MANY vendors breathed a sigh of relief at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, which produced a record turnover and median price, following a Book 1 which a number of consignors described as ‘challenging’.
The Book 2 catalogue increased by 5% after last year’s record-breaking renewal and vigorous trade this week saw the aggregate increase by 1.6% to 69,657,500gns. The average price fell by 1% to 108,112gns while the median - generally considered the best measure of market strength - was the highest in the sale’s history at 76,000gns. The clearance rate of 90% (91% in 2024) was another indicator of strong demand.
Despite the record figures, there was a tightening at the top of the market. Ten yearlings reached 500,000gns last year, but just six made the same bracket this week. The number of yearlings to fetch 300,000gns and over dropped by 10 to 32.
This week’s highs continue the gradual rise of Book 2 year on year. The average price is now 73% higher than it was 10 years ago, while the median has risen by 62%. While it is good news for those selling, particularly given the rising costs of breeding and preparing horses for the sales, it is a total contrast to how owners and trainers are rewarded in regard to prize money.
Owners from the Middle East has a huge influence on the top of the market, but for those without such orders, the sales ring can be a disheartening place.
Andy Oliver, who has developed a reputation for unearthing talented types for bargain prices, reported: “It was the first year in about 10 years that I didn’t buy anything at Book 2. It was a very strong market throughout and I didn’t see many falling through the net.”
On the yearling sales in general, Oliver added: “It’s been consistently strong, I bought a few, but I would be down on numbers from my usual quota.”
The trainer’s comments come a week after the Irish government announced that the Horse & Greyhound Racing Fund would receive no increase in the 2026 Budget. It therefore looks less likely that Irish owners and trainers’ calls to increase prize money will be answered.
Vicious cycle
Prize money levels are a concern we share with our British counterparts, though some, in contrast, have benefited from the increased investment by the likes of Amo Racing, Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, Victorious Racing and Wathnan Racing.
Charlie Johnston, and his father Mark before him, may train for some illustrious outfits, but is also known for shopping at the lower to middle end with great success. On how they got on at Book 2, Charlie Johnston noted: “The market felt strong but we were able to buy 13, which is exactly the same number as last year.
“The one thing there didn’t seem to be many of were sub-30 grand horses. I think the cheapest horse we bought was 22, from memory, and they were generally horses in the 50 to 80 region. At this sale last year, we bought [97-rated filly] Timeforshowcasing for 15 grand. It didn’t feel like there were quite as many real cheap horses there.”
On how the numbers they’ve bought this sales season compares to previous years, the trainer replied: “We’d be a little bit down. We’ve tried to keep pace with previous years, but we’ve maybe fallen slightly below target at every sale. I guess that’s just being a victim of the market being so strong all year.
“It’s a vicious cycle, in that as the yearling prices continue to be strong, the stallion fees will go up this winter and all the pinhookers and vendors will be expecting more next year because the cost of production has grown.
“The stallion fees and the yearling sale prices continue to grow while prize money stays the same and, as a result, the two are getting further and further apart. Therefore, for a lot of the end users, for the owners, things are getting tougher.”
A GLANCE at this year’s top 10 lots at Tattersalls Book 2 showcased the tremendous trade for fillies, with six of the top 10 lots being the fairer sex. In contrast, just one filly entered the top 10 at Book 1, despite last week’s beautifully-bred fillies retaining their value more so than the colts.
Fillies sold for an average price of 115,730gns at Book 2, compared to 103,205gns for colts, while the fillies’ median price of 80,000gns was also higher than the colts at 75,000gns.
A daughter of Starspangledbanner took top lot honours after Amo, Coolmore and Godolphin clashed for Islanmore Stud’s full-sister to listed-winning juvenile Avicenna. The two-year-old who provided the blacktype update carries the colours of Godolphin, as will his sister, after Anthony Stroud delivered the deciding bid of 900,000gns.
“She was an exceptionally good-looking filly,” Stroud said of the May-born chesnut. “She’s also an incredibly good mover and was very well prepared by Islanmore.
“The pedigree is hot. We bought the full-brother and he’s done everything absolutely correctly. In many ways, I’d say she’s more attractive than the brother, but it’s difficult to compare the sexes. I think she’s a pretty outstanding-looking filly.”
The price exceeded expectations for Sue Ann Foley’s Islanmore Stud, according to stud manager Nigel Anderton. “We’re over the moon,” he said. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at home.
“This is 20 years in the making; we bought the grandam, Potion, here in 2005 as a yearling. She’s bred some wonderful stock down through the years.
“The full-brother was a gorgeous horse - I think he had 17 vets. We expected somewhere around the same for this lady. We didn’t have the same number of vets for her, but when two lads like what they see up here, anything could happen. We would like to thank Mr Stroud and the Godolphin team. Obviously, they think highly of Avicenna and hopefully this filly will be equally as good next year.”
