THE 2026 edition of Book 1 was characterised by the same selectivity that has become the norm for elite sales over the last number of years. As Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown put it, “If you hit it, it can be off the charts, but if you miss, it can be pretty sticky and it can get lonely quickly.”
It was far from a case of all or nothing, though – Brown also stated: “There’s plenty of trade here from 100,000gns to 300,000gns.” His opinion was backed up by the average and median prices of 359,420gns and 230,000gns respectively, which were the second highest in the sale’s history.
While the final figures were positive, there’s no getting away from the fact that costs are rising for breeders and pinhookers, as they are for end users, so every penny will have been appreciated by those selling at or close to a loss. The clearance rate of 85% suggested that at least most vendors agreed with the market’s valuation of their stock.
Turnover dropped by just 1%, which couldn’t be seen as a negative given that 12% fewer lots were catalogued and 11% fewer lots were offered. Anthony Stroud suggested that a sharp reduction would strengthen the sale further, when asked about his experience, between buying with Godolphin and on behalf of Stroud Coleman’s clients.
“I think it’s been a good sale, all things considered,” the agent reflected. “Maybe contrary to everyone else’s opinion, but I think it should be a two-day sale. I think it’s very difficult to attract important people from all around the world – I think that’s why you get lulls.
“I think three days is dragging it out really, to be truthful. That’s my personal opinion, not Godolphin’s opinion. I think the time they start and finish at the moment is excellent but I just think that the better horses warrant a two-day sale.”
Stroud’s thinking is influenced by his experience elsewhere, he added. “In America, the sales build momentum and so, you could go to Book 3 or 4 and it’s competitive for relative horses. But in Europe, it seems to me that it needs to become more concise.”
Stay positive
Richard Brown, however, disagreed. “Terrible idea,” he said. “Huge respect for Anthony but I don’t think that’s a good idea because if you look through it, there’s still plenty of trade here. “While it’s not easy, there’s plenty of trade here from 100,000gns to 300,000gns. I think whenever we’ve seen things go back to elite sales, it just didn’t work. This is eminently workable; I wouldn’t be changing it to two days.”
Brown was also keen to stress the positives when asked for his experience as a buyer this week, saying: “I would say that for vendors, it’s not very well spread. But to be honest, overall, I’d say it’s been surprisingly good.
“Everyone’s always doom and gloom in racing and it drives me insane, because if you go to [Royal] Ascot, you can’t get a ticket. At Goodwood and York, the crowds are huge.
“Everyone still wants to race in England – people from all corners of the globe have been here this week, competing for British and Irish thoroughbreds. It’s an elite sport; it’s the sport of kings, and actually, I think there’s so much to champion about our sport. We’re terrible about bashing it down, but what we’ve seen here shows we’ve still got a hugely viable industry.”
GODOLPHIN would not be denied on the first five yearlings to reach the million mark and continued to bid strongly over the next two days, reaching a final spend of 26,910,000gns, the most ever spent by Sheikh Mohammed’s operation at Book 1.
What’s more, the 3,800,000gns they paid for Croom House Stud’s Wootton Bassett colt was the highest price paid for a yearling this year – an honour he lost to Godolphin’s 4,600,000gns buy from Norelands Stud.
The Night Of Thunder colt bred by Mrs Tsui is the highest-priced yearling colt ever sold in Europe, much to the delight of the McCalmont family’s team. Reacting to the sale, manager Matt Gilsenan said: “It’s been a while since we’ve done this. Fantastic.
“We’re delighted to have horses for Mrs Tsui. Mrs Tsui loved him and would have been happy to keep him at a level, too.
“He’s an absolute superstar colt, by a magnificent stallion, out of a mare that’s done it as well. It’s a great team effort by everyone at home; there are guys at home not even here.”
By sire sensation Night Of Thunder and out of Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up My Astra, the chesnut was sold on behalf of the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings, who made a bold bid to retain their colt through Suzanne Roberts.
