WITH a healthy clearance rate of 81% the first day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Thursday got off to a satisfactory start. Leading the way was a son of the popular Juddmonte sire Bated Breath out of the winning Galileo mare Sky Crystal who made 85,000gns.

Offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, the colt is a half-brother to the listed-placed Pellucid and from the family of Group 1 Fillies’ Mile Stakes winner Crystal Music and was signed for by Joe Foley on behalf of Clipper Logistics. Afterwards Foley commented: “He is by a sire we like, and he is a very nice colt with good movement. He is out of a young Galileo mare with a deep pedigree and she has already been successful.”

The colt was bred by the El Catorce Partnership, the British breeding arm of the international Peruvian-born, German-based footballer Claudio Pizarro.

Adam Driver, manager of the operation, explained: “Claudio has a stud farm in Peru and he has always had a few racehorses in Britain. This British stud farm is quite a young operation; we have around five mares and we are thrilled with this price.

“We were happy to keep the colt to a certain level, but the farm is to be run on a commercial basis and we were happy with the result.”

The first crop of the German Derby winner and Lanwades Stud-based Sea The Moon are very popular with buyers and he was responsible for the second highest priced lot of the day when the son of the winning Green Desert mare Diablerette was bought by Anthony Stroud of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 80,000gns.

The dam is responsible for three winners and is a half-sister to German Group 1 winner Lady Jane Digby and to the multiple Group 3 winner Gateman. Britton House Stud consigned the colt who was a profitable pinhooking result for his vendors who bought him as a foal for 25,000 guineas.

Stroud commented: “He is a lovely horse, very athletic, light on his feet, a big, scopey sort who will be a longer term prospect. I’ve liked the Sea The Moons too.”

Just minutes into the day a Farrh colt out of the Kingmambo mare Island Babe became an early highlight when also selling to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 75,000gns. The colt was consigned by Voute Sales and is a half-brother to three winners, from the family of this year’s Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Sobetsu. This is the family of dual Derby winner Generous who also won the Dewhurst Stakes at two.

James Hanly’s Ballyhimikin Stud consigned the second lot of the day to realise 75,000gns, a Cape Cross colt bought by French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget’s Royal Amber Bloodstock.

The colt is out of the Dubai Destination mare Seasons, herself a daughter of Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Silent Honor who in turn is a sister to Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Silkwood.

A report on Friday and Saturday’s sale will be included in next week’s edition.