AUSTRALIA was all the rage with his first crop of yearlings at the sales this year and the fever continued this week in Book 2 when his dozen sons and daughters averaged 130,833gns.

Best of the week was Marlhill House Stud’s son of the French and American listed winner Thai Haku and he attracted the attention of John and Jake Warren.

They signed for the colt at 380,000gns, much to the delight no doubt of Marlhill House owner Eddie Irwin.

That price was challenged later when Clare Castle Stud offered the first foal of the listed-placed Fastnet Rock mare Dorothy B and he cost Blandford Bloodstock 350,000gns, the agency’s Tom Goff seeing off Charlie Gordon-Watson.

She will be trained by John Gosden who also handled his dam.

TOP LOT

Sea The Stars was responsible for the sale’s best priced lot and his son Sea The Moon, the German Derby winner, has been making waves with his first crop of yearlings. This week it was the turn of his half-brother to four winners, offered from the Swinburn family’s Genesis Green Stud, who caught the eye and Godolphin will now race this 300,000gns purchase.

The dam was acquired by the Swinburns for just 5,000gns.

Australia led the way on average for the first season sires during the week, based on stallions with three or more lots sold.

He was followed by another Coolmore sire in No Nay Never and he had 10 lots average an impressive 104,200gns.

Darley’s Slade Power had 13 lots sell for an average of 94,692gns, just ahead of Juddmonte’s Kingman, responsible for eight sales at an average of 91,500gns.

Lanwades Stud’s Sea The Moon had seven lots average 85,000gns, while next on the list and recording an average of 70,400gns for 10 lots sold was Tara Stud’s Alhebayeb.

Coach House and Olympic Glory also had impressive returns, their yearlings averaging 67,667gns (three sold) and 66,600gns (five sold) respectively.