he 2023 renewal of the Tattersalls October yearling sales saw Watership Down consign a total of eighteen yearlings during Book 1. We were thrilled to welcome lots of familiar faces as well as many international buyers to inspect our draft throughout the week.
We were delighted to offer outstanding two lots by our own, Too Darn Hot on the first day of the sale and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Lot 60, a colt out of Rocana was a real stand out physically, which subsequently showed in the ring when the hammer fell to Stroud Coleman for 310,000gns. He’s a half-brother to Canberra Legend and multiple Group performer Youth Spirit.
Lot 159, an outstanding Too Darn Hot filly, the second foal out of Naas Oaks Trial winner, Trethias, concluded our first day in the ring when selling to Japans’ Koji Maeda for 300,000gns. This filly has a half-brother by Dubawi in training for her owners Stonethorn Stud Farms. We’re really looking forward to watching this exciting juvenile family develop.
The first of four yearlings by Frankel from our draft opened the penultimate day of Book 1 for us, lot 251. An outstanding son of the infamous Floors Stud mare, Attraction, made this colt a full Brother to Elarqam. He went on to reach 575,000gns, selling to Blandford Bloodstock.
Floors Stud also offered our next lot, 299 one of only three fillies in our draft. She is the last foal out of Cushion, a fantastic race mare herself and a daughter of Attraction. This filly is by Dubawi, making her a full sister to G2 Queens Vase placed, Hafit. Shadwell Estate Co struck early for this filly at 450,000gns and it seemed in keeping with their buying pattern of investing into substantial filly families. She has a beautiful physical and was very popular before entering the ring.
Shadwell were to set the ring alight in the culmination of our Book 1 sale when we offered a very special filly on behalf by owner breeders’ Stonethorn Stud Farms. The first foal out of their champion filly, Millisle. The Frankel filly really did tick all the boxes, she behaved like a true professional throughout the week and was hard to fault physically. Sheikha Hissa Hamdan showed plenty of interest in the filly and visited her at least twice before she reached the ring, fighting to win the bidding battle to secure the filly for 1.6million guineas. The top price for a filly at the sale.
Watership Down Stud ended up second on the consignors list by average selling price, with less than half the total of horses sold by the leading consignor. We would like to thank all our clients, purchasers and staff for another very successful Book 1 sale. We wish all our horses every success and look forward to watching their careers on the racecourse closely.
Photo of Book 1 sale topping filly Frankel x Millisle 2022, bred by Stonethorn Farm Studs and purchased by Shadwell Estate Co for 1.6million guineas