Gilsenan recognised the surreal nature of moments like this, preceded by a stressful time until you discover your fate. “It’s a mad world. It’s a long week, it’s tough. Everyone says you’re going great, but it’s still nil nil, you haven’t scored and all of a sudden, you score.
“It’s nerve-wracking. These big horses are hard to find and there aren’t too many people at that high level. Everyone has to play and sometimes it doesn’t happen. We thought he might make three [million], but anything over two million is a lot of money for a four-legged animal.”
Croom collects
Coolmore were an obvious contender to purchase Croom House Stud’s colt by the late Wootton Bassett, but M.V. Magnier eventually admitted defeat to Godolphin at 3,800,000gns. It’s the second time Godolphin have given seven figures for a yearling out of Denis Brosnan’s homebred listed winner and Group 3 performer Loch Lein, having given €2,000,000 for her Frankel colt two years ago.
On their latest acquisition, Anthony Stroud commented: “He was an outstanding horse with a brilliant pedigree. Wootton Bassetts are a prized possession, and all our team loved him. Croom do an excellent job and have bred many, many good horses.
“Of course, it’s a lot of money but these types of horses, that’s what they cost and are what all breeders are striving to produce. Let’s hope he’s a very good racehorse.”
On Thursday, Godolphin returned to another familiar pedigree when giving 2,000,000gns for Longview Stud’s Frankel colt out of Crystal Zvezda. Twelve months ago, they gave 3,700,000gns for the colt’s Sea The Stars half-brother and another three years prior, their talent scout Anthony Stroud purchased Crystal Zvezda herself for 775,000gns.
On whether the yearling shares similarities with the unraced juvenile, Stroud commented: “The one last year was bigger, stronger, a real mile-and-a-half horse. This horse, to me, had a neater quality. You could see him running over seven furlongs, hopefully the Dewhurst [Stakes], and looks a horse that will run at two.”
First foal impresses
Godolphin stated their intentions at an early stage on Tuesday when giving 1,800,000gns for Hillwood Stud’s Frankel colt, who is the first foal out of 2,500,000gns buy Get Ahead, herself a listed-winning and Group 1-placed half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Chaldean (Frankel).
Juddmonte and Charlie Bond made bold bids for the chesnut, but Amo Racing eventually filled the role of underbidder, as they did with Mountarmstrong’s later offering that fetched 2,600,000gns.
On the Frankel colt, Hillwood’s Charlie Vigors reported: “He’s always been a very, very special colt. We bought the mare for a lot of money and to get a first foal like that is the stuff of dreams.
“This colt been very busy all week and he’s shown fantastically all week and never put a foot wrong. I am just so delighted for all the team. It is a great way to get the week going.”
On whether Tuesday’s result takes the pressure off for the rest of the week Vigors replied: “Well, there’s plenty more still to sell, and it is a bit like training horses - the good horses almost take care of themselves. There are plenty more to sell and lots of hard work still to be done.”
Godolphin’s commitment
On Godolphin’s first major investment of the day, Anthony Stroud said: “I thought he was a beautiful colt, our principal really liked him. Showcasing is a good broodmare sire and Frankel; he is what he is - a fantastic stallion. He was just a great mover and a very, very nice horse.”
While some big spenders come and go, whether quietly or with a bang, Godolphin has remained a steadfast presence at the sales, as have Coolmore, which Stroud acknowledged after commending Sheikh Mohammed’s presence at Park Paddocks.
“It shows the commitment of two great men, in John Magnier and Sheikh Mohammed, who since the 1980s have been involved in this whole industry and supported it in every different area; not only breeding and having farms but being active at the sales and on the racecourse. I think it’s just extraordinary, really. We’ve got a lot to thank them for.”
Trevor Stewart had reason to thank Sheikh Mohammed shortly after, when Godolphin gave 1,100,000gns for his Blue Point filly offered by Ballyhimikin Stud. The April-born bay is a granddaughter of Stewart’s King’s Stand Stakes winner Cassandra Go, who has gone on to produce three group winners.
