Tattersalls still on the rise

The Tattersalls October yearling sale in Newmarket, England, continued its strong run Thursday at its third session. A $561,120 Giant's Causeway colt topped the day's proceedings on a final bid from Demi O'Byrne, the agent for John Magnier and Michael Tabor.

Magnier is head of Coolmore Stud, which stands the colt's sire, Giant's Causeway.

The Thursday session sold 232 yearlings for $16,448,707. That resulted in an average price of $70,899 and a median of $52,605. Considered in guineas, the currency in which the auction is conducted, all categories rose dramatically, thanks in large part to a drastic change in the catalog. Last year's third session offered 142 lots and sold 130, whereas the 2003 edition offered 258 and sold 232.