The European yearling sales season has seen booming trade and it looks set to continue at Tattersalls in Newmarket this week.

Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale started on Tuesday morning and the second yearling into the ring set off fireworks, selling for 1.3 million guineas to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, who was present on the sales ground.

The daughter of Darley's outstanding sire Dubawi was consigned by breeders Meon Valley Stud and she is the third foal out of the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette winner and Group 1 Prix de l'Opera second Jazzi Top, a Danehill Dancer half-sister to the Group 1 winner Izzi Top.

It is a family with which Sheikh Mohammed has enjoyed a long and successful association.

"It's a good way to start the sale," remarked Stroud. "She is a very attractive filly from a very good farm and there is nothing more to be written about Dubawi is there? The boss picked her out and he has had a lot of success with the family going back to Opera House and Kayf Tara."

Those Group 1 winning full-brothers by Sadler's Wells carried Sheikh Mohammed's maroon and white silks with distinction in the early to mid 1990s, winning races such as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Gold Cup.

Later in the day Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin bought three more Dubawi colts for one million guineas, 550,000gns and 400,000gns. Godolphin also bought a Siyouni colt for 525,000gns and a No Nay Never colt for 200,000gns.

Sheikha Hissa

Another member of the Dubai royal family in attendance is Sheikha Hissa, daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. Sheikha Hissa's Shadwell Stud spent 880,000gns on a Siyouni filly, the first to be offered at public auction by Watership Down Stud from the immediate family of Dar Re Mi.

The filly is the first foal out of Lah Ti Dar, the Group 2 Middleton Stakes winner and St Leger runner-up who is a Dubawi full-sister to the European champion two-year-old Too Darn Hot. Lah Ti Dar is also a full-sister to Group 3 winner and Prix de l'Opera third So Mi Dar out of the brilliant Dar Re Mi.

Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold explained that Sheikha Hissa is looking to add high-class fillies to the Shadwell broodmare band.

"Sheikha Hissa is very excited to have bought a filly with such an outstanding pedigree. There are an awful lot of Group 1 horses under the second and third dams and this is a beautiful filly who has been excellently nurtured by the Watership Down team. We are hoping to buy fillies with pedigrees for the future and this is one of the strongest pedigrees in the catalogue."

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