FRESH from buying the sole seven-figure lot at Saturday's session of the Arqana August Yearling Sale, Godolphin kept up the momentum on Sunday when signing for four more million-euro horses within the first few hours of trading.
By early evening, Sheikh Mohammed's racing operation, acting through agent Anthony Stroud, had spent €2.4 million on a Wootton Bassett colt, €2.3 million on a Frankel colt, €1.7 million on a Frankel filly and €1.6 million on another colt by Wootton Bassett.
Added to Saturday's €1.25 million Justify colt, it meant that Godolphin had shelled out €9.25 million to secure the five top-priced horses of the sale so far.
The €2.4 million Wootton Bassett colt is a full-brother to Group 1 winner and stallion Topgear. Coolmore were the underbidders, just as they were for Saturday's top lot.
"He's an exceptional colt that is very well-made, light in his step and has great movement," said Anthony Stroud. "Of course, it is a lot of money, but when you like a horse that much, you need to see it through. We are delighted to have bought him and he'll go to Godolphin. I didn't expect the bidding battle to last quite so long."
Consigned by Baroda Stud, the €2.3 million Frankel colt is out of Rumbles Of Thunder (by Night Of Thunder), a Group 3 winner for Paddy Twomey in 2022.
The €1.7 Frankel filly is out of a Group 1-placed half-sister to Diamond Necklace named Philomene.
"She's a magnificent filly with an exceptional pedigree," said Stroud. "We raced her dam who finished runner-up in the Prix de Diane."
Godolphin's €1.6 million Wootton Bassett colt is also related to Diamond Necklace, winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches as well as the Diane already this year.
Later in the session, Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi paid €1 million for a Siyouni half-brother to Diamond Necklace. "Siyouni is a stallion that produces speedy horses and I think this colt will adapt particularly well to Japanese racing," said Yahagi. "We don't have horses by Siyouni in Japan, and we really wanted to come to Deauville to get one. He's been bought by Susumu Fujita, the owner of Shin Emperor."
That colt was consigned by top French farm Ecurie des Monceaux, as were three more of the top 10 lots so far.
Sunday's session had a clearance rate of 86% and an average price of €319,797, up 30% compared to the same day last year. Turnover for the day reached €20,467,000, up 34%.
The sale concludes on Monday.