PROGENY of Havana Grey dominated Tuesday's Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.

The Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion was Europe's leading first season sire in 2022 with 43 winners and he is also the sire of recent Group 1 winner Vandeek.

Four of the top 12 lots at Tuesday's sale were by the son of Havana Gold (by Teofilo, by Galileo) and three of them were fillies.

Topping the session at 155,000gns was a filly bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud. Out of Minoria (by Harbour Watch), she is a half-sister to the Group 3 third It's Showtime Baby (by Showcasing) and she was purchased by Matt Coleman of the Stroud Coleman agency.

"She is a lovely filly, Havana Grey is almost a 'freak' stallion and is surpassing everyone's expectations," Coleman said. "This filly is a fantastic walker and has a similar movement to Vandeek, whom Anthony [Stroud] bought at the Craven Sale.

"Vandeek has that wonderful flowing action and this filly has that, too. She is the stand-out at the sale, Whitsbury is a fantastic breeder and we are looking forward to seeing her on the track."

He added: "She is for an existing owner and goes into training with George Scott. We were looking for fillies and we had two on the radar, fingers crossed she can do something good next year."

The filly was bought for owner Charlie Rosier and he said: "I fell in love with her. I went to Whitsbury and saw her and just looked at her and fell in love. I think there has been some lovely horses here, it is not a sale I have bought at before but we are very excited.

"We thought she'd be unaffordable, with the likes of Amo Racing here and lots of big owners.

"We had a winner with George Scott earlier in the week with Lieutenant Rascal and she joins the Rascal band, they are all called something Rascal. It is has been a fantastic day."

Six-figure lots

On a day when seven yearlings sold for six-figure sums, a total of 267 lots sold for a total of 8.5 million guineas, an 11% jump on last year. The clearance rate was over 88%. This year's average price came in at just over 32,000gns (up 5%) and the median was 28,000gns (up 8%).

The leading buyers on the day were Peter and Ross Doyle, who spent 479,000gns on eight horses. Highflyer bought five on behalf of owner Phil Cunningham for a total outlay of 303,000gns, and Rabbah Bloodstock signed for six horses, costing just under 300,000gns in total.

Agent Hamish Macauley bought three on behalf of Amo Racing, spending 263,000gns.

Monster pinhook

Gary Dowling of Drumhill Stud and Fearghal Hogan of Manton Park landed a monster touch when they sold a colt by Galiway for 145,000gns. They bought the horse for €27,000 as a foal at Arqana.

Galiway is the sire of Vauban and Sealiway. Bought today by Peter and Ross Doyle, this colt will be trained by Richard Hannon.

Referring to his late father Sean, an emotional Gary Dowling said: "He will have been looking down on us. That was our biggest touch, but Dad had some good days here."

Of the decision to offer the Galiway colt at the Somerville Sale, Dowling said: "We hoped he might stand out a bit at this sale, he is a very good physical and the sire is on fire. The mare is two from two with two juvenile winners, and thankfully the plan has paid off. I have never had a horse of this quality, and he was so busy. It is easily our best result, it is a magic and that it is why you do it.

"We bought him here and hoped he was going to make a few quid, but you are only dreaming to get to this level."

The colt's winning dam Golconde (Modigliani) is an own-sister to Magritte, a 2002 champion juvenile filly in Italy and winner of the Group 3 Premio Primi Passi.

Ross Doyle reported: "He is going to Richard Hannon. Richard said that he is an absolute smasher and we agreed. We saw the colt yesterday, and every time we went to see the horse, he did exact the same show. He came across as an absolute dude of a horse, he has been very well prepped by the lads. The stallion is capable of getting a very good horse and is on the up. I have not had one by Galiway but two good judges, Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins, have been telling me for years to 'get as many as you can' ... that is enough for me!

"The stallion can get anything, look at Vauban – he could win a Melbourne Cup. I don't think you push a horse like this yearling and he will tell Richard when he is ready and Richard will take his time. It is probably too over the top, but it would be nice if he could rock up in the Chesham."