas, at an average of 155,678 guineas and a median of 90,000 guineas. This took the four day sale turnover to 64,922,000 guineas for the 510 lots sold, a rise of 18% on the 2006 figure. The average for the four days was 127,298 guineas and the median 80,000 guineas.

The world record price for a yearling filly was shattered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when the SADLER’S WELLS filly out of the IRISH RIVER mare BRIGID sold for 2,500,000 guineas (£2,625,000 or $5,330,000). The previous record for a yearling filly was the $4,400,000 paid for the STORM CAT filly out of EAST OF THE MOON in Kentucky in 2000. The own sister to recent Group 1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile winner LISTEN was knocked down to London based bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson who was acting on behalf of Cheshire based owner Craig Bennett, after outlasting agent Simon Christian, who was seated alongside owner Patrick Fahey. Bennett, the former Finance Director of mobile phone business ‘Phones4u’, indicated that the world record breaking filly would join Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani who also trains Bennett’s current Melbourne Cup favourite PURPLE MOON. The filly was sold on behalf of Brittas House Stud from former Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Mark Dwyer’s Oaks Farm Stables and as well as being a new world record price for a yearling filly, the daughter of SADLER’S WELLS is also the highest priced yearling to be sold in the world in 2007.

Video of the top lot

LOT 612: SADLER'S WELLS - BRIGID

Purchased by Charles Gordon-Watson for 2,500,000 gns

Gordon-Watson struck again on behalf of Craig Bennett late in the day when he went to 1,000,000 guineas to secure Lot 697, the GIANT'S CAUSEWAY filly out of the MACHIAVELLIAN mare ELLEN. The half-sister to the Group placed FASLEN is a grand-daughter of the Charles Wacker's 1,000 Guineas winner SLEEPYTIME and was consigned to the sale from Lady Joanna Wellesley's Marston Stud. Agents Paul Webber and Ollie Cole made bold bids to secure the filly as did Simon Christian and Patrick Fahey who were to finish underbidder to Gordon-Watson again.

LOT 697: GIANT'S CAUSEWAY - ELLEN

Purchased by C Gordon-Watson Bloodstock for 1,000,000 gns

Earlier in the day Gordon-Watson had signed for the other seven figure lot, when he purchased Lot 586, the grey colt by DALAKHANI out of the LAMMTARRA mare BELLA LAMBADA. The colt is from one of the great families of consignor Egon Weinfeld's Meon Valley Stud, boasting REPROCOLOR as his great-granddam and BELLA COLORA as his dam. Lambourn trainer Charles Egerton and Darley's John Ferguson both made bold bids for the colt, but neither could match the 1,000,000 guineas bid by Gordon-Watson who purchased him on behalf of an unnamed client. It was no surprise to see that Gordon-Watson topped the purchasers list at the end of the four days, signing for 27 lots for a total of 8,391,000 guineas.

LOT 586: DALAKHANI - BELLA LAMBADA

Purchased by C Gordon-Watson Bloodstock for 1,000,000 gns

At the conclusion of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, sponsored by Betfair, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“We would have to be satisfied with the way Book 1 of our October Yearling Sale has gone, and it was wonderful to end the week on a high with the new world record price of 2,500,000 guineas for a yearling filly and record turnover for the sale.

“The introduction of the £2,200,000 Tattersalls Timeform Millions has without doubt brought the trainers out in much greater numbers and they have made a major contribution on all four days, but the real feature of the week has been the particularly robust top end of the market. All of the usual faces at that level have been as active as ever but they have found competition from many different quarters and it was hugely encouraging to see three relative newcomers fighting it out on the record breaking filly. It is a while since we have seen that level of demand from new participants and it demonstrates a real appetite for the sort of quality that has always been the hallmark of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

“An indication of the strength at the top is the number of yearlings making in excess of 200,000 guineas which has increased significantly on last year. In addition, as has been the case for a number of years now, the demand for well bred fillies has been outstanding. The market has, however, been selective at times and the sheer number of yearlings catalogued can seem a little daunting, but the significant increase in turnover this week is a real positive. We have two more good catalogues to come starting next Tuesday and we will be able to assess the state of play fully at the end of Book 3, but we can derive plenty of encouragement from the last four days.”

© TATTERSALLS 2007