Book 1

With only the second yearling in the ring the seven-figure barrier was breached at Tattersalls as lot 3, the Dubawi (Ire) filly out of the G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), was sold to Godolphin for 1,300,000gns. Bred by the Weinfeld family's Meon Valley Stud, the filly is a grand-daughter of G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic) from one of the Hampshire nursery's signature families of Reprocolor (GB).   well that didn't take long! . # A filly by Dubawi...

NEWMARKET, UK-It is going to require a Herculean effort to plunder the best of what is on offer at Tattersalls, according to leading bloodstock agent Alex Elliott who, on the eve of the eagerly-anticipated Book 1 session, described the stock on offer as being "the cream of the crop".  With Sheikh Mohommad, Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum, Aidan O'Brien, John Gosden, Yoshito Tahagi, Chad Brown and a host of American and foreign buyers in attendance at Newmarket on Monday, Elliott is expecting more mayhem in the sales ring this week. ...

NEWMARKET, UK--There may be some pretty important racing going on across the Channel, but Sunday morning at Park Paddocks was all business as buyers from across the world assembled to assess the potential stars of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Tense though these last few days of inspections can be, one man who can permit himself a small smile of satisfaction is Adrian O'Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock. The back cover of the Tattersalls catalogue traditionally features photographs of some of the sale's key recent graduates, and of...

The makers of the popular BBC programme Country File could easily film a riveting episode just within the 700 acres of Nottinghamshire countryside that is Whatton Manor Stud. The farm is home to Longhorn cattle and rare breeds such as Wensleydale sheep and Suffolk Punch horses. But its main business is of course the breeding and rearing of thoroughbreds, something the Player family has done increasingly well in the 40 years since Peter Player inherited the farm from his aunt. An inheritance of a plot of such rich land deep...

There are undoubtedly many good reasons to have a rounded life with interests beyond the breeding, training, buying and selling of a supreme equine athlete who can run faster than his contemporaries. Those of us whose waking hours are mostly consumed by one or more of these bloodstock industry pursuits can rightly be accused of not getting out more, particularly at this time of year. But when the daily non-racing headlines revolve around the British economy in freefall, hurricanes and floods decimating parts of the world, and President Putin looming...

13.25 Punchestown, Mdn, €15,000, 2yo, f, 7fT Coolmore and Westerberg's LAMBADA (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}), one of two representing Aidan O'Brien, is a daughter of G2 Rockfel S. victrix Wading (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and thus a half-sister to G2 Rockfel S. winner and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and G1 Matron S. placegetter Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}). She is joined by stablemate Promises To Keep (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a full-sister to three black-type performers headed by G1 Irish Derby and G1 Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire). 14.00 Punchestown, Mdn, €12,500,...

Half-siblings to this season's Classic heroes Desert Crown (GB) and Cachet (Ire) head a list of elite yearlings heading to Book 1 of the the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. With 549 lots catalogued across the three days, relations to recent Group 1 winners Perfect Power (Ire), Alcohol Free (Ire) and Inspiral (GB) also feature, along with siblings to 2015 Horse of the Year Golden Horn (GB), Classic-winning brothers Magna Grecia (Ire) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Arc winner Waldgeist (GB), and sprint sensation Battaash (Ire). The half-brother to Derby winner...

Here's a conundrum for you. When does your outstanding yearling become merely one that stands out? It's something the Keeneland sales team find themselves asking a great deal right now, out on the farms, during the annual process of sieving entries into the right tier of the world's biggest yearling catalog. Time after time, they run into the same, nearly superstitious nervousness among some consignors about September Book 1. The action is too tight at the top end. Let this guy be a big fish in a smaller pond. Well,...

Grade I winner Paris Lights (Curlin--Paris Bikini, by Bernardini) has been supplemented to Book1 of the Keeneland November Sale, which will be held Nov. 10-19. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect. Bred by WinStar Farm and campaigned by WinStar Stablemates Racing, Paris Lights won last term's GI CCA Oaks and this year's GIII Distaff H. "Paris Lights is the whole package," WinStar Farm President and CEO Elliott Walden said. "She has a Grace I race record combined with a world-class pedigree. We are...

The lungs have been filled and we go again. Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale kicks off on Monday, launching another six days of activity at Park Paddocks. If that action is anywhere near as frenetic as it was during Book 1, then there will be plenty of happy breeders and vendors in Newmarket this week. In a fashion particularly seen at elite sales, Book 1 was perhaps a little slowly into stride last Tuesday, as buyers and consignors alike tried to get a handle on the market....

By Emma Berry and Kelsey Riley NEWMARKET, UK--Philipp Stauffenberg is well known for being a pretty fearless pinhooker but he surpassed even his own decent results of the recent past when selling a full-sister to Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) to Cheveley Park Stud for 825,000gns. A further compliment to the filly's family was paid by having the team from Juddmonte as underbidders, and this type of scenario was in Stauffenberg's mind when he paid €260,000 for lot 110 at Goffs last December. "She was a very good physical but...

by Brian DiDonato, Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - If Monday's first session of the Keeneland September sale was solid, Tuesday's second day of selling and final Book 1 session was very strong. Three yearlings hit the seven-figure mark during the opener, and another eight brought that amount or more on Tuesday, led by the current sale-topping $1.6-million Quality Road colt. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, the well-related hip 300 was purchased by Woodford Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds. "It was a great...