AS storms and wars raged on, Park Paddocks basked in its own little bubble this week, as bloodstock’s biggest spenders clashed to set new records at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The average of 370,501gns was over 70,000gns higher than the sale’s previous record, while the 2022 high of 200,000gns was bettered by 50,000gns. Strength in depth was reflected by the clearance rate of 87%, justifying Tattersalls’ decision to slim the catalogue, with the eventual 393 yearlings offered being the lowest in the sale’s history.

Figures never paint the full picture, though; only those there trading can fully evaluate a sale. David Cox experienced all levels of trade when selling 15 yearlings for a total of 6,190,000gns, earning his Baroda Stud a second place in the leading consignors table.

“The top end was crazy,” Cox confirmed. “You’d have needed a crystal ball to predict that Amo would spend the way they did, going up against some other big players. There was a lot of money coming from the Middle East and a lot of the Americans struggled to buy.

“It wasn’t all like that though- your typical 60 to 80 grand horse was still making that price, people weren’t going mad at that level.”

A terrific few days for the Co Kildare operation was topped by a Dubawi colt sold to Godolphin for 1.5 million guineas and Amo Racing’s 1.1 million guineas outlay on a Frankel colt. “It was amazing for the farm, especially for clients’ homebreds that were bred there. The lads at home work so hard and the lads here at the sales have done a great job showing. It’s a long few weeks, a long few months for them, so it’s great when it’s rewarded in the end.”

A strong contingent of American buyers made an impact, and on whether he’s heard they’re staying for Book 2, Cox replies, “Hopefully, but it’s a long time for them to hang around. Really, it should be like America, where we have one dark day between sales and buyers can look at horses while the previous one is going on. Whereas now, we have Friday, Saturday and Sunday for showing and the sale doesn’t begin until Monday.”

The Americans weren’t the only ones who didn’t exhaust their spend, so there should be plenty of determined buyers next week. “It’s coming towards the end of the sales season and those who couldn’t fill their orders at the top end will have to start shopping at the middle to lower tiers. You’d like to think the strength at the top will have a trickledown effect.”

It’s a belief shared by Oghill Stud’s Johnny Hyland, who reflected: “All the different buyers - Americans, Amo, Godolphin, the Middle East- made it very competitive. A lot of breeze-up buyers and trainers didn’t manage to buy, so it bodes well for the future sales.”

Hyland brought a select but classy draft of two to Book 1, and enjoyed smart returns with both. Amanda Skiffington bought their New Bay half-sister to triple Group 3 winner Rose Of Kildare, conceived when the Ballylinch Stud sire stood for €37,500. “She was a queen of a filly and we were absolutely thrilled with the result,” Hyland commented. “She’s going to Paddy Twomey, who’s a very good trainer.”

Their next offering, a Dark Angel colt bought as a foal for €52,000, was resold to Peter and Richard Fahey for 115,000gns. “He comes from a very good Moyglare family and more than doubled his money if you take the sterling into account, so we were very happy.”

Hyland concluded: “I’ve never seen a sale as busy- they were four-deep around the outside ring, you wouldn’t see the likes of it at the races. I’ve never seen as many vets in our yard and vetting was up 35%. Though we only had two horses, they’d have walked 30km during showing.

“I wish my father was here to ask him if he ever saw the likes of it.” One thing’s for sure, Johnny’s father Hugh, who passed away two years ago, would be very proud of what his son is achieving at the family farm.

Report & results >> 42-47