Shamardal colt tops Yearling Sale opening at 370,000 guineas

There was a sensational start to the opening day of Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale yesterday, with 11 lots bettering the 200,000 guineas mark.

Seven lots topped the 300,000 guineas mark, including the session topping Shamardal colt at 370,000 guineas, which was the highest price at this sale since 2008. A total of 227 lots were sold for 15,511,000 guineas, a rise of 73% on the 2013 opening session whilst the average and median rose 48% and 37% respectively to 68,330 guineas and 52,000 guineas. The clearance rate was an impressive 89%.

The top lot for the day was the Shamardal colt, which was knocked down to Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson for 370,000 guineas.

Consigned by Stauffenberg Bloodstock, having been bred by Haras de Saint Pair, the colt is out of Group 3 winner Via Milano and a half-brother to Group 3 winner Via Medici.

The second highest price for the day and one of six lots to top 300,000 guineas was the filly by Derby winner Pour Moi out of the Dubai Destination mare Sistine, which sold for 350,000 guineas.

The filly certainly has a Classic pedigree being out of a three-parts-sister to the Derby winner Camelot and was knocked down to John Warren for 350,000gns.