Godolphin sets European yearling colt record with 4.6m-guinea Tattersalls purchase

Godolphin paid 4.6 million guineas (AU$9.18 million) for a Night Of Thunder colt at the opening session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 at Newmarket on Tuesday, setting a European record for a yearling colt.

Consigned by Norelands, Lot 130 was bred by Sunderland Holdings and is out of the Lope De Vega mare My Astra, a Group 1 runner-up and half-sister to Australian Group 2 winner My Oberon and My Prospero.

The bidding narrowed to Anthony Stroud, acting for Godolphin, and M.V. Magnier after passing 2.5 million guineas (AU$4.99 million). Magnier lifted the price from 3.6 million guineas (AU$7.19 million) to 4 million guineas (AU$7.98 million), but Stroud secured the colt.

“He is a particularly taking individual by Night Of Thunder from a very good family,” Stroud told Tattersalls.

“He’s got the looks, he’s got stallion potential, and he comes from a very good stud. We couldn’t be happier. It was the top end of our valuation.”

The colt’s price was 900,000 guineas above the 3.7 million-guinea opening-day high (AU$7.39 million) achieved last year by a Sea The Stars colt, also bought by Godolphin.

Godolphin also bought Croom House Stud’s Wootton Bassett colt out of Loch Lein for 3.8 million guineas (AU$7.59 million), the session’s second-highest price.

Coolmore was underbidder on Lot 87, with both teams bidding from outside the ring.

Stroud, bidding for Godolphin, told Tattersalls: “He is an outstanding horse and there are not many more to come from Wootton Bassett now.”

“This colt is from a wonderful farm that has bred countless good horses and the whole team liked him.”

Loch Lein, by Invincible Spirit, won twice for Jessica Harrington, including the Listed Prix Amandine, and finished third in the Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes and Group 3 Sceptre Stakes.

Her Wootton Bassett colt is a half-brother to Treanmor, the Frankel colt Godolphin bought for €2 million at the 2024 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale and subsequently sent to Charlie Appleby.

The family also includes American Grade 1 winners Bandini and Out For A Spin, and four-time Group 1 winner Lord North.

Croom House Stud proprietor Denis Brosnan had valued the colt at 2 million guineas (AU$3.99 million), well below his eventual sale price.

“Obviously we are very happy. We thought he was a two million guineas colt coming here, but to almost double that is amazing,” Brosnan said.

Loch Lein’s dam, Ashley Hall, was the most expensive mare Croom House had bought, according to Brosnan.

“She cost $850,000 in America and hails from one of the great global pedigrees. We never made money from the family until Loch Lein came along,” he said.

Godolphin finished as the session’s leading buyer, purchasing 11 yearlings for 15.73 million guineas (AU$31.4 million). Its other purchases included Hillwood Stud’s Frankel colt out of Get Ahead for 1.8 million guineas (AU$3.59 million) and Yeomanstown Stud’s Ghaiyyath colt out of Maria Christina for 1.3 million guineas (AU$2.59 million).

Purchased as a foal for €200,000, the Ghaiyyath colt was Yeomanstown’s first yearling to sell for seven figures.

Wootton Bassett also supplied the session’s 2.6 million-guinea (AU$5.19 million) filly out of Group 1 Matron Stakes winner No Speak Alexander. Bred by Mountarmstrong Stud, she was bought by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock.

Turnover reached 46,778,000 guineas (AU$93.37 million), up 16 per cent on last year’s opening session. The average rose 26 per cent to 406,765 guineas (AU$811,936), while the median increased 14 per cent to 240,000 guineas (AU$479,060).

Book 1 continues on Wednesday.