Records Across the Board at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 3

Lot 1708: Ten Sovereigns (IRE) / Lady Grace (IRE)
Lot 1708: Ten Sovereigns (IRE) / Lady Grace (IRE)

Fillies were in demand during the second day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale which came to a close with a robust final session. The fairer sex occupied three of the top four prices during a day that saw increases in turnover, average and median, taking the two-day sale turnover into uncharted territory. The average and median were both also records for Book 3 with the clearance rate for the sale at 86%. 

Rabbah Secure Ten Sovereigns Filly From Oakgrove Stud  

The first of the session topping fillies to go through the ring on the final day of Book 3 was the TEN SOVEREIGNS filly from John Deer’s Oakgrove Stud who was knocked down to Rabbah Bloodstock’s Joe Stone for 90,000 guineas.  

"She is for trainer Ismail Mohammed," revealed Stone. "We have been trying all week and last week, and really wanted a filly. She is a really nice type, and by a good first season sire. We also bought two in Book 1."  

David Hilton, stud manager of Oakgrove, was at the sales ring to watch the filly go through and said: "The filly is a bit of a standout - she has a pedigree, the mare does not miss, she is a half-sister to two Stakes horses, she is a good physical and moves well. We are delighted with the price, but I think she deserved to make that as well. She could have been earlier in the sale and we just stood out today."  

The filly is out of LADY GRACE, winner of the Listed Boadicea Stakes and placed in the Group 3 Summer Stakes. The daughter of ORPEN has already produced the German Listed winner PENMAEN and is the granddam of Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes winner SIMPLY BREATHLESS.  

Of the decision to use TEN SOVEREIGNS for the mare, Hilton recalled: "We wanted to get back to speed, Mr Deer really likes the stallion and thought what he did at Newmarket was exceptional. We were happy to use a first season sire and we were very happy with this filly all the way through. We have used him again and I am sure he is going to make it."

Lot 1959: Aclaim (IRE) / Epping Rose (IRE)

Aclaim Filly to Woods for 90,000 Guineas  

The other filly to realise 90,000 guineas during the final session of October Book 3 was the ACLAIM filly out of the KODIAC mare EPPING ROSE consigned by Bearstone Stud. The half-sister to the Listed Two Year Old Trophy third WASHINGTON HEIGHTS was secured by Brook Stud’s Dwayne Woods after he saw off trainer David Easterby.  

"The mare has had a great catalogue update, the filly is very nice and is the first by Aclaim that I have bought. She goes to my brother Sean," said Woods.  

She was sold by breeder Bearstone Stud and the farm's owner Terry Holdcroft commented: "There was a lot of interest in the filly, the update obviously helped but she is a very, very nice filly in her own right. She was vetted quite a few times. Aclaim has done very well and she is young mare, so it is great."  

ACLAIM, who has recently relocated to Manton Park Stud, has enjoyed Classic success with his first crop of runners with his daughter CACHET winning the 1000 Guineas.

Lot 1930: Zoustar (AUS) / Cockney Dancer (GB)

Tally-Ho Stud Buy 77,000 Guineas Zoustar Filly, Again  

The Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner LEZOO was purchased at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year for 77,000 guineas and the team behind the purchase of lot 1930 will be hoping history repeats itself, having secured the Jamie Railton consigned daughter of LEZOO’s sire ZOUSTAR for the same amount.  

"She is a lovely filly, the stallion has come good and she has been bought to go breezing for Roger O'Callaghan at Tally-Ho Stud," revealed successful bidder Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock.  

"We are hoping to repeat the trick of Lezoo. I told Roger that they paid exactly the same amount to buy Lezoo as a yearling!"  

The filly, out of the COCKNEY REBEL mare COCKNEY DANCER, is a half-sister to the Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy second LAMBETH WALK. Her second dam is the influential ROO, whose descendants include Group 1 Sussex Stakes winner MOHAATHER, Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner ACCIDENTAL AGENT and this year's Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner POLLY POTT. 

Lot 1935: Due Diligence (USA) / Cross My Heart (GB)

Due Diligence Colt is the Star Turn at 70,000 Guineas  

Whitsbury Manor Stud have enjoyed a wonderful sales season with their headline stallions HAVANA GREY and SHOWCASING, but it was another of the stud farm’s residents who stole the show on the final day of October Book 3. Their son of DUE DILIGENCE was knocked down to Lucy Ryan for 70,000 guineas, after she saw off the determined efforts of Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Biggs and trainer Pat Owens, who trains his half-sister, the Group 3 Summer Stakes runner up ADAAY TO REMEMBER.  

"Alex saw the colt before he left," said Ryan who works for agent Alex Elliott. She continued: "He has been bought for Atlantic Equine and is going to trainer Clive Cox. The mare has done it already - she has produced a horse rated 104, and her two-year-old Destined finished second the other week first time out. This is a nice colt and the trainer gets on well with progeny of the sire."  

The colt’s dam CROSS MY HEART is a SAKHEE’S SECRET half-sister to two Stakes winners. Her half-brother is the talented and tough KYLLACHY gelding STEPPER POINT, the winner of ten races including the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes and Group 3 Flying Five Stakes. Her half-sister LADY IN FRANCE won the Listed Arran Sprint Stakes and placed in the Group 2 Temple Stakes and the Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert.  

The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale comes to a close with Book 4 set to take place on Saturday, 15th October starting at 9.30am.