A colt and a filly by top international sire Galileo topped a strong Oct. 6 opening day of the Tattersalls October yearling sale in Newmarket, England.
Both session-toppers were purchased by John Magnier of Coolmore Stud, where Galileo stands.
Tattersalls reported 123 lots sold for 29,679,000 guineas ($47,492,024) and an average of 241,293 guineas ($386,003), up 47% and 28%, respectively, over last year.
The top lot for the day was a Galileo filly knocked down to Magnier for 1.3 million guineas ($2,067,429), fending off competition from China Horse Club's Michael Wallace as well as agents Hugo Lascelles, John Warren, and Stephen Hillen. Consigned from Peter Stanley's New England Stud, the filly cataloged as lot 30 is out of the Bernardini grade I-winning mare A Z Warrior.
"She is a lovely filly, and has always been straightforward and a pleasure to deal with; she is a queen," said Stanley. "It is always a relief; she was always going to make money, but you can never be sure."
The Galileo colt purchased by Magnier for 1.25 million guineas ($1,987,913) was consigned by Lodge Park Stud and was produced from Alluring Park, by Green Desert. He is a full brother to Investec Epsom Oaks winner (Eng-I) Was and to Al Naamah, who was sold for a European record $8,450,925 at the 2013 Tattersalls yearling sale.
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