Reflecting on Tuesday’s sale, Stewart commented: “Cassandra Go had a few who made a million, every daughter has had a million yearling, and I hate to say this, but she has an even nicer City Of Troy filly foal and we’ll certainly not be selling it, so it’s very exciting.
“I keep saying after I sell something like this, that there’ll be no more [fillies] released, but financially, sometimes you have to. They’re so precious, it’s been such a lucky family,” he added.
NEWSELLS Park Stud have long been associated with producing horses that excel on and off the track, so for longtime general manager Julian Dollar to describe the farm’s full-brother to Ylang Ylang as the best horse he’s brought to the ring, spoke volumes.
Judging by how the Frankel colt, bred by Newsells in partnership with Merry Fox Stud, was received at Tattersalls on Wednesday, plenty shared his opinion, with bidding soon passing the 2,000,000gns mark. After Kia Joorabchian saw off a rival bidding from outside, M.V. Magnier joined the fray at 2,200,000gns and continued to bid with confidence, eventually seeing off an online bidder a at 4,000,000gns.
After sharing how highly Wednesday’s session topper had featured in Julian Dollar’s estimations, Newsells owner Graham Smith-Bernal highlighted what it meant, given the colt’s birthday of May 13th.
“You had Juddmonte, who have visited him a couple of times, saying he is the spitting image of Frankel,” he added.
Given the sires and pedigrees catalogued for Book 1, most horses’ appeal needs little explanation, so it was refreshing to hear Smith-Bernal describe the colt’s personality with great pride.
“For me, it was his temperament that makes him so special,” he relayed. “From being weaned, he’s always been a horse who’s more interested in interacting with humans rather than other horses. He led the pack and if you clicked your fingers, he’d come walking over. You could see he wanted to know what you’re all about.
“I know Julian will give you a bit more about the technical [side]; he vetted very well, he moves very well and he looks like Frankel. Hopefully, if he’s 10% of what Frankel was, they (the buyers) will have done quite well. We wish them all the best.”
Better broodmare
Seven years ago, Gary Hadden gave 800,000gns for the colt’s dam Shambolic, following three listed placings and a fine fourth to Iridessa in the Fillies’ Mile. Her first foal, 1,500,000gns yearling Ylang Ylang, went three places better in the 2023 winner of that Newmarket Group 1, while her third foal, the Siyouni filly Act Of Kindness, brought 3,700,000gns and placed in this year’s Nell Gwyn Stakes.
Shambolic is a half-sister to John Moore’s eight-time Group 1 winner Viva Pataca and Laughing, a dual Grade 1 winner in the US.
On Wednesday’s session topper, Magnier commented: “He’s a lovely horse and in fairness to Newsells they do a great job. They’ve bred a lot of good horses, including his sister, who we bought here a few years ago.
“She was a very good filly, she’s in-foal to Justify. Aidan and Dad were here the other day, and they both liked him a lot.”
Coolmore and White Birch on a roll
Magnier didn’t wait long to secure another millionaire from a family he knows well, giving 1,600,000gns for Marlhill House Stud’s Justify colt out of Stars At Night.
This colt was purchased in partnership with White Birch Farm, but it’s Westerberg who own the full-brother with Coolmore; Hmas Perth is now rated 95 after winning a Curragh maiden three days ago and holds entries in two Group 3s on Saturday, as well as next year’s Irish 2000 Guineas.
Coolmore partners also raced their Galileo dam, before selling her for 350,000gns, and she has since produced two stakes winners, led by three-time group winner and Group 1 runner-up Poker Face (Fastnet Rock).
Explaining how Stars At Night came to be at Marlhill House Stud, owner Eddie Irwin said: “I was looking for a Galileo mare at the time. I was involved in racing Fastnet Rock and I was involved in him as a stallion as well, and the cross was working very well with Galileo mares.
