Following a record-smashing beginning to its October yearling sale last week in Newmarket, Tattersalls enjoyed strong trade on the first day of its Book 2 catalog to jump start week two Oct. 14.
Buoyed by a High Chaparral colt sold for the day's top price of 275,000 guineas ($461,778 in United States funds), the highest price at a Book 2 sale since 2008, economic indicators were up double digits across the board, compared with last year's corresponding session.
Tattersalls reported 194 of 232 horses offered as sold for total revenue of 8,980,500 guineas ($15,080,002), a 29% rise on opening day of Book 2 last year. In addition to the High Chaparral colt, 12 other horses sold for six figures, compared with 10 on the first day in 2012.
Average price and median were up 21.6% and 26.7%, respectively, to 46,291 guineas ($77,732) and 38,000 guineas ($63,809).
The clearance rate improved from 77.9% last year to 83.6%
Last week's three-day opening phase comprising horses in Tattersalls' elite Book 1 catalog concluded with a world-record price for a Galileo filly bought on day two by Qatar Sheikh Joaan Al Thani. On opening day Oct. 8, Coolmore's M.V. Magnier went to a European record price for an auction yearling when securing a colt by leading sire Galileo for 3.6 million guineas ($6,084,666).
Magnier struck for the highest-priced horse on opening day of Book 2, acquiring the High Chaparral colt out of the winning Dalakhani mare Middle Persia, a half sister to European group I winner Nayarra from the family of group I winner and prominent sire Invincible Spirit.
Magnier said Coolmore has enjoyed success with the family of the session-topping colt, who was offered by Lady O'Reilly's Castlemartin Stud.
Magnier bought second dam Massarra for 600,000 guineas ($1,036,476) from Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal Salman at the 2009 Tattersalls December sale after she produced Cape Cross filly Nayarra, eventual winner of the 2011 Premio Gran Criterium (Ity-I).
A half sister to group I-winning sprinter and prominent sire Invincible Spirit, Massarra is out of Prince Faisal's 1990 French Oaks (Fr-I) winner and matriarch Rafha. Massarra also is the dam of the Galileo filly Wonderfully, winner of the 2013 Silver Flash Stakes (Ire-III), and Galileo colt Mars, third in the 2013 St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot. Both are campaigned by Coolmore and associates.
"He is a very good-looking horse," Magnier said of the session-topping colt. "High Chap has been doing well lately. We've seen plenty of nice horses here this week."
A shuttler to the Southern Hemisphere, High Chaparral is based alongside leading European sire Galileo at Coolmore Stud in Ireland. Among 10 stakes winner this year, his top offspring include New Zealand champion It's a Dundeel, most recently winner of the Underwood Stakes (Aus-I) in Australia; and Toronado, winner of the 2013 QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Eng-I).
Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate Co. went to 180,000 guineas ($302,255), the day's second-highest price, for a Kyllachy colt from the family of European champion Dawn Approach, U.S. champion Miss Oceana, and multiple Canadian grade I winner Joshua Tree.
Offered by Bumble Mitchell, who co-bred the youngster with David Powell and Sally Nicholls, the British-bred chestnut colt was produced by the Medicean mare Naizak, a half sister to Swedish stakes winner Warming Trends. Her lone starter from Smart Salute, a 2-year-old winner a Newbury this year.
Kyllachy, a 15-year-old son of Pivotal, stands in England at Cheveley Park Stud. Among his top runners this year are sprinter standouts Sole Power, winner of King's Stand Stakes (Eng-I) and multiple group I-placed Krypton Factor.
"Kyllachy is a reliable sire, who works well with the damsire Medicean," Mitchell said. "This colt has always been my favorite, right from a foal."
Angus Gold, Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager, said the colt impressed him.
"Of the horses I have seen so far, he was my pick," Gold said. "He is a lovely horse; he showed himself off beautifully, and Bumble always does such a good job with her horses. We paid a little more than we had planned."
Ireland's Ringfort Stud's offered the day's top-priced filly, a daughter of Iffraaj filly bought by Armando Duarte for 150,000 guineas ($251,879).
The bay filly is out of the winning Desert Prince mare Princess Speedfit, who has four winners from six to race, including stakes winner Imperial Guest. Princess Speedfit is a half sister to French stakes winner Sibling Rival. Second dam Perfect Sister is a full sister to U.S. multiple grade I winner Frankly Perfect.
Iffraaf, a 12-year-old son of Zafonic, is based at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland. His standout runners in 2012 are Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-I) winner Chriselliam and multiple group I-placed Rizeena, winner of the Queen Mary Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot.
The Book 2 sale continues Oct. 15 with second of four sessions, beginning at 10:30 a.m. local time at Park Paddocks.