There was a change at the head of the Book 2 market Oct. 13 when a Lope de Vega colt with a big pedigree update fetched 650,000 guineas (US$903,500, 1 guinea=US$1.39).
The youngster was cataloged as a sibling to four winners, but that tally had risen to five by the time this colt hit the ring, with his 2-year-old half brother Sharadd having won novice events at Haydock Park Racecourse and York Racecourse by a combined 7 1/2 lengths.
Shadwell's Angus Gold made a determined play for the Yeomanstown Stud-consigned colt, but eventually finished runner-up to Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown.
"I thought he'd sell very well, but I didn't think he'd reach those heights," said Yeomanstown's David O'Callaghan. "He was an exceptional horse and the mare has done very well. She's produced a number of highly rated horses, and the 2-year-old looks very smart.
"He had everybody liking him, and for a Lope de Vega he looked very forward, mature, and definitely like a 2-year-old runner. People like the sire, they like the mare and it all came together."
The dam, Marygate Fillies Stakes second Silk Bow, was bought for just 50,000 guineas in 2016, but has now generated an equivalent of over 1,500,000 guineas in yearling sale receipts. Her brood includes William Haggas's classy sprint handicapper Binhareer, smart seven-time scorer Trefor and the listed-placed Wings of A Dove.
On the qualities possessed by Silk Bow, O'Callaghan said: "She's an absolute beauty. She's built like a tank and has a great walk. If you're going to produce good-looking yearlings you need good-looking mares, and she is a beauty. I actually bought her daughter Wings of A Dove a couple of years ago (for 42,000 guineas) and she's equally good looking. Wings of A Dove is in foal to Baaeed. She's producing them good, too."
Expanding on the decision to send Silk Bow to Ballylinch Stud's linchpin sire, O'Callaghan said: "She's been to Dark Angel three or four times and she's produced nice horse after nice horse, but we said we'd give her a change of scenery. It produced a lovely colt.
"We used to try and buy those ones to mix up the sires with yearlings in our draft, but we're probably sending out more mares than we typically did because we want to try and appeal to everybody."
Brown was unable to reveal training or ownership details, but said: "I thought it'd be tough to buy him. First of all, I thought he was an outstanding individual. The sire has done it over and over again, year after year. He comes from a great nursery and obviously there's been a huge pedigree update; the half brother looks very smart.
"Hopefully he's the sort of colt that can be running this time next year, or maybe even a little earlier, and then can make up into a smart 3-year-old. I thought he was a beauty."
Brown was joined by his son, Harry, who also gave the colt his seal of approval.
"My 11-year-old son just came from school, and when we were leaning on the rail, I said, 'That's the one we're going to try and buy,'" Brown added. "Harry said, 'That's a really nice horse,' so hopefully he's a good judge! I love looking at them in the parade ring, and he just looked different class to everything else walking around there. You see how they act, and he was a complete professional. He's pure class."
The six-figure transaction not only propelled Yeomanstown Stud to the head of the Book 2 vendors' chart, but it continued a good run of form that started last week. The family-run operation sold 10 lots during Book 1 for a combined 3,470,000 guineas, headlined by a Ghaiyyath colt bought by Godolphin for 1,300,000 guineas.
However, while O'Callaghan acknowledged the strength at the top of the market, he said the headline figures probably did not paint the full picture of a polarized marketplace.
"We've done OK," he said of the past five days of selling at Park Paddocks. "It's been a little bit thinner in spots than I'd have liked, but it's OK. It's still happening, but it's maybe not as easy as it has been in other years. I had a very good lineup of horses, but it's felt tricky in spots.
"Whether you bought them or bred them, they cost a lot to bring here; the cost of production is higher than ever. You need really, really good animals here because the competition is fierce. If you don't have them, then you'll miss out, but to get them is expensive. I've sold some really good horses here over the last two days at a loss. That's the game, I guess. You win some, you lose some."
Turnover of 27,380,000 guineas (US$ 38,058,200) was up fully 27% against the corresponding session 12 months ago, despite only nine more lots finding a buyer.
The average price was also up 22% to 123,335 guineas (US$171,436), and the median price improved 25% to 87,500 guineas (US$121,625). The clearance rate was also rock solid at 90% as 222 yearlings sold from 246 offered.
