Friday 11 October 2024
The Tattersalls Book 1 yearling sale proved to be a record one for the Aga Khan stallions.
SIYOUNI finished the sale as the second leading sire by average, achieving his top price to date for a yearling when a half-sister to Group 1 winner Ylang Ylang was knocked down to Godolphin for 3.7 million guineas. The filly – who ended up as the third highest priced yearling of Book 1 – was bred by Newsells Park Stud & Merry Fox Stud.
“She’s an exceptional filly to look at and a half-sister to a Group 1 winner,” said Anthony Stroud, who signed on behalf of the purchaser. “She looked like she had a wonderful temperament, she moved well. She’s by a wonderful stallion, out of a mare who’s produced a Group 1 winner, from a very good farm. She ticked all the boxes.”
Yearlings by SEA THE STARS were also in high demand, and with eight lots sold for 500,000gns and more, an average of 415,455gns and a top price of 1.6 million guineas, the stallion achieved his best ever results at Tattersalls.
The seven-figure full sister to Group 1 winner Sea Silk Road was sold to Godolphin, with Anthony Stroud commenting: “We were very keen on Sea Silk Road when she went to the sales. I thought she was a very nice filly, a smaller type of SEA THE STARS. She looked very racy and it’s a wonderful pedigree. I think she’ll be a valuable asset once she’s finished racing for the paddocks.”
Breeder Peter Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud confirmed that the mare was back in foal to SEA THE STARS and reflected on the stallion’s emerging potential as a broodmare sire. “He’s just kicking in. He’s going to be a massive influence. I’d say he’ll emulate even Galileo. They just seem to have such exceptional temperaments and they are so easy to mate as well. He seems to work with speed and stamina.”
ZARAK’s yearlings of 2024 are from his first crop conceived at €25,000, and at Tattersalls sold for an average of over 204,000gns – over 10 times his 2022 fee. His half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed Ottoman Fleet was also sold to Godolphin, for a career-high yearling price for ZARAK of 550,000gns.