STRATEGIC placing of yearlings is an art form and while Massimo Parri’s decision to sell his Sea The Stars colt in Book 2 was based on convenience more than anything, the result was a record price in that sale when his star lot realised 850,000gns.

The seventh produce of his stakes winning Tobougg dam Biz Bar, the yearling is a half-brother to six winners following the recent victory of his two-year-old half-brother Biz Honor (Dawn Approach) in Italy.

Four of these are stakes winners and the standouts are Biz The Nurse (Oratorio) and Biz Heart (Roderic O’Connor). The former won the Italian Derby and the Group 1 Grand Premio di Milano, while Biz Heart was the champion juvenile colt in Italy.

Following her growing reputation as a broodmare Biz Bar has been upgraded to better stallions and the investment in Gilltown Stud’s brilliant standard bearer paid dividends when Angus Gold, for Shadwell Estate, saw off the opposition to land the Book 2 highlight, leaving the previous record of 750,000gns well behind. Massimo revealed that Biz Bar’s Golden Horn foal is the first filly out of the mare.

The sale topper was bred by Parri, who is president of ANAC, the Italian Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and consigned by his Allevamento Le Gi. He said afterwards: “I bought the mare Biz Bar out of training. She has been a fantastic mare.

“Sea The Stars was a champion and I have always thought a lot of him - I decided on him for Biz Bar because I thought he would suit her. Platinum Bloodstock [Robert and Amber O’Byrne] help with my horses aboard and this colt was born in England. He was really a Book 1 horse, but my other lot in this year’s draft was in Book 2 and they were travelling together, so it made sense to sell them in the same week.

“He has always been a fantastic horse with great bone and he has a great mind, so travelling over was not a problem for him. It has been a great honour to have so many of the leading buyers interested in him.”

Trade in the upper echelons of the sale was intense and the number of lots realising 300,000gns or more soared from just a pair in 2016 to an incredible 19 this time around. A slightly larger catalogue saw the clearance rate decline by just 1%, but it was skywards for all the other principal measures, with the aggregate topping 48 million guineas (up 24%), the average advancing 20% to 78,339gns, and the median climbing 10% to 55,000gns. All are historic new highs.

With records tumbling like tenpins it was little wonder that Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony was happy when issuing his post-sale comments. “Book 1 of the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale entered uncharted territory last week, with wide margin records across the board, and Book 2 has followed in similar fashion. Yet again, Book 2 has grossed more than any other European yearling sale except October Book 1 and the turnover, average and median have all reached unprecedented levels.

“The strength at the top of the market has at times been breath-taking and the statistics tell the story. Not only have we seen a new record Book 2 top price of 850,000gns, and a 500,000gns Book 2 record for a filly, but the number of yearlings sold for 300,000gns or more has risen from two last year to a massive 19 this year. Eight different buyers featured amongst the top 10 lots this week and only Book 1 amongst European yearling sales has produced more 100,000gns yearlings. As ever, the support from the Maktoum family and their associates has been amazing and this has been backed up by truly international participation at all levels, as well as British and Irish owners and trainers competing strongly from start to finish.

“High praise should also be directed towards the vendors whose confidence in both Books 1 and 2 of the October Yearling Sale has been so well rewarded. Every year the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale showcases the best yearlings from Britain, Ireland and further afield, and the buyers come here confident that Tattersalls and Britain are great places to do business.”