Peruvian striker nets the top lot during opening of Book 3

A memorable sales ring result came the way of Claudio Pizarro's fledgling breeding operation on Thursday at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale when a Bated Breath colt bred by the international footballer sold for a session-topping 85,000gns.

Trade at the top end of the market was some way removed from the heady heights of 2016, which featured a record-setting 200,000gns Kodiac colt. However, a total of 11 yearlings sold for 60,000gns or more on Thursday, compared to nine overall during the opening day last year.

Joe Foley, acting on behalf of Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics, landed the Bated Breath colt, who was bred by Pizarro's El Catorce Partnership out of the Galileo mare Sky Crystal.

The mare boasts a strong foundation as a granddaughter of multiple stakes producer Crystal Spray and has hit the ground running at stud herself with her first foal, Pellucid, who ran third in last year's Dick Poole Stakes for David Simcock.

"He's by a sire we like," said Foley. "The first foal was very smart and he's a very good colt with deep pedigree. I really liked the way he moves."

Busy day for Stroud Coleman

One young stallion who has created a really good impression over the past few weeks is Lanwades Stud's Sea The Moon and that trend continued on Thursday in the form of a relation to Group 1 winner Lady Jane Digby who sold to Anthony Stroud for 80,000gns.

Sold by Britton House Stud, the colt represented a pinhooking triumph for connections, having been pinhooked by Corps Commerce for a relatively inexpensive 25,000gns last year.

"He's an athletic colt, a really good mover by a stallion I like," said Stroud, acting on behalf of an 'existing client' who plans to race him in Britain. "He's a big scopey horse but I thought he was really light on his feet. He's a nice long term prospect.

The Sea The Moon colt who was pinhooked by Corps Commerce for 25,000gns as a foal and sold yesterday for 80,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

Stroud Coleman also came away with two of the dearest Farhh yearlings to go through the ring, with Anthony Stroud going to 75,000gns for Voute Sales' colt out of Island Babe from the immediate family of Prix Saint-Alary winner Sobetsu and Matt Coleman landing a colt out of Catchline from Barton Stud for 67,000gns.

A busy day for the agency also included the purchase of a Camacho colt related to classy sprinter Monsieur Joe for 68,000gns from breeder Nicola Kent.

Matt Coleman signed the docket on behalf of Thurloe Thoroughbreds and is hopeful that the new recruit can follow a similar path to his half-brother Arcavallo, who ran second in Saturday's £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.

"Anthony [Stroud] and I bought Monsieur Joe and so we know the pedigree well," said Coleman.

"His half-brother, Arcavallo, was just beaten in the sales race last weekend, so let's hope this guy can go one place better.

"He is a big, strong man of a horse and should be really suited by the race."

In the family

Out of the unraced Barathea mare Pashmini, a half-sister to Prix du Petit Couvert winner Monsieur Joe who makes his 92nd start at York on Friday, the colt represents the sixth generation of his line to be bred by a member of the Kent family.

"It's a great family - we bred Cheveley Park Stakes winner Pass The Peace out of it [who was out of his fourth dam Lover's Rose] so I've always followed it closely and we have a number of the family at home," said Kent.

"I bought his granddam Pascali off my brother Richard at Fairyhouse as a yearling and she went on to win for myself and my mother [Eleanor Kent].

"This colt was a lovely horse to work with. He's gone to very nice people and hopefully he'll run for them."

His price was also matched by Nathaniel colt out of a half-sister to National Stakes winner Mus-If who is set to join Donald McCain after selling to Tim Leslie.

Malone lands half to Krypton Factor

One of the best bred lots of the day, the Iffraaj half-brother to Golden Shaheen Stakes winner Krypton Factor, was duly well received, selling to Michael O'Hagan, acting on behalf of Tom Malone, for 70,000gns.

"We tried on a few this week and have been knocking on the door," said O'Hagan.

"He's a nice colt with a chance. We like the sire - we have a few of them already - and he's a half-brother to a good horse."

Bred by Lady Fairhaven and sold by Barton Stud, the colt is out Ripon Champion 2yo Trophy winner Cool Question.

Newmarket trip worthwhile for Rouget

Jean-Claude Rouget was another to make his trip to Newmarket worthwhile, with a total of 151,000gns spent on new acquisitions by the time dusk had fallen on Park Paddocks.

His quartet of purchases were led by a colt from the last crop of Cape Cross who was bought for 75,000gns out of the Ballyhimikin Stud draft.

He is the first foal out of his dam Seasons, a two-year-old winner at Deauville during her racing days, and provided his connections with a fine profit on the €40,000 that he had cost through Stroud Coleman Bloodstock as a foal.

"We bought him at Goffs and we've loved him all the way through," said James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud following the sale. "He's out of a Dubai Destination mare, so it's the same cross as Golden Horn, which we liked, and of course, he's one of the last by Cape Cross.

"He's been a lovely, straightforward, sound horse to do. He looks a real runner."

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