Montjeu Colt, Compton Place Filly Set Pace at Tattersalls

Trade at the upper end of the market stepped down a level at Part 2 of Tattersalls' October yearling sale Thursday, with two 100,000-guinea lots sharing the top billing.

The National Stud's 315-member Never Say Die Club consigned the first of the pair, a Montjeu colt knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson, with Tim Corby the underbidder. The colt had been bought "in utero" inside Marciala (by Machiavellian) for 48,000 guineas at the 2004 Tattersalls December sale.

A Compton Place half-sister to recent stakes-winning juvenile Dubai's Touch (by Dr Fong) also made 100,000 guineas after agent Geoffrey Howson outbid Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for the Caherass Stud offering - a 28,000-guinea foal purchase.

Even though prices for the top-end offerings were down, there were increases overall for the yearlings sold.

The 181 horses sold Thursday brought 4,249,700 guineas. Their average price was 23,479 guineas, and their median was 20,000 guineas. Last year, the figures for the corresponding session were 132 horses sold, a gross of 2,689,500 guineas, an average of 20,375 guineas, and a median of 16,000 guineas.