EARLIER this month we saw prices of $3 million and $2.3 million paid for yearlings at Keeneland. It would be no surprise to see those prices bettered at this week’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

The three-day sale starts on Tuesday and there are approximately 530 yearlings in the catalogue. They include 22 by Frankel and 19 by Dubawi. Last year’s sale was topped by four Frankels who fetched between 1.9 million and 2.8 million guineas, so there must be a good chance the three-million guinea mark will be breached this week.

The average price last year was just under 300,000 guineas, narrowly beating the previous record set in 2017. Last year’s median price of 200,000gns was easily a new record, as was the aggregate of 126 million guineas.

This year’s catalogue is, as usual, overflowing with quality. Some 40% of those catalogued are by the top 10 sires currently standing in Europe.

As well as the Dubawis and Frankels mentioned above, there are 29 by Kingman, 38 by Lope De Vega, 28 by No Nay Never, 29 by Sea The Stars, 12 by Siyouni and a whopping 42 by Wootton Bassett.

The catalogue also features the final yearling by the great Galileo to be offered at the October Yearling Sale.

There are own or half-brothers and sisters to a remarkable 59 classic and Group 1 winners and 256 group or listed race winners.

Shastye’s final foal

Dubawi earned a long overdue champion sire title in 2022 and amongst his 19 yearlings catalogued is the half-brother to the Group 1 winners Japan and Mogul, the last foal out of the exceptional broodmare Shastye.

He will be joined by half-brothers to the Group 1 Prix de Diane winner Nashwa and dual Group 1 winning sprinter Dream Of Dreams.

Newsells Park Stud will consign a Nathaniel own brother to last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown whilst Ballylinch Stud offer a Waldgeist colt out of the remarkable mare Green Room, the dam of the three individual Group 1 winners including Oaks winner Forever Together and Fillies’ Mile winner Together Forever.

Other colts sure to attract plenty of attention include the Lope De Vega half-brother to dual champion Too Darn Hot out of three-time Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi, the Frankel half-brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist and the No Nay Never own-brother to last year’s champion two-year-old Little Big Bear.

There are also Kingman colts out of Cabaret, the dam of Group 1 winning siblings St Mark’s Basilica and Magna Grecia, and Without You Babe, the dam of Group/Grade 1 winners Without Parole and Tamarkuz.

The catalogue also features own or half-brothers to classic and Group 1 winning global stars including Aunt Pearl, Battaash, Blue Point, Cachet, Eldar Eldarov, Insprial, Lezoo, Mishriff, Romantic Warrior, Sea The Moon, Snow Lantern, The Platinum Queen, Victoria Road and Uni.

Pedigree updates

Beautifully bred fillies who have had significant recent pedigree updates include the Siyouni half-sister to the Group 1 Nassau Stakes winner Al Husn and the Pinatubo half-sister to the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby winner Program Trading.

Others to catch the eye include the Camelot own-sister to Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg.

Lope De Vega is represented by the half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns and they will be joined by own or half-sisters to classic and Group 1 winners Accidental Agent, Barney Roy, Coeursamba, Fifty Stars, Khaadem, Limato, Maljoom, Place Du Carrousel, Sealiway, Via Sistina and Zoustar.

There are 29 yearlings catalogued out of classic and Group/Grade 1 winning mares including Dar Re Mi, who has already produced a Group 1 winner and has a colt here by Lope De Vega.

The 1000 Guineas winners Attraction and Billesdon Brook have colts catalogued by Frankel and Dubawi respectively, Irish Oaks winners Great Heavens and Seventh Heaven both have colts catalogued by Kingman, and the Oaks winner Talent and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Teppal have colts by Too Darn Hot and Sea The Moon.

Outstanding racemare The Fugue has a colt by Wootton Bassett, and Breeders’ Cup winners Queen’s Trust is represented by a Kingman colt.

Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle has her Frankel filly first foal, and the leading European sire also has colts out of Group 1 winners Izzi Top and Villa Marina.

Devotees of first season sires are well catered for with 13 freshmen stallions represented including classic and Group 1 winners Earthlight, Ghaiyyath, Hello Youmzain, Kameko, King Of Change, Mohaather, Pesian King, Pinatubo, Sottsass, Without Parole and Wooded.

The international appeal of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is traditionally enhanced by a strong contingent of overseas based sires and American Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify both feature alongside the late US turf supremo Kitten’s Joy, top class Japanese sire Lord Kanaloa and exciting young French stallions Galiway and Zarak.

The largest draft comes from last year’s leading consignor Newsells Park Stud who will offer a team of 31 yearlings, followed by the Castlebridge Consignment with 26 and Highclere Stud, Tally-Ho Stud and Watership Down Stud, consignor of last year’s sale-topper, with 18 lots each.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “Book 1 annually showcases so many of the finest yearlings to be found anywhere in the world and this year’s catalogue has all the quality that buyers have come to expect from Europe’s premier yearling sale.”

Catalogue highlights

Lot 31: Mehmas half-brother to 1000 Guineas winner Cachet.

Lot 35: Dubawi half-brother to Group 1 Prix de Diane winner Nashwa.

Lot 48: Kingman colt out of Breeders’ Cup winner Queen’s Trust.

Lot 62: Invincible Army half-brother to Group 1 winner Lezoo.

