George Washington's Half-Brother Tops Tattersalls October's First Session

Day one of Tattersalls' October yearling sale in England produced a 122,701 guineas average, up by 2% from 2005, and an 80,000 guineas median, up by 19%. Tuesday's 13,129,000 guineas turnover was down 7%, and the clearance rate was 75.4%.

A Pivotal half-brother to Aidan O'Brien's group I Two Thousand Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner George Washington and to Godolphin's multiple group I winner Grandera provided the only seven-figure transaction when making 1.2 million guineas.

John Ferguson, standing with Sheikh Mohammed in the sale pavilion's doorway, secured the colt -- bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables and consigned from Round Hill Stud -- after outbidding agent Tony Nerses, who was accompanied by trainer Jeremy Noseda and owner Saleh Al Homaizi.

Fillies with pedigree were in demand, and a first-crop Dalakhani filly out of group II Park Hill Stakes winner Delilah (by Bluebird) jumped in price from the 75,000 guineas she had cost Glidawn Stud as a foal to 600,000 guineas.

Charlie Gordon-Watson, buying for Saeed Suhail, outbid the Aga Khan's French stud manager Georges Rimaud for her.

A first-crop Oasis Dream colt out of First (by Highest Honor) also showed a good pinhook profit. He cost 135,000 guineas as a foal and 440,000 guineaswhen bought for Suhail by Gordon-Watson from Paul Shanahan's Ashtown House Stud.

Local agent Richard O'Gorman outbid Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson at 450,000 guineas for a Pivotal filly out of Dali's Grey (by Linamix) sold from Mary-Ann Penfold's Bugley Stud.