THE Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale concluded on Wednesday evening with a 90% clearance rate over the two days.

The 402 horses sold for a record average price of £27,060, a record median price of £20,000, and a record turnover of £10,877,978.

Over the two-day sale, six horses fetched six-figure sums, while 62 sold for £50,000 or more.

Topping Wednesday's session and the two-day sale was the Exceed And Excel half-sister to the Group 2 Lowther Stakes and Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner Zain Claudette (by No Nay Never), who is due to run in this weekend's Cheveley Park Stakes (G1).

That filly's trainer Ismail Mohammed, signing as Rabbah Bloodstock, gave £200,000 for today's top lot and she is the most expensive filly ever sold at the September Sale.

"She is for Zain Claudette's owner Saeed H Al Tayer," reported Mohammed, who was sat at the top of the bidders. "I was on the phone to the owner, he was keen to buy her, I hope she will be as good. There are some similarities between the two horses. We thought we might but her for £100,000, but we were keen to get her – because we have the Zain Claudette, who is already a group race winner and if she wins a Group 1, then we have the sister, too."

Of Zain Claudette, Mohammed uodated: "She is in good form and with every race she is improving. She worked last Monday and worked really well."

Zain Claudette was bred by Andriy Milovanov, and this filly was bred by him alongside his son Andrew and a business partner. Milovanov snr is president of the Ukraine Equestrian Federation and was at Tattersalls to see the filly sold. He heads to Belgium this weekend to see the Ukrainian showjumping team in action.

"I am very happy with the sale," said Milovanov through an interpreter. "Her dam was covered by Ten Sovereigns and maybe next year we go back to No Nay Never. I have about 16 mares and they are at Coolmore and Irish National Stud."

He added: "There was a temptation to keep this filly to race, but she has gone to good hands."

SMOOTH DADDY

The highest-priced colt on Wednesday was a first-crop son of Starfield Stud stallion Smooth Daddy who was bought by Charlie Johnston for £120,000.

"He belongs to a local Mullingar man, Christopher Johnston," reported consignor Dermot Kilmartin of Kildallan Farm. "The colt has been very straightforward since the day he came in for prep and this is an absolutely super result, I can't believe it, to be honest.

"Christopher was watching online and is over the moon – I am a man of few words at the moment!

"Listen, I have to pinch myself, it is great for Christopher and great for the sire too, it is a great advertisement for Micheál Orlandi [owner of Starfield Stud]. He is at every sale, driving on.

"Being honest with you, the last couple of days he has been very busy, fair play to Mr Johnston and Mr Woods, they loved him from the time they saw him. I knew there were people on him, but I didn't think he 'd make that kind of money. Fingers crossed, he goes on well on the track."

The colt's dam Silesie (by Magician) is a half-sister to Surfside Tiara (by Scat Daddy), a two-time winner in the US and a Grade 1 runner.

Smooth Daddy, a US Grade 3 winner of the nine-furlong Fort Macy Stakes, a race in which he beat the National Stud stallion Time Test, stood at a fee of €5,000 in 2019 when this colt was conceived.

Successful purchaser Charlie Johnston, who outbid the Woods family, said: "He’s a cracking individual. Obviously that was a lot more than I thought he would make, but he was a real stand-out.

"This is the first one I’ve seen by the sire, but Micheal used to work for us, many moons ago, so we know him well and it is a great start for his stallion. This is a sale that is quite close to my heart through Rose Of Kildare and this has cost a hell of a lot more than she did, but let’s hope he is as successful!

"He was just a really lovely model, with a great walk on him. Not over-big, but a real active, strong type and he looks a runner.

"We’re certainly always looking to increase the quality, but we’ll still be looking at the lower end for our syndicates as well. This is just the start of a big three or four weeks ahead so hopefully we’ll get plenty.”

"OVER THE MOON"

Michael Orlandi of Starfield Stud said: "Over the moon, huge result. It is great for the stallion, and for the people who have used the stallion. It is a great advertisement for him. Con Marnane bought a lovely colt yesterday, the Johnstons bought the colt today. They are great physicals, great movers, both are very strong."

Of this first crop, Orlandi outlined: "There is not a huge amount of them around, not a huge amount in the sales, but what there is is a good representation of the stallion. I think they will help the stallion - so if people see one by him they like them, rather than see a lot of them and a mixed bag. Hopefully, they are all winners next year – they have all been bought by good judges.

"I thought the colt would sell well and he would be popular. Noel Meade and Peter Nolan were on him, a couple of breeze-up guys, Dwayne Woods. Good judges, obviously looked at the individual and liked him, but liked the pedigree and the stallion, too.

"He covered 74 mares in his first season. Hopefully there is enough of them to get him enough runners to do well. There is a few that will breeze now, too.

"But Smooth Daddy is a stand-out individual, a super individual, walks well. A lot of the breeders who used him in the first year they came back so what they have they like. Hopefully, he can build a bit of momentum now."

READ LEO POWELL'S FULL SALE REPORT IN THE IRISH FIELD THIS WEEKEND

DAY 2 STATISTICS

Lots sold: 177

Aggregate: £5,083,500

Average: £28,720

Median: £22,000

FULL SALE STATISTICS

Lots sold: 402

Aggregate: £10,877,978

Average: £27,060

Median: £20,000

COMPARATIVE STATISTICS FOR THE PART I SALE

2021 2020 Change%

Catalogued 489 447 +9%

Withdrawn 41 51 -

Offered 448 396 -

Unsold 47 63 -

Sold 402 333 -

Aggregate £10,877,978 £7,288,317 +49%

Median £20,000 £16,000 +25%

Average £27,060 £21,886 +24%

% sold 90% 84% -