Montjeu Colt Tops Day 3 of Tattersalls Oct. Sale

A German-bred colt by Montjeu colt consigned by Peter Kavanagh's Irish-based Kildaragh Stud topped day three of the Tattersalls October yearling sale in Newmarket Wednesday when realizing 320,000guineas (approx. $525,500).

Local agent Anthony Stroud bought the colt for Sheikh Rashid al Maktoum, who will have his purchased trained in Newmarket by Michael Bell.

Two other lots reached the 300,000 guineas ($492,700) mark, both prepared at Highclere Stud in Berkshire.

John Ferguson and Sheikh Mohammed seemed to have secured the first of the pair, a Danehill colt jointly bred by Highclere Stud, but when Demi O'Byrne bettered their 300,000gns bid by 10,000gns, the Darley teamed walked out of the sale ring. The colt will be trained in Ireland, although not necessarily at Ballydoyle.

Later O'Byrne came off second best for a 300,000 guineas American-bred Giant's Causeway colt out of Australian group II winner Langoustine , by Danehill, who had been prepared at Highclere for Lord and Lady Vestey's Stowell Park Stud.

Roger Charlton will train the colt for Mountgrange Stud after he was bought by agent Charlie Gordon-Watson.

Lord Vestey had a quarter interest in Langoustine when she was offered carrying the colt at the Keeneland November Sale in 2002. He bought out his partners when paying $900,000 for the mare.

Yesterday's sale saw 160 lots sold for a total of 12,707,000 guineas ($20.87 million) at an average of 79,418guineas ($130,430). The median was 60,000 guineas ($98,540).

Part 1 of the October sale finishes Friday with a session beginning at 11:30 a.m. Part 2 begins on Monday, Oct. 11 running through to next Saturday.