A SON of Sea The Stars topped the first session of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Monday, when fetching 800,000gns.

It is the fourth-best Book 2 price ever and the best since 2019. Sold by Fiona Marner and Windmill Farm in Berkshire, the colt was one of seven bought on Monday by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock. This purchase will be trained by John Gosden "for a long-standing client." M.V. Magnier was the underbidder.

Marner said: "We have a lot to thank John Clarke [racing manager for Sea The Stars owner Mrs Tsui] for as we had the foal share to Sea The Stars. The mare is back in-foal to the sire, carrying a colt. She did not have a foal this spring and it is just fabulous to have such a good first foal out of her."

Anthony Stroud said: "A very good-looking horse with a good pedigree. The nick works quite well, with the Shamardal mare and also you have Al Aasy, by Sea The Stars, in the family, too. He’ll be trained by John Gosden for a long established client."

Frankel colt

Late in the evening the only Frankel yearling on offer during Monday's session sold for 700,000gns to agent Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland.

The colt was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock and sold by the Swinburn family's Genesis Green Stud.

Donohoe said: "The colt is by the sire of the moment, Frankel is doing everything on the racetrack and in the sale ring – the two hottest sires are top and bottom of the pedigree as he is out of the Dubawi mare.

"This colt is a great individual and wouldn't have looked out of place in Book 1. We are surprised by the price we had to give, it was our last bid but we are delighted to have got him."

BBA Ireland finished second in the day's spending table, giving 1.1 million guineas for six horses. A notable new entry in the top 10 was trainer Paddy Twomey who spent 565,000gns on three fillies by Lope De Vega (375,000gns), Showcasing (160,000gns) and Expert Eye (30,000gns).

Of the 243 lots offered on Monday, 209 were sold for a clearance rate of 86% which is exactly the same as this day last year. Today's average price of 89,081gns was less than 1% lower than last year, and the median price of 65,000gns is 7% lower than last year's 70,000gns.

The three-day Book 2 sale continues on Tuesday.