$2.1M colt tops Tattersalls Day 2

Day 2 of the Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling sale in Newmarket, England, ended Wednesday with a $2.1 million Gone West colt and mixed results overall.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoums representative, John Ferguson, purchased the session-topping colt, a three-quarter-brother to French champion Divine Proportions and multiple Group 1 winner Whipper.

The colt, sold by Highclere Stud as Hip No. 217, is out of the Sadlers Wells mare Myth to Reality, a stakes-winner in France.

The Gone West colt sold for 1 million guineas, or about $2,142,000.

The session sold more horses this year, 132 versus 113 last year, producing an increase in gross. The aggregate gained four percent, rising to about $33,845,742. But the average price and median both fell, by 11 percent and 22 percent, respectively. The average of 119,705 guineas was equivalent to about $256,408, and the 70,000-guinea median was about $149,940 at the days exchange rate.

Both Maktoum and his archrival, Coolmore owner John Magnier, were active throughout the session. Coolmore, represented by Demi OByrne, picked up a Montjeu-Secret Dream colt from Voute Sales agency for about $1,113,840, a Pivotal-Miss Pinkerton colt from Hascombe Stud for about $1,017,450, and five other yearlings.

Meanwhile, Ferguson also signed for an Oasis Dream-Rubies from Burma colt that Watership Down Stud sold for about $910,350. Like OByrne, he also bought a total of seven yearlings, including the Oasis Dream colt and the session-topper.

The Tattersalls October Book 1 sale continues in Newmarket through Friday.