TUESDAY evening's Sceptre Session of valuable fillies and mares for sale at Tattersalls in Newmarket lived up to all the hype when 10 lots broke through the million guineas barrier.

Topping the trade was Group 1 winner Teona, in foal to Frankel, who was bought by Juddmonte for 4.5 million guineas.

Trained by Roger Varian, Teona (by Sea The Stars and out of the Group 1 winner Ambivalent) won the Prix Vermeille in 2021.

Bids came from all around the ring, as well as online, with Charlie Gordon Watson involved early on, as well as Anthony Stroud, who was standing with David Loder taking things along to an advanced level in the bidding, but it was Juddmonte Farms who was successful with Japan's Northern Farm the eventual underbidder.

"She is the best mare in the sale, she is a Group 1 winner out of a Group 1 winner, and they are very difficult to find," said Simon Mockridge of Juddmonte. "She is a beautiful addition for us, she has a great pedigree. She is by Sea The Stars, who has made a fantastic start as a broodmare sire and has had five Group 1 winners, she will fit in very well. She is an outcross to Frankel, which is ideal and what we are looking for. And, yes, she will be going back to Frankel!"

When asked if the final price was expected, he added: "You always have to stretch when you want to to buy the best, it is competitive. It was very strong bidding for her, I did think that around about 3,500,000gns to 4,000,000gns [we might get her].

"You have to make that extra stretch – that is something we have learnt, it is all very well trying to value them before but when you come to the moment you have to be a little stronger."

Huge profit

Minutes later this year's Group 1 winner Via Sistina sold for 2.7 million guineas to Australian buyers Evergreen Equine. She was sold by bloodstock agent Stephen Hillen who bought for just 5,000gns as a yearling.

Trained by George Boughey, the five-year-old Fastnet Rock mare won the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes and the Group 3 Prix Fille De l’Air. She was also twice Group 1 placed, most recently finishing second to King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Hillen said afterwards: "It was amazing to watch! It has been tremendous from the day one – she was with Jamie Magee to be broken her in and he has a lot of good stock through his hands – he rang me in February and said she is the biggest but she gets up the gallop better than all anything else!

"She was just so big and he did say she could be breezed as worked so well, but I said that we needed to race her. She did not go into training until August because her pedigree said to wait."

Recalling Via Sistina's 5,000gns purchase, he said: "I would have given a lot more for her at the time, she was a foal share and neither side wanted her. She needed a fair bit of imagination and, often when you buy this sort, most of them turn out to be no good. But she always just had something. She was an unbelievable walker but was just a bit of a frame.

"I am always patient with my horses. Any trainer will tell you that - I never put them under pressure. I might have my opinions from time to time, but I will wait and wait and wait!"

Going to stud

Get Ahead, a listed-winning and Group 1-placed half-sister to Chaldean, sold for 2.5 million guineas to a syndicate which has mares at Charlie Vigors' Hillwood Stud. Vigors had earlier paid 1.1 million guineas for Primo Bacio, a listed winner by Awtaad in foal to Frankel.

The Ralph Beckett-trained Group 1 winners Prosperous Voyage and Lezoo sold for 2.4 million guineas and 2.2 million guineas respectively. Katsumi Yoshida of Japan's Northern Farm bought Falmouth Stakes winner Prosperous Voyage and he also paid 2.2 million guineas for 1000 Guineas winner Cachet.

Moving to Ireland

Joseph O'Brien will train Rogue Millennium, after the Group 2 winner and Group 1 runner-up sold for 1.65 million guineas. Trained by Tom Clover, Rogue Millennium (by Dubawi) gave the Rogues Gallery syndicate a great day out at Royal Ascot last June when winning the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and she went on to finish second to Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

Buyer David Lanigan said: "She has been bought for Scott Heider and goes into training to Joseph O'Brien. She is the obvious filly in the sale, they have done a great job with her. She has a great temperament, she has been very sound to train and they have given good reports on her. Hopefully, she can be a filly for Saturdays and hopefully Group 1s.

"She was lightly trained as a two-year-old and is still improving. The races she has run below-par the ground has been too slow for her. The Matron was one of her best performances. She travelled in to the race very well and would have been a very good winner. Hopefully, she can repeat those performances and step up again."

The sale continues on Wednesday.