“When Fastnet came to the end of his career, we were wondering where to go next, so we sent her over to the States to go to Justify and last year’s yearling was a very nice horse. It looks like he’s good; this guy is a more substantial individual, and we think a little bit better than last year’s.
“I know Aidan has a good opinion of Hmas Perth, so let’s hope that this guy is as good, if not better than him.”
On their success so far with Justify, Irwin commented: “We’ve been very lucky, they’ve been nice individuals, they’ve got great temperaments. The guys really enjoy working with them at home.”
MOUNTARMSTRONG Stud’s Wootton Bassett filly out of the O’Callaghan family’s Matron Stakes heroine No Speak Alexander earned the title of the highest-priced filly of the sale after Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown saw off a host of rivals with a bid of 2,600,000gns.
Newtown Anner Stud’s P.J. Colville and Charlie Gordon Watson, joined by the Watership Down Stud team, held leading chances of landing the blueblood until Brown joined the party, sitting at the top of the stairs.
A mystery bidder signalled from the backstairs, while Kia Joorabchian made a last-minute play, but Brown refused to be denied. The agent may have been driven by missing out of the filly’s half-sister Silent Beauty, who won a listed and Group 3 sprint since the catalogue was printed.
“I think she was an outstanding physical specimen, by what has been one of the great sires of recent times and out of an absolutely outstanding race mare,” he said.
“The filly last year [Silent Beauty] has gone on and won two stakes races, and I was underbidder on her. Arguably, I thought this filly had more size, scope and strength than her. She is one of the best fillies I have seen this week and probably for a long time, I think she is outstanding.”
Paul and Charles O’Callaghan were visibly thrilled by the result, with the latter commenting: “We thought she was a queen of a filly but when you’re at that level, it’s hard to know how much they’ll make, so we’re absolutely chuffed. She’s gone to a good home; hopefully she can run.”
On his emotions watching her sell, O’Callaghan commented: “The heart’s still going! You always get nervous beforehand. It’s been a long journey; Matt Coleman bought the granddam for us here back in 2015. We’ve been on a good journey since with the dam and here again.
“Hopefully this filly can go on and be successful on the track like her sister. We’d be very disappointed and surprised if she’s not a racehorse, we really think she’s a queen.”
The filly with everything
The following day, Brown stretched to 1,400,000gns for a Frankel filly out of King Power Racing’s regally-bred Group 2 winner Queen Power. The Whatton Manor Stud-consigned chesnut was a late addition to the catalogue, but was never going to fly under the radar, as her talented dam is a full-sister to the three-time group winner and multiple Group 1-placed Puissance De Lune (Shamardal.
Perhaps more importantly, Queen Power is also a full-sister to the dam of Field Of Gold, so it was therefore unsurprising that Juddmonte were among the underbidders, along with Jane Mangan and P.J. Colville.
“I thought she had everything,” Brown reflected. “She had sire, pedigree, broodmare sire, the farm she was raised on, beautiful physical. I thought she looked exceptional walking around there.
“The depth of the page is exceptional. It’s pretty outstanding and it’s quite hard to get into those pedigrees. It’s a family that just keeps giving. We very much hope she’s a racehorse but there’s a long-term future there as well.”
Queen Power herself proved well-bought at Book 1 in 2017, before her three-parts brother Zabeel Prince won the Prix d’Ispahan. Dual Group 1 scorer Rizeena is out of their half-sister Serena’s Storm.
Heineken-fuelled success
On the final day of the sale, Brown gave 1,300,000gns for the Justify half-brother to Camille Pissarro, and as with the two seven-figure fillies, the agent declined to name his client but confirmed that all three will remain in the UK.
The Justify colt became the second seven-figure yearling sold by Clara Stud, with his half-brother Camille Pissarro selling for 1,250,000gns in 2023.
Their half-sister by Dark Angel sold to Hugo Lascelles for 900,000gns in November, having missed her original Book 1 date.
