Tattersalls: World record-priced filly headlines second October session

One day after a European record price was set during the opening session of the Tattersalls October yearling sale, a daughter of Coolmore sire Galileo shattered that new benchmark by selling to Qatari Sheikh Joaan al-Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing during Wednesday’s second Book One session for five million guineas (about $8.38 million). That price established a world record for a yearling filly and became the overall highest price in European auction history.

The filly, out of stakes-placed winner Alluring Park, by Green Desert, is a full sister to Epsom Oaks winner Was. She was one of the most anticipated offerings at the Tattersalls sale and solicited bids from several parties before Coolmore’s John Magnier and agent Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International, representing Sheikh Joaan, squared off past the two million guineas mark. Magnier had purchased Tuesday’s session-topper, going to 3.6 million guineas (about $6.08 million) for a Galileo colt, and Coolmore acquired Was for 1.2 million guineas (almost $2 million) at the 2010 Tattersalls October sale.

On Wednesday, Magnier refrained from moving over five million guineas for this latest Galileo prize when the opportunity came, leaving Sheikh Joaan and de Watrigant with the new record-setter, who in addition to being a sister to Was is from the family of Epsom Derby winner and young sire New Approach (her dam’s half-brother) and champion Park Express (her second dam). Her price doubled the previous world record for a yearling filly, set at the Tattersalls October sale in 2007 when a Sadler’s Wells daughter brought 2.5 million guineas (about $5.3 million) from Charles Gordon-Watson. The overall record yearling price at auction remains Seattle Dancer’s $13.1 million haul at the 1985 Keeneland July sale. The broodmare Magical Romance, a Group 1 winner, held the previous record for a European horse sold at auction when changing hands at the 2006 Tattersalls December sale for 4.6 million guineas (about $9.35 million using the 2006 exchange rate).

“She is a magnificent specimen,” de Watrigant said of Wednesday’s record filly, who was consigned by Lodge Park Stud. “We bought her sister last year [unraced Al Jassasiyah at the Tattersalls October sale for about $2.4 million] and we think she could be special, and we didn’t want to miss this one… We didn’t expect to pay that sort of price, but Al Shaqab Racing is keen to invest. She goes into training with Andre Fabre.”

Overall, Wednesday’s second of three Book One sessions generated 24,916,000 guineas (about $41.75 million) in gross receipts from 110 lots sold. Compared in guineas, this was a reduction of less than one-half of one percent from the second session in 2012, when 22 more horses were offered and 30 more sold. The average price on Wednesday of 226,509 guineas (about $379,520) jumped 27 percent from 2012’s comparable session, and the median of 140,000 guineas (about $234,575) spiked 24 percent. The buyback rate was 25 percent on Wednesday, compared with 19 percent at the 2012 second session.

Through two sessions, Tattersalls has sold 234 yearlings for a gross of 51,235,000 guineas (about $85.8 million) with an average of 218,953 guineas (about $366,775). Those numbers are up seven and 27 percent, respectively, compared with the 2012 October sale’s first two sessions.

Another yearling brought seven figures on Wednesday, as Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum‘s Shadwell Estate spent 1.1 million guineas (about $1.84 million) for a son of Oasis Dream. Consigned by Corduff Stud, the colt is a full brother to Group 1 winner Arcano.

The Book One section of the Tattersalls October sale concludes with a session on Thursday. The sale resumes next week with a four-day Book Two section, followed by a single Book Three session.

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