O'Byrne, who outbid agent Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, purchased the colt on behalf of Michael Tabor, John Magnier and new European Coolmore partner Derrick Smith. He will go into training with Aidan O'Brien, who conditioned both Second Empire and the colt's other black type siblings Balestrini and Hemingway.
Agent Will Edmeades purchased the other six-figure lot, paying 110,000 guineas for an Indian Ridge filly out of listed winner Lady Of Kildare consigned by Jockey Hall Stud. Edmeades was purchasing for an owner with local trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
The 13,500 guineas median and 20,086 guineas average both fell just short of last year's record figures 20,560 guineas and 14,000 guineas, respectively, and the 2,812,100 guineas total aggregate was down 15% from last year's gross of 3,310,200 guineas.
The December Sale continues Wednesday with the first of four days of foals.