Three six-figure yearlings preceded them – quite the achievement for the mare Entreat, who was bought by BBA Ireland at the Tattersalls July Sale for 14,000gns.
James Cloney, who bred the smart siblings with Michael Nolan, hasn’t got used to the thrill of selling expensive horses and said: “I still have goosebumps at the moment. Brilliant result, once again, for the wonder mare Entreat. Great individual, great sire. To break the million mark again was a huge thrill.”
On the decision to use Justify, he explained: “It happened over a couple of bottles of Heineken. I wanted to send her to a sire who was going to be a bit unique, and at the time Justify was not really advertised
“It was before he had his big winners, and I was trying to buy a nomination. Luckily, Mr Magnier agreed and we loaded up the mare and sent her on. I blame it on Heineken!”
CAPTURE The Heart never made it to the racetrack but the full-sister to three-time stakes winner and multiple Group 1-placed River Of Stars more than made up for it when her first foal, a colt by Night Of Thunder, sold to Ace Stud for 2,200,000gns.
Sam Haggas’ Hurworth Bloodstock purchased the daughter of Sea The Stars as an unraced two-year-old for 175,000gns on behalf of Nick Jonsson, a prominent racehorse owner in South Africa – his great-grandfather founded the Durban Turf Club in 1887.
“I was very happy to keep the horse,” he said of Thursday’s top lot, consigned by Fittocks Stud. “I don’t really race here but I was lucky to have a nicely-bred filly who didn’t get to the racecourse and we got lucky with Night Of Thunder.
“Thanks mostly to Luca and Sara [Cumani]; they do all the work. I was planning on sending the mare back to South Africa and Sara convinced me not to, which was very good advice. It’s a great result.”
When asked how his success in the ring compares to that he’s enjoyed on the track, Jonsson replied: “Well, I’m not sure this is a success, is it? I mean, it’s a lot of money but winning races is a much better feeling. Winning Group 1s is a way better feeling than buying or selling a horse.”
Amo to Ace
Ace Stud abandoned their trademark habit of bidding online when giving 1,600,000gns for a Night Of Thunder colt from New England Stud. In December, Ace Stud gave 600,000gns for the colt’s listed-winning half-sister, Town And Country (Earthlight), but it was the colt’s sire and his full-sister, four-time stakes winner Romantic Style, that held the most appeal.
“He was the standout for us all week,” Ace Stud’s Paul Curran reported. “We were in the market to buy a nice one by the sire and we liked everything about him.
“There is a premium on the Night Of Thunders and if they are here at Book 1, there will be a premium as the horses are the best-bred horses in Europe. The price was in around what we thought we’d have to spend.”
The operation won the 2025 Dewhurst Stakes with Night Of Thunder’s ill-fated son Gewan, and it’s his trainer Andrew Balding who will train this colt.
Wednesday’s sale was a profitable result for Amo Racing, who gave 775,000gns for Sweety Dream carrying the colt at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Oghill House Stud sold the Group 3-winning daughter of Dream Ahead on that occasion, after first breeding three stakes horses out of her with Wansdyke Farms, Sh Bloodstock and Joseph Burke.
WHILE the bloodstock and racing games can be testing and tumultuous, horses also have a tremendous way of lifting us up, which is what came to mind when Yeomanstown Stud’s Ghaiyyath colt brought 1,300,000gns from Godolphin.
David, Gay and Rob O’Callaghan may generally be considered ‘all business’ but it’s safe to say that their late matriarch Annette, who passed away last month, will have been to the fore of their minds when they watched their €200,000 pinhook escalate in value.
It may come as a surprise to some that Tuesday marked a first seven-figure sale for the Co Kildare farm, with David O’Callaghan saying: “Absolutely amazing. We’ve come close, but we never actually broke the million, so it’s fantastic.
“He was an exceptional foal, and he’s ended up being an exceptional yearling. €200,000 at the time maybe seemed a lot but he was the best foal we thought in Goffs last year and we were delighted to come away with him. Plenty of people said he was the best horse here too.