Starspangledbanner’s terrific season comes at an important time for breeders, with the yearlings of 2025 having been bred off a career-high fee of €50,000. His Book 2 offerings yielded an average price of 158,762gns, with highlights being Manister House Stud and Castletown Stud’s fillies selling for 400,000gns and 340,000gns respectively.
He’s a Starman
Those brave enough to have used Starman in his second season or to have pinhooked his second crop of foals are now reaping the rewards, none more so than the leading first season sire’s base of Tally-Ho Stud.
Tally-Ho’s Tony O’Callaghan hailed Starman’s temperament after Tally-Ho Stud’s first foal out of a 30,000gns filly sold for 525,000gns - the highest price on the first day of trade. Amo Racing outbid Richard Knight for the bay who shares her page with none other than Dubawi.
“Her temperament was typical of Starman,” O’Callaghan said of the session topper. “They have brilliant minds and she behaved impeccably since she got here and through all the shows.”
The Fahy family’s Gerrardstown House Stud was also rewarded for their faith in Starman when selling a home-bred colt to Amo Racing for 400,000gns. The colt’s return on a €15,000 covering fee came in the farm’s second season consigning under their own banner, having previously sold their stock through The Castlebridge Consignment.
On whether Wednesday represented their best result to date, Gerrardstown’s Donie Fahy replied: “Oh, without a shadow of a doubt. We had our best sale two weeks ago in Goffs and then this lad has just trumped that big time.
“We all try so hard to breed horses like this and we’ve always loved him, so for it to all come off is huge for us. We’re a relatively young farm with 11 mares at home.” On the decision to use Starman in what was a potentially risky year for the Tally-Ho Stud sire, Fahy commented: “Sometimes luck overrides judgement. Starman was such a beautiful horse, a fast horse and our mare’s a fast mare. It just fit and took a very big gamble that he would be leading first season sire. We didn’t think he’d be the amazing superstar he is, but thankfully he is, and thankfully we got it right.”
High hopes for Siyouni filly
It takes a determined bidder to outlast Anthony Stroud in the sales ring, but it wasn’t enough to seal the deal for Henry Lascelles, who subsequently admitted defeat to Ross Doyle for a Siyouni filly from the La Motteraye Consignment at 525,000gns.
The French-bred bay will return to her country of origin, as Doyle revealed that Pia Brandt will train the filly on behalf of Peter and Ross Doyle’s longstanding client, Magne Jordanger of Stall Perlen.
“She is gorgeous physically and has a nice bit of size to her,” the agent added. “She is probably a backend two-year-old type; a classic filly for the future. It is a big shout, but I hope that is what she ends up becoming.”
La Motteraye’s Gwen Monneraye also holds Doyle’s buy in high regard, if his post-sale press debrief is anything to go by. “She is a Siyouni with scope and she can walk - there’s not that many of them,” he said. “She reminds me a lot of Laurens.”
On whether they expected such a price for the first of their three offerings at Book 2, Monneraye replied: “We knew she was nice, that we would have a good sale, but we were not expecting such a price, so we are really happy.
“On the dam’s side, there have been big updates this summer. Her two-year-old won a very good maiden in Deauville by three lengths, and of course, that helps. It just went perfectly according to plan - better than planned, actually!”
NIGHT Of Thunder ended Book 2 as leading sire by average and aggregate, his 17 yearlings totalling 5,525,000gns. His average price of 325,000gns was some way clear of his nearest rival, though 190,647gns was still an impressive achievement for Tally-Ho Stud’s young gun Starman.
The Kildangan Stud sire was responsible for five of the top 10 prices, and the highest-priced colt of the sale at 800,000gns. George Boughey and his client, Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, were spurred on to outbid Anthony Stroud by dreams of classic glory with Night Of Thunder’s unbeaten Group 2 winner Bow Echo.
“He looks very similar to Bow Echo,” Boughey remarked: “We had to go a lot further than we thought we would. I had to pick up the phone twice to him because he was well over [budget], but he really wanted the horse and I think he might have known who he was taking on. It’s great to have him in the barn.”
Wednesday’s session topper marks a perfect start, at least commercially, for Lady Derby and Lady Ritblat’s listed-winning Golden Horn mare Quenelle D’Or. The mile-and-a-half mare hails from the family of Ace Impact, Australia, Ouija Board and Teleprompter.
Another Ballyhimikin beauty
Ballyhimikin Stud’s James Hanly is likely to head up the Night Of Thunder fan club, having bred the sire’s dual Group 1 winner Ombudsman, sold a 1,000,000gns colt at Book 1 and now a 700,000gns filly at Book 2.
After the daughter of Group 3 performer Princess De Saba was knocked down to Henry Lascelles, Ballyhimikin’s Jack Hanly reflected on the grey’s sire. “He’s been an absolute revelation of a stallion and so fantastic for us, we’ve been so lucky with him,” he said.
