Champion South African owners Mayfair Speculators took another step with their ever widening global footprint when partnering in the purchase of the top-selling lot on the second day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket on Wednesday.
Dubawi – Sky Lantern colt
A remarkable eight yearlings sold for a million guineas or more on the second day, taking the number of seven figure lots to twelve, three more than at last year’s s sale with today’s (Thursday) session still to come.
The Wednesday top eight comprised of five Dubawi’s, two Galileo’s and a Frankel.
MV Magnier purchased the first foal of the Champion racemare Sky Lantern, whose Group 1 victories included the 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes, on behalf of a partnership that included Mayfair Speculators.
The yearling colt by Dubawi, who was consigned by Highclere Stud on behalf of Rockcliffe Stud’s Keswick family, was knocked down for 2,000,000 guineas after he saw off Qatar Racings David Redvers, trainer Roger Varian and agent Alastair Donald.
Dubawi (Dubai Millennium – Zomaradah)
Successful purchaser MV Magnier, who bought the horse on behalf of a partnership including Mayfair Speculators commented;
“He is out of a brilliant racemare who was a champion two-year-old and who went on to win the 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes and become a champion three-year-old. She was a very quick filly. We are all about finding the right horse,” said Magnier.
The second day saw a total of 114 lots realise 33,724,000 guineas, a rise of 28% on 2016, whilst the average and median rose 47% and 33% to 295,825 guineas and 160,000 guineas.
One of the most exciting pedigrees in the catalogue was the Galileo filly out of the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Vadawina whose foals include the Group 2 winner Vadamar, as well as this seasons Group 3 Tyros Stakes winner The Pentago, who is the early favourite for next years Derby at 10-1. Consigned by David & Diane Nagles Barronstown Stud, the filly caught the attention of Narvick Internationals Emmanuel de Seroux and Broadhurst Agencys Laurent Benoit but neither of the pair could match US agent Justin Casse whose bid of 1,550,000 guineas secured the prize.
The Galileo – Vadawina filly – a ‘collector’s item’!
‘She is a collector’s item,” said Casse. “She is for a US client who has had horses in the US for a long time but this is his first foray in to racing in Europe. She will stay in Europe.
“There are four or five sires in the world that everyone wants, and Galileo is top of that list. With her pedigree page she has great residual value and with The Pentagon such a prospect we could have a couple of fun years.”
