LAST week’s BBAG Yearling Sale saw some very decent increases on the previous year’s trade.

From virtually the same number of horses sold as in 2024, total spending this year was up more than 15%, reversing two years of declines and setting a new sale record.

Both the average and median prices soared by more than 16% and the clearance rate was 77.3% (up from 73%).

As mentioned briefly in last week’s edition, Godolphin bought the day’s top lot when giving €750,000 for a Sea The Stars filly out of German 1000 Guineas winner Novemba. Agent Matt Coleman was acting on behalf of the buyers.

In 2024, Godolphin also bought the top lot at this sale, spending €850,000 on a Camelot colt named Del Maro. Second on his racecourse debut in July, Del Maro is favourite for a Doncaster maiden today [Saturday].

Gestut Brummerhof, owned by Gregor and Julia Baum, sold both Del Maro and this year’s sale-topper. They also sold last Friday’s second-highest priced lot, a Camelot colt for €340,000. He was bought by Philip Baron von Ullman, breeder and former owner of multiple Group 1 winner Goliath.

Liberty Racing, the syndicate which has enjoyed big race success with Fantastic Moon and Palladium, spent €210,000 on a Gleneagles colt and €120,000 on a Sea The Moon colt.

Roderick Kavanagh’s Glending Stables gave €120,000 for a colt by Palace Pier and €40,000 for a colt by Waldpfad (by Shamardal).

Amy Marnane invested €80,000 in a colt by The Grey Gatsby, a full-brother to Group 3 winner Mylady.

Charlie Johnston bought an Australia colt for €58,000 and it may be significant that the purchase is a half-brother to Si Grass, a Churchill filly who finished second on her debut recently for the Johnston team.

Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott bought a colt by first-crop sire Torquator Tasso for €115,000 on behalf of trainer Ralph Beckett, and another agent/trainer combination backing that stallion is Megan Nicholls and Dan Skelton, who gave €32,000 for a colt by the 2021 Prix de l’Arc winner.

Nicholls also bought two relatively cheap colts by Persian King for owner Dan Astbury.