“We’ve been on the bandwagon for a long time - we didn’t support him in his first season, but we have since then. That’s really down to Anthony Stroud; he really knew from the start and really encouraged us to get behind him.”
The result further justified the €87,000 paid by Stroud Coleman for the filly’s dam, whose first foal fetched 270,000gns last year. “She was just a very attractive mare and we loved her from the very beginning,” Hanly recalled. “I think when you’re buying them, you need the physical as well, which will hopefully carry on into their stock.”
Genesis Green Stud earned senior positions in the Night Of Thunder fan club when selling a pair of colts for 350,000gns and 550,000gns. The latter was the most expensive of five yearlings bought by Kevin Ryan at Book 2 at a total cost of 1,680,000gns.
Ticks all the boxes
After securing the half-brother to Group 2 performer Dhabab for an existing client, Ryan said: “I have seen him four times over the last few days and he has a great attitude, even coming up here.
“He is by a great sire and is just a great physical, even as a May foal,” Ryan said of the colt.
Plantation Stud’s decision to retain their Night Of Thunder filly for 140,000gns at last year’s foal sales was vindicated when the bay brought 450,000gns from Jane Mangan, signing as The Thoroughbred Racing Corporation.
After outbidding Kia Joorabchian, Mangan commented: “This filly is our pick of the entire sale this week. She is what we are looking for and is by Night Of Thunder, who needs no introduction. She goes to William Haggas.”
If anyone needed reminding of Night Of Thunder’s appeal, and indeed that of Book 2, Gewan produced a timely performance in last week’s Dewhurst Stakes. Cheveley Park Stud’s Night Of Thunder colt bred on a similar cross proved popular on Monday, with the hammer falling in favour of Godolphin at 425,000gns.
“We are thrilled,” Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park Stud’s Managing Director, reflected. “He is a lovely horse, with a great mind, and always puts his best foot forward. Mrs Thompson is a big fan of Night Of Thunder, we have [dual group winner and Yorkshire Oaks runner-up] Estrange by him.
“We are lucky enough to be able to send two or three mares each year to the stallion, and it is great when a stallion can row a boat commercially and on the racecourse.”
PINHOOKERS Nick Cope and David and Tom Brickley enjoyed the best result of their young careers to date when reselling an €80,000 colt for 475,000gns. The best could be yet to come, as Alex Elliott revealed that the son of Camelot is bound for Ballydoyle, having been bought on behalf of MV Magnier and White Birch Farm.
“This fella was the real deal,” Cope said after selling the bay through Stanley Lodge Stud, which he manages. “He’s been a real gentleman of a horse all year and never put in a bad show. He vetted really clean, had a great attitude and was just an unbelievably athletic, easy-moving horse.
“It’s amazing what can happen in this ring. You look around and everyone you’ve hoped would follow him in is there. When it works out, it’s just unbelievable.”
The colt’s foal price, of course, looks excellent value now, but also at the time, as it came off the back of a standout season for the Coolmore Stud sire, when his colt foals averaged €285,461.
Catalogue study pays off
A blacktype update helped increase the value of Clunemore Lodge Stud’s €85,000 pinhook, which resold through Baroda Stud to Karl and Kelly Burke for 450,000gns.
“It is the stuff of dreams; I can’t get my head around it!” said Clunemore’s Fionn White, who pinhooked the Minzaal filly with friends Jack (17) and Max (13) Galway, along with their father Richie Galway.
“The stallion could not have gone better for a first-crop stallion,” the 16-year-old continued. “We weren’t expecting anything like that! Hopefully, we will be back for more next year, but we are back in school tomorrow!”
White made a dream start to his pinhooking career at Book 1, reselling his very first pinhook - bought for €36,000 - through Baroda Stud for 205,000gns to Will Douglass.
Magical result
Tuesday ended with a feelgood result as a Perfect Power colt pinhooked by young Harry (16) and Oliver (14) Vigors sold to Shadwell for 260,000gns.
The sons of Hillwood Stud’s Charlie Vigors and Tracy, who passed away last year, sourced the bay in tandem with Hannah Wall and David Redvers for 72,000gns.
After watching Angus Gold see off the attentions of Richard Fahey and Adrian Keatley, Harry Vigors commented: “It was magical. We were hopeful going into the ring, but we weren’t expecting any at that sort of level.
“I just can’t thank the guys enough; Lewis who’s led him up the whole time he’s been up here and the teams at Tweenhills and Hillwood, who’ve done an amazing job with him.”
Looking back to last November, the 16-year-old explained the colt’s appeal. “We went around on the Saturday and he was the one horse we liked,” he explained. “We were delighted to get him then and even more delighted now.
“He was the perfect stamp of a horse; perfect walk, perfect physical. You couldn’t ask for more. All the right people were there and we’d just like to wish Shadwell the best of luck.”
On how he felt as Tuesday’s sale unfolded, Oliver said: “It was a whole bag of emotions - nerves, joy, excitement. To get a result like that was just amazing.”