JUST as the 2024 Tattersalls Book 1 Sale was a tough act to follow, last year’s Book 2 will be difficult to surpass this week. Breeders and pinhookers rejoiced 12 months ago as the blistering hot trade of Book 1 flowed into Book 2, topped by the first millionaire colt in the sale’s history.
The clearance rate of over 90% illustrated consignors’ delight, as did the record-equalling median price of 70,000gns. The average price of 108,413gns was over 12,000gns clear of the previous high, and represented a 26% increase, year on year.
Book 2 has long been a sale where vendors aim some of their best yearlings - sometimes even over the prestigious Book 1 - and there’s no doubt that it was once again the case this year. In fact, the increased catalogue of 812 yearlings is filled with pedigrees so strong that you could be forgiven for thinking it was Book 1.
Unsurprisingly, the catalogue features a number of expensive pinhooks, with the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale a major factor in stellar trade for foals last winter. Over 30 six-figure foals are due to be reoffered across the three days, including a 240,000gns colt, with many hoping for a result on par with that of Mark Dwyer, Willie Browne and Jim McCartan last year.
The trio bought a full-brother to group performer Masseto for 65,000gns at the venue’s December Foal Sale and resold the Territories colt via Dwyer’s Oak Farm Stables for an impressive 750,000gns to Nurlan Bizakov.
In the blood
Laurence and Michael Gleeson’s Aughamore Stud pinhooked the colt’s half-sister by Perfect Power for 58,000gns and reoffer her this week as Lot 1046. Their draft has also benefited from an update since the catalogue was printed, with their Havana Grey filly (Lot 794) now a half-sister to Lowther Stakes winner Royal Fixation, who subsequently finished third in the Cheveley Park Stakes.
This year’s catalogue features siblings to no less than 206 group and listed winners, including Group 1 winners A Case Of You, Accidental Agent, Dream Of Dreams, No Half Measures, Zaaki and Time Warp. The 119 stakes-winning mares with progeny catalogued include top-flight scorers Chachamaidee, Shalanaya, Star Of Seville and Seal Of Approval.
While pedigrees provide the best indication of a horse’s popularity in the ring, it doesn’t always reflect their ability, as the best graduate of last year’s sale proves. Last month’s Vincent O’Brien National Stakes hero Zavateri, whose unbeaten record features two Group 2 wins, was picked up by Eve Johnson Houghton and Anthony Bromley for 35,000gns from the Newsells Park Stud draft.
Bred by John and Tanya Gunther, who also bred his promising young sire Without Parole, the gutsy chesnut is the first foal out of an unraced half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Zeyrek, from the family of Zarak and Zarkava.
Value buys
Group 2 May Hill Stakes heroine Aylin was also sourced at last year’s sale, as was Acomb Stakes victor Gewan, impressive Tyros Stakes winner North Coast and unbeaten listed winner Avicenna.
Zavateri is one of six Group 1 winners so far this year to have been sourced at Book 2, and two of those were also bought for less than six figures; Metropolitan Handicap winner Royal Supremacy cost 65,000gns and Al Quoz Sprint winner Believing brought 70,000gns. Ten-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior, dual Group 1 winner Ombudsman and top-class globetrotter Dubai Honour are other headline graduates.
Book 2 will be followed by Book 3, which has also enjoyed top-flight success this term, with Andy Oliver’s 32,000gns purchase King Of Gosford triumphing in the Shoemaker Mile for new connections. The son of Zoustar is now trained by Phil d’Amato, who also trains Andy Slattery’s former charge Almendares.
Picked up by Meadowview Stables at Book 3 for 14,000gns, the Havana Grey gelding is now a stakes winner, has placed at Grade 2 level on six occasions and was beaten just three-parts of a length in a Grade 1 earlier this year.
All yearlings catalogued in Book 3 are eligible for the £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes and the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes run at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile and July course respectively, which both received a significant prize money boost in 2025.
Lot 547: Minzaal half-sister to Royal Supremacy, a recent winner of the Metropolitan Handicap
Lot 601: Baaeed half-brother to Australian Group 1 winner Best Of Days
Lot 640: Saxon Warrior half-brother to Hungerford Stakes winner More Thunder, who finished fourth in the Prix de la Foret last weekend. Out of a listed winner
Lot 654: Sea The Moon colt full-brother to Caulfield Cup victor Durston and a half-brother to Group 1 runner-up Cubanita
Lot 663: Zarak colt out of Matron Stakes heroine Chachamaidee, already the dam of two group winners
Lot 695: Churchill brother to dual Group 1 winner Gallante (Montjeu) and Group 3 winner Silence Please (Gleneagles)
Lot 716: Frankel sister to a Group 3 winner, out of Grade 1 runner-up Danza Cavallo
Lot 723: Ghaiyyath filly is now a half-sister to two group winners after Distant Storm won the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes
Lot 741: St Mark’s Basilica half-sister to Palace House Stakes victor Far Above and Group 2 sprinter Night Raider, who finished fourth in the Nunthorpe Stakes
Lot 789: Territories brother to July Cup winner No Half Measures (Cable Bay)
Lot 824: Calyx half-sister to Shes Perfect, first past the post in the French 1000 Guineas
Lot 865: Wootton Bassett half-brother to Group 1 winners Time Warp and Glorious Forever
Lot 876: No Nay Never filly out of champion two-year-old filly Hooray
Lot 908: Nathaniel full-brother to EP Taylor Stakes winner Mutamakina
Lot 918: Half-brother to dual Group 1-winning sprinter A Case Of You, by Naval Crown
Lot 921: Study Of Man half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki
Lot 963: Cracksman half-brother to three stakes winners, led by multiple group winner and Group 1 performer Spanish Mission
Lot 1031: Ghaiyyath half-sister to multiple group winner and Irish St Leger third Al Qareem
Lot 1040: New Bay half-brother to dual group/graded winner and Group 1 third Heredia. Out of a Group 3 winner
Lot 1042: Mehmas half-brother to Grade 1 American Oaks heroine Lady Prancealot
Lot 1145: Baaeed half-brother to Queen Anne Stakes victor Accidental Agent
Lot 1152: Ghaiyyath half-brother to Epsom Derby runner-up and Irish Derby third Ambiente Friendly
Lot 1171: Churchill full-brother to a stakes horse and a half-brother to Group 1 scorer Ventura Storm
Lot 1183: Baaeed colt out of Group 1 winner Seal Of Approval, who has produced a group performer
Lot 1193: Ghaiyyath colt is now a full-brother to a Grade 2 winner in The Padre. Out of Prix de l’Opera winner Shalanaya
Lot 1194: Havana Grey half-sister to Princess Margaret Stakes winner Fitzella, out of a listed winner
Lot 1242: Baaeed colt out of Prix de Diane winner Star Of Seville
Lot 1298: Lope De Vega own-sister to Prix de l’Opera heroine Place Du Carrousel
Lot 1317: Dream Ahead full-brother to dual Group 1-winning sprinter Dream Of Dreams