On top of the world – again!

We’re one week down, one to go at Tattersalls but what a week we had for Book 1. After sharing the top honours with Meon Valley Stud last year when selling Philippa Cooper’s Dubawi colt out of Fallen For You for 2.6 million gns we hardly dared believe that we could do it again. But thanks to a stellar filly called Gloam (pictured right) and the honour of being asked to consign this lovely daughter of Galileo out of Dank by her James Wigan, Norris Bloodstock was once again for the top lot at the Tattersalls October Sale in only the second year of consigning under our own banner.

We had a couple of withdrawals from Book 1 but also sold a lovely Kingman colt for Normandie Stud as well as a good strong Lope De Vega colt. Jenny and I really must thank all the breeders who have once again entrusted their horses to us, and to our excellent team, both at home and at the sales, especially Conor and Rachael Andre, who have been with us right the way through.

We head into Book 2 tomorrow and we’ve already had plenty of shows for the seven horses we have to sell this week, which include a very athletic daughter of Lawman and colts by Kodiac, Showcasing, Dandy Man, Iffraaj, Swiss Spirit and Lope De Vega. We also have two nice colts by Poet’s Voice to offer in Book 3 on Thursday.

William and I have both been busy on the buying side, too, and managed to strike early on the first day of Book 1. For Happy Valley Breeding & Racing we bought two colts to be trained by Jeremy Noseda and Stuart Williams. I was really impressed with the first yearlings I saw last week by No Nay Never – they looked strong, compact and racy, and I hope the colt we bought by him from Camas Park Stud will do well with Jeremy. Stuart will handle the career of a scopey son of Lope De Vega bought from Ballylinch Stud.

We were really fortunate also to buy a yearling filly from the dispersal of the great nursery Ballymacoll Stud. The daughter of Exceed And Excel and Liber Nauticus will go into training with Sir Mark Prescott for John Pearce Racing.

We’re on the hunt for more yearlings this week in Newmarket and then we sail for France next weekend for the Arqana October Sale in Deauville, hopefully after a successful conclusion to Books 2 and 3 at Tattersalls.