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Three international racing powerhouses – Godolphin, Coolmore and Shadwell – were out in force at Book 1 of Tattersall’s October Yearling Sale, spending a cool twenty-three million guineas between them.
| Name | Number of Lots Purchased (2022) | Number of Lots Purchased (2023) | Total Spend (Guineas) | Average Spend (Guineas) | Top Lot (Guineas) |
| Godolphin | 35 | 20 | 12,030,000 | 601,500 | 1,500,000 |
| Coolmore (M V Magnier) | 16 | 9 | 7,300,000 | 811,111 | 2,000,000 |
| Shadwell | 2 | 7 | 3,660,000 | 522,857 | 1,600,000 |
Although the spend of twelve million guineas appears considerable on the surface, Godolphin invested significantly less at this year's Book 1 Sale compared to the previous year. The 'boys in blue' accumulated 25 million guineas worth of bloodstock over thirty-five lots in 2022, which was significantly higher than their previous spend of 9 million in 2021. The list of twenty purchases were dominated by Darley stallions, including three yearlings by Ghaiyyath, who will be having his first runners in 2024.
Godolphin were forced to go to 1.5 million guineas for a son of Blue Point, who is a half-brother to Shadwell's top-class sprinter Battaash and a full-brother to multiple Group 3 winner The Antarctic. Noted for his similarity to the sire, the bay colt is out of Anna Law, who was responsible for another expensive Book 1 purchase – her 2021 filly by Lope De Vega fetched 1.8 million guineas last year.
Other interesting acquisitions included a Havana Grey half-brother to the Group 1 placed sprinter Dragon Symbol (600,000gns), a son of Kingman who is a half-brother to Group winners Al Suhail and Starcaster (750,000gns) and a Lope De Vega half-brother to dual-Leger hero Eldar Eldarov.
Coolmore's purchases were down significantly compared to last year's sale, buying only 9 lots compared to the 16 in 2022. M V Magnier signed for the top lot of Book 1, a Frankel colt out of Bizzarria (Lemon Drop Kid) - currently the most expensive yearling purchased in Europe this year. Although the dam is yet to produce a Black Type performer, she is a half-sister to Group 1 and Grade 1 winners Star Catcher and Cannock Chase and the colt is the result of her first mating with Frankel.
It was no surprise to see Coolmore investing in their own stallion Wootton Bassett, picking up two colts by the sire. They were required to go to 1.25 million guineas for the Clara Stud colt, who is a half-brother to Group 1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde, whilst only 400,000 guineas was needed to acquire the son of Group 3 placed Musical Art, consigned by Highclere Stud.
After the success of Paddington this year, M V Magnier has continued to invest in French sire Siyouni, purchasing a French-bred colt from Newsells Park Stud. Out of French Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Vorda, the chestnut is a half-brother to Listed winner Saiga and a full-brother to Harfang, who won his sole start. Other acquisitions included two colts by No Nay Never and a Night Of Thunder filly.
Since the death of founder Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Makotum in March 2021, daughter Sheikha Hissa has endeavoured to reshape and restructure the Shadwell Farms operation. Aside from keeping the older horses in training, Sheikha Hissa has been keen to restock the breeding barns with fillies and it is worth noting that all seven of Shadwell's purchases at Book 1 were female.
They were required to go to 1.6 million guineas for the first foal out of Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle, consigned by Watership Down Stud. The chestnut Frankel filly boasts an exceptional international pedigree on the maternal side, with second-dam Green Castle producing four Black Type performers, including multiple New Zealand Group winner Gino Severini (Fastnet Rock).
Shadwell also purchased a Dubawi filly from Watership Down Stud for 450,000 guineas, out of US Grade 3 Violet Stakes placed Cushion. The dam has already achieved a successful mating with Dubawi, having produced Group 2 Queen's Vase third Hafit.
Although the majority of purchases were courtesy of proven sires, 85,000 guineas was spent on a daughter of first-season stallion Too Darn Hot, from a Coolmore family. Consigned by Willie Carson's Minster Enterprises, the bay filly is out of Truth, who is a Galileo full sister to Magic Wand and a half-sister to the dam of Emily Dickinson, Chicquita. Although the dam is yet to produce a Black Type winner from her two raced foals, Divertissement (Shalaa) has won twice in France as a three-year-old.
