Tattersalls Book 1: Kia Joorabchian goes on extraordinary spending spree - as it happened on day one

The Frankel sister to champion Alpinista is shown at Park PaddocksCredit: Tattersalls

Hello all and welcome to our live blog for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The opening day gets under way from 11am and there are some blue-blooded youngsters to look forward to, most notably Staffordstown's Frankel sister to Arc heroine Alpinista (lot 72). You can read more about the regally bred filly in Monday's Good Morning Bloodstock.

Meanwhile, our sales correspondent James Thomas spoke to Arc-winning trainer Ralph Beckett – on the hunt for new recruits – and Newsells Park Stud's general manager Julian Dollar for the preview.

The great and the good of the bloodstock industry have gathered ahead of three days of crucial selling following the Goffs Orby Sale last week. You can read James's diary here with Members' Club Ultimate, while stay tuned for some fireworks in the days ahead . . .

Bluestocking's close relation sells on day oneCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Top-class pedigrees are the order of the day this week. Here are a bunch who could fetch big prices today, including a close relation to Bluestocking . . .

Lot 25
Bay filly Dubawi- Unaided (Dansili)
Consigned by Glenvale Stud

Dubawi needs no introduction and has enjoyed another fantastic year, headed by 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech plus Oaks heroine Ezeliya.

Uni: top-class American performerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Glenvale Stud's filly is a half-sister to top-class American performer Uni, a winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile and two First Lady Stakes among four top-level triumphs. There is plenty happening on the page too as Unaided is a Dansili half-sister to Chesham Stakes scorer Whazzat, the dam of Mill Reef Stakes winner James Garfield and second dam of Wimbledon Hawkeye, by Kameko and a recent winner of the Royal Lodge Stakes for owner-breeder the Gredley family.

Unaided is also a half-sister to Whatami, dam of this year's Prix du Lys Longines scorer and Grand Prix de Paris third Delius, plus Wolferton Stakes victor Juan Elcano, both by Frankel.

Lot 39
Ch f Dubawi - Waldlied (New Approach)
Newsells Park Stud

Newsells Park Stud brings its usual strong contingent to Park Paddocks this week and general manager Julian Dollar described this filly as "an exceptional individual" in James Thomas's recent Bloodstock Big Read.

The chestnut is out of New Approach's Prix de Malleret winner Waldlied, a daughter of the great matriarch Waldlerche and therefore a close relation to 2019 Arc hero and Ballylinch Stud sire Waldgeist. Waldlerche is in turn a Monsun half-sibling to St Leger hero Masked Marvel and out of Waldmark, a Group-placed half-sister to German Derby winner Waldpark. The famed 'W' family is packed to the bring with Group winners and performers and she rates an exciting youngster on the first day of selling.

Lot 72
B f Frankel - Alwilda (Hernando)
Staffordstown Stud

Described as "a lovely filly and hard to fault in any way" by breeder Kirsten Rausing, this filly could be a hard act to follow early on in proceedings. She is a Frankel sister to the brilliant 2022 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista, a six-time winner at the highest level, and a half-sister to another stakes winner in Alpