The record price at Book 2 of th Tattersalls October Yearling Sale was broken twice on the opening day, initially when a colt by NO NAY NEVER sold for 900,000 to MV Magnier and then a couple of hours later when Shadwell Estates secured a DARK ANGEL filly for 1,050,000 guineas.
Dark Angel Filly Breaks October 2 Sale Record at 1,050,000 Guineas
The record price at Book 2 was broken for a second time within a couple of hours when the DARK ANGEL filly out of the PIVOTAL mare ALLEZ ALAIA from Ballyhimikin Stud was sold to Shadwell Estates' Angus Gold for 1,050,000 guineas. The grand-daughter of the once in a lifetime mare CASSANDRA GO caught the attention of many in the sale ring including US agent Liz Crow, Charlie Gordon-Watson with the Watership Down team and eventual underbidder Kevin Ryan.
"What can you say – that was amazing!" said breeder Trevor Stewart. "People said I was smiling at the 450,000 guineas mark... it is what you hope for, two people to take on the bidding to such a figure, but it is difficult for it to actually happen after passing the 500,000 guineas."
He continued: "It is just such an amazing family, I am so lucky. We decided to sell in Book 2 because we had a few Dark Angels and wanted to split them up, we hoped she'd be a stand-out in this sale."
Of the decision to sell, Stewart said: "Even at lunchtime I was wondering whether I should sell or not! I do have a lot of the family and something has to go at some point, and money, especially when it is a million guineas, does count! Who can refuse that?
"I think it will probably be the last filly from the family that I sell so it does mean there is a rarity value – Shadwell should think they are lucky!"
Stewart recounted his purchase of CASSANDRA GO, probably one of the luckiest moments in bloodstock history.
"I bought her almost as a mistake; I was very innocent and thought I was being cool!" he laughs of his purchase from Corduff Stud for 200,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Houghton Yearling Sale in 1997. "I tried to sell a share after and no one was interested. The rest as they say is history, I am very lucky."
CASSANDRA GO, a daughter of INDIAN RIDGE, went onto win the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes and the Group 2 Temple Stakes and be Group 1-placed in the July Cup.
She is dam of Irish 1,000 Guineas winner HALFWAY TO HEAVEN, dam of the Group 1 winners MAGICAL and RHODODENDRON, and of the Group winner THEANN, dam of Grade 1 winner PHOTO CALL and of Group 2 Richmond Stakes winner LAND FORCE.
Successful buyer Gold said: "Sheikh Hamdan saw the filly this morning, he was particularly looking for fillies.
"She is from a great family, a great farm and a successful breeder. It is a family that is difficult to get into."
MV Magnier Secures No Nay Never Colt for 900,000 Guineas
MV Magnier secured the NO NAY NEVER colt from Croom House Stud for 900,000 guineas after a bidding duel with Anthony Stroud. The sale was the highest ever achieved at this fixture for just a couple of hours before being eclipsed by the DARK ANGEL filly that realised 1,050,000 guineas.
The Stud's owner Denis Brosnan said;"He has been outstanding, No Nay Never is very exciting and this colt's Montjeu half-sister is already a black-type-producing mare.
"It is some years back now that we bought the mare in France – she was carrying her first foal and we paid 480,000 Euros, lots of people said we'd paid too much."
Joe Hartigan, general manager at Croom, added: "He has taken this all so well. He has had over 130 shows and he was the same in all of them, 100 per cent – he has a great mind.
"Even those who had not got him on their lists, if I took them to see him just said, 'wow!'. All the right people were on him coming to the ring."
NO NAY NEVER is sire of the Group 1 July Cup winner TEN SOVEREIGNS and five Group 2 winners, including the Coventry Stakes winner ARIZONA, who finished second in last weekend's Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.
Tattersalls Release
