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| Staff Writer |
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The second day of Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 witnessed an unprecedented surge in sales, with buyers from the Middle East leading the charge. The session broke records, achieving the highest grossing day in the sale's history, with six lots fetching 500,000 guineas or more.
Racing operations from the Gulf dominated the top end of the market, with Al Shaqab and Amo Racing jointly securing one of the day's joint top lots. Agent Alex Elliott, acting on their behalf, secured a Too Darn Hot filly for 600,000 guineas (US$823,691).
Elliott commented, "She has been split between Al Shaqab and Amo. A trainer is yet to be decided, but we have a team of trainers who we are very happy with and she will go to one of those. Both sides gave her top marks, she is by Too Darn Hot, who is a global stallion now, and she is out of a Galileo mare."
Matching the session-topping price, the Thoroughbred Racing Corporation secured a Sea The Stars filly for 600,000 guineas (US$823,691) in the final lot of the day. Jane Mangan, representing the buyer, outbid American agent David Ingordo in a determined effort.
Mangan explained, "We want to win classics, middle-distance classics. She fits that bill. She is by the right horse, she has a great damsire, she has got the scope to hopefully be good."
The session's impressive performance was reflected in significant increases across all key indicators. Total sales reached 24,639,000 guineas (US$33,824,868), marking a 36% increase from the corresponding session last year. The average price rose by 31% to 115,136 guineas (US$158,061), while the median saw a 14% boost to 75,000 guineas (US$102,961).
The sale of the Too Darn Hot filly marked an emotional milestone for Appletree Stud, reducing stud manager Robert "Choc" Thornton to tears. Thornton expressed his delight, saying, "Paul puts so much into the stud. She is a queen, I thought she'd get 200,000 guineas or so, and then thought maybe 400,000 guineas, but to do that... She has been a star all the way through."
The Gr.2 Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale has a rich history of producing top-class performers. Notable past graduates include Cracksman, winner of the Gr.1 Champion Stakes, and Advertise, who claimed victory in the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup. These success stories underscore the sale's reputation for offering high-quality yearlings with the potential to excel at the highest level of racing.
As the final session of Book 2 approaches, the unprecedented success of this year's sale has set a new benchmark for the industry, with buyers from the Middle East playing a pivotal role in driving the market to new heights.