Magnier smashes European record John Magnier broke the record for a yearling sold at auction in Europe on day one of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale. He was involved in a bidding war with David Redvers and then Sheikh Fahad for a Galileo full-brother to Secret Gesture and by the time the hammer came down the price stood at 3.6 million guineas. MV Magnier told www.tattersalls.com: "He has the pedigree, he ticks all the right boxes, he is by Galileo out of a Danehill mare - let's hope he has an engine. Galileo, of course, speaks for himself, but you 'd never think you'd have to go that far." The sale got off to a bright start when the Montjeu colt out of Madeira Mist was knocked down to Ross Doyle for 600,000 guineas on behalf of Sheikh Joaan's Al Shaqab Racing. Consigned from Lady Chryss O'Reilly's Castlemartin Stud, the full-brother to dual Grade One Canadian International winner Joshua Tree was knocked down to Doyle after he saw off a determined effort by Dermot Weld and Badgers Bloodstock's Grant Pritchard-Gordon, say alongside Russian owner/breeder Alexander Nezhenets. "He's a lovely horse," said Doyle. "We missed on one by the sire last week, but we are delighted to have bought this lad. He has a great pedigree, a very classy - there are some lovely horses here." The first two-year-olds by Sea The Stars have caught the eye of many good judges of late with a number of good quality winners who look top-quality prospects for next year and so it was no surprise that his yearlings were in such demand on the opening day of the October Yearling Sale Book 1. The highest-priced of his day 1 lots was lot 32, the colt out of Mood Swings consigned from Timmy Hyde's Camas Park Stud. The colt was knocked down to Mandore International's Nicholas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing and Sheikh Joaan for 550,000 guineas after he saw off agents John Warren, Ed Sackville and Jamie McCalmont. "We bought the Sea The Stars out of Alpine Rose last year," said Nicolas de Watrigant, "and we like him a lot. This is a good-walking, good-looking individual and we like the sire. We are not sure where he is going to go as yet." De Watrigant stuck again late in the afternoon when signing for lot 117, the Invincible Spirit filly out of Romie's Kastett. Consigned from John and Clodagh McStay's Oaklawn Stud, the filly was knocked down to the Mandore International principal on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for 600,000gns after a prolonged duel with John Ferguson.