“Thank you to Sheikh Mohammed and his team. He’s a huge supporter of the industry and we’re lucky to have him.”
Baroda’s smash hit
Baroda Stud owner David Cox and one of his longstanding members of the team, Noel McDonnell, were part of the pinhooking partnership that transformed a 155,000gns foal into a 1,100,000gns yearling on Wednesday.
Many pinhookers will be consulting last year’s notes, given that the Kingman colt held seemingly obvious appeal on pedigree, being a brother to Group 2 Cambridge Stakes winner Persian Dreamer (Calyx) and the Group 2-placed listed winner Queen Olly (No Nay Never).
Auburn Bloodstock saw the light last winter and signed for the Diamond Creek-bred bay, who was also consigned by Baroda Stud on that occasion. On how he came to buy the colt as a foal, Noel McDonnell explained: “I was with him here as a foal on behalf of the breeders.
“There was interest but he had a small problem, and some backed off him. As he was coming up to the ring we recommended him to a client and he bought the horse, and I took a piece of him and David, too.
“He has been very easy, he is a big and strong horse. He came up last Friday and showed himself well, and especially once he had got a handle of what he was doing. There were some good judges on him .
“He had everything and he was probably the best Kingman I have seen. Once we got to the reserve, we could relax then, and the further he was going the more we were smiling!”
Redpender’s fairytale mare
Redpender Stud’s success with the mare Swirral Edge reached new heights when her Frankel filly sold for 1,500,000gns on Wednesday. Paddy Twomey, Jason Kelly and Bond Thoroughbreds bid online to secure the sister to July Cup hero Mill Stream (Gleneagles) and Richmond Stakes winner Assymetric (Showcasing), who also placed in the Prix Morny.
Since the catalogue was printed, Swirral Edge’s two-year-old Minzaal filly, Crownbreaker, was beaten by just a neck in the Flying Childers Stakes. A listed winner in July and fifth in the Queen Mary Stakes, she was previously the mare’s most expensive progeny at 550,000gns.
On the Frankel filly, Paddy Twomey commented: “She’s exciting filly. Obviously, she’s by Frankel and the mare has bred very fast horses. She’s just the type, if you were lucky enough, to become a foundation mare for someone. She’s for a new partnership of existing owners.”
Swirral Edge joined the Murphy family’s Redpender Stud with an official rating of 72 and two handicap wins to her name. The daughter of Hellvelyn is a half-sister to listed winner and Group 3 third Fashion Queen, herself the dam of a multiple listed winner in Italy.
Forenaghts’ first millionaire
Forenaghts Stud has been on a roll for the past 12 months or so, from breeding Mill Reef Stakes winner Nabati to topping the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale with a Study Of Man colt, who fetched 330,000gns.
Tony and Sharon Smurfit’s Co Kildare farm continued their terrific run with a €360,000 sale at Goffs and broke new ground this week when selling their highest-priced yearling to date, a Night Of Thunder filly bought by Godolphin for 1,000,000gns.
“I just can’t believe it,” said a delighted stud manager Caoimhe Doherty. “I thought it couldn’t get better after the Mill Reef and then Fairyhouse (Tattersalls Ireland) was unbelievable. We had a good time in Goffs and this is just insane. I’m going to retire at the end of the year – it just can’t get any better!”
Doherty heaped praise on Forenaghts’ all-female team of assistant manager Hazel Rowan, Imelda Creighton, Laurie Cordonotto and Kelly Rae, who led her up, before paying tribute to Tony Smurfit’s commitment to the industry, saying: “Tony’s been in the business for 40 years and he’s rowed in again, and again, and again, and again. And now I think it’s all just finally come to fruition for him.
“I’m so happy for him and Sharon and the Irish industry. We need people like Tony, and I’m so pleased that’s he’s been rewarded, and I’m so pleased that Godolphin got her. I owe so much to Godolphin in terms of the Flying Start, working at Kildangan [Stud] and now this.”