Lot 64: Frankel half-sister to Group 1 winner Accidental Agent.

Lot 77: Sea The Stars full-brother to German Derby winner and leading sire Sea The Moon.

Lot 81: Earthlight half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner and sire Blue Point.

Lot 88: Lope De Vega half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns.

Lot 91: Kingman colt out of Irish Oaks winner Seventh Heaven.

Lot 96: Dubawi half-brother to Group 1 winners Japan and Mogul, the last foal out of Shastye.

Lot 127: Ulysses half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Inspiral.

Lot 139: Sea The Stars full-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Fifty Stars.

Lot 142: Too Darn Hot colt out of Oaks winner Talent.

Lot 147: Sea The Moon colt out of Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Teppal.

Lot 148: Wootton Bassett colt of Group 1 winner The Fugue.

Lot 150: Galileo Gold half-brother to Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner The Platinum Queen.

Lot 151: Ghaiyyath half-brother to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road.

Lot 158: Sea The Stars half-sister to Group 1 winner Place Du Carrousel.

Lot 168: Sottsass half-brother to US Grade 1 winner Uni.

Lot 173: Dubawi half-brother to dual Group 1 winning sprinter Dream Of Dreams.

Lot 175: Frankel colt out of Group 1 winner Villa Marina.

Lot 184: Frankel half-brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist.

Lot 197: Dark Angel full-sister to Group 1 winner Khaadem.

Lot 200: Kingman colt out of Without You Babe, already dam of Group/Grade 1 winners Without Parole and Tamarkuz.

Lot 216: Wootton Bassett half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Zoustar.

Lot 217: No Nay Never own-brother to last year’s champion two-year-old Little Big Bear.

Lot 224: Dubawi half-sister to Group 1 winner Barney Roy.

Lot 226: Lope De Vega half-brother to dual St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov.

Lot 240: Blue Point half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Battaash.

Lot 250: Camelot own-sister to Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg.

Lot 251: Frankel colt out of 1000 Guineas winner Attraction.

Lot 265: Dubawi colt out of 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook.

Lot 278: Kingman colt out of Cabaret, already dam of St Mark’s Basilica and Magna Grecia.

Lot 288: Wootton Bassett half-sister to Group 1 winner Limato.

Lot 289: Make Believe half-brother to Group 1 winner Mishriff.

Lot 290: Waldgeist colt out of Green Room, already dam of Group 1 winners Forever Together and Together Forever.

Lot 307: Lope De Vega half-brother to dual champion Too Darn Hot out of three-time Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi.

Lot 316: Nathaniel own brother to last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown.

Lot 334: Pinatubo half-sister to the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby winner Program Trading.

Lot 366: Showcasing half-brother to Hong Kong Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior.

Lot 388: Kingman colt out of Irish Oaks winners Great Heavens.

Lot 393: Siyouni half-sister to the Group 1 Nassau Stakes winner Al Husn.

Lot 421: Frankel colt out of Group 1 winner Izzi Top.

Lot 432: Galiway half-sister to Group 1 winner Sealiway.

Lot 479: Hello Youmzain half-sister to French 1000 Guineas winner Coeursamba.

Lot 482: Lope De Vega full-brother to Grade 1 winner Aunt Pearl.

Lot 492: Frankel filly out of Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle.

Lot 524: Soldier’s Call half-sister to German 2000 Guineas winner Maljoom.

Lot 525: Bated Breath half-sister to Group 1 winner Via Sistina.

Sale Info

Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) at Newmarket.

Date/time: Tuesday to Thursday, October 3rd to 5th (11am)

Lots: 532

Tel: 0044 1638 665931

Email: info@tattersalls.com

Web: tattersalls.com

Book 1 Yearling Bonus increased to £25,000

THE Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus will increase in value from £20,000 to £25,000 in 2024. Over £7.5 million in bonuses has already been paid out to 340 individual winners.

Participating owners will receive a £25,000 bonus if their 2023 October Book 1 purchase wins a Class 2, 3 or 4 two-year-old maiden or novice race in Britain run between March 23rd and November 9th next year, or any ‘open’ two-year-old maiden run in Ireland between March 23rd and November 3rd next year.

The cost to enter the bonus scheme will be a single payment of £2,000 and the number of qualifying British and Irish two-year-old maiden and novice races is greater than 300.

All yearlings sold, bought in or failing to meet their reserve at Book 1 will be eligible for the scheme.

The 340th bonus winner arrived last Saturday when the Ralph Beckett-trained Feigning Madness won at Newbury. Tattersalls calculate that 149 bonus winners were bought for 150,000gns or less.

Oppenheimer selling premium yearlings

ANTHONY Oppenheimer, whose colours have been carried to success by such greats as Cracksman and Golden Horn in recent seasons, is taking the unusual step of selling seven colts at Book 1 and a further six at Book 2.

Selling under the Hascombe & Valiant Studs banner, the owner-breeder is offering two by Lope De Vega and one each by Sea The Stars, Night Of Thunder, American Pharoah, Frankel and Pinatubo. Five trace back to the families of Golden Horn and Rebecca Sharp.

Oppenheimer told the Racing Post his mares produced a record 18 colts this year, giving him a dilemma. He explained: “If I start selling eight or 10, everybody will say ‘oh, he’s keeping back the best’ .. so I thought why not sell all 18 and come what may.”