Bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson and his client Craig Bennett dominated business Oct. 12 on the final session of Book One of Tattersalls’ 2007 October sale, including setting a world record for a yearling filly.
A full sister to recent Fillies’ Mile (Eng-I) winner Listen (Sadler’s Wells—Brigid, by Irish River) bred by Brittas House Stud and consigned from Mark Dwyer’s Oaks Farm Stables set the record of 2.5 million guineas ($5,330,000) after Gordon-Watson prevailed in a duel with agent Simon Christian, who was sitting with client Patrick Fahey.
Bennett, who will be represented in next month’s Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) by Purple Moon, will send his purchase to trainer Luca Cumani before she joins his breeding operation under the Merry Fox Stud banner, although his mares will be boarded at various farms.
A Giant’s Causeway filly out of the Machiavellian mare Ellen, purchased "n utero at the 2005 Keeneland November sale for $625,000 by agent Adrian Nicoll, more than returned that price when offered from Lady Joanna and Richard Wellesley’s Marston Stud.
Gordon-Watson once again outbid Christian and Fahey to get the filly for 1 million guineas ($2,132,000) and she will go into training with James Fanshawe.
But Gordon-Watson would give nothing away about where a 1 million gns Dalakhani colt from a Meon Valley Stud family might be heading.
With an increased catalog, the 64.9 million guineas ($138.36 million) gross was 18% up from last year’s October Book One figure of 55 million guineas, although the 127,063 guineas ($271,000) average remained static and the 80,000 guineas median remained static.
Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony reflected: "We would have to be satisfied with the way Book One of our October yearling sale has gone, and it was wonderful to end the week on a high with the new world-record price and record turnover for the sale.
"The introduction of the £2,200,000 Tattersalls Timeform Millions has without doubt brought the trainers out in greater numbers, and they have made a major contribution from start to finish, but the real feature of the week has been the particularly robust top end of the market."
He added: "The market has, however, been selective at times and the sheer number of yearlings cataloged can seem a little daunting, but the significant increase in turnover this week is a real positive. We have two more good catalogs to come, and we will be able to assess the state of play fully at the end of Book Three."
Sadler's Wells filly tops day one of Tattersalls yearling sale.
Trevor Jones