Frankel pair star on final day of Tattersalls October Book 1

A filly and colt by Champion sire Frankel were the star turns on the third and final day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, selling for 1,600,000 guineas and 950,000 guineas respectively.

Taken from Tattersalls.com, 5th October 2023:

The first foal out of the champion two-year-old filly Millisle became the highest-priced filly at Book 1 of this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when selling for 1,600,000 guineas to Shadwell Estates after a prolonged bidding duel with Kieran Lalor from Al Shira’aa Stables, standing alongside David Cox. The daughter of Starspangledbanner won the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes as a two-year-old and was sold by Watership Down Stud on behalf of breeder Francis Jennings of Stonethorn Stud.

Shadwell Estates’ Angus Gold said outside the sale ring: "A lovely first foal, I saw her on the farm and loved her. We loved her every time we saw her as did Sheikha Hissa. We knew she'd make a lot of money, but we need some fillies for the stud and a first foal out of a Cheveley Park Stakes winner and by a great stallion, it was fairly self-explanatory. She seemed very athletic, very well balanced and has a very good mind, so now she has got to be able to run!"

Simon Marsh, General Manager of Watership Down Stud, commented: "She is a beautiful filly and was born and raised at Kiltinan Stud, our farm in Ireland. She has never put a foot wrong all her life and there were a lot of people interested in her. It is extremely rare to have a filly out of a Cheveley Park winner come up for sale, and as attractive as she is. It is a lot more than we thought she would make but I am not ultimately surprised."

"She is very similar to the mare, and she belongs to Francis Jennings whose father Jerry Jennings was a wonderful breeder and bred Sorbus, who became a foundation mare for Juddmonte. He also had Eurobird who was a very good horse who he bred from his farm in Northern Ireland. We have had the mares at Kiltinan Stud for the last fifteen years, and bred Millisle and raced her. It is just reward for Francis and his family who have put enormous trust in us to raise the horses."

The top priced colt on the final day of Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale was the Frankel colt out of the Listed placed Oasis Dream mare Materialistic who was knocked down to M V Magnier & White Birch Farm for 950,000 guineas. Underbidder on the Fittocks Stud consigned colt was Juddmonte Farms’ Simon Mockridge.

"It is a great family and this colt has always been a fantastic horse," said breeder Luca Cumani.
"Right from the moment he was born, he has looked strong and has been a wonderful horse all the way through. We sold a colt by Frankel to MV Magnier last year and he won yesterday - he was very green and was always going to take a while.

Sara Cumani added: "Materialistic is back in foal to Frankel." The pedigree is littered with top class performers including Group 1 winner Magic Wand and Irish Oaks winner Chiquita, and the Cumanis said: "It is a family that has been very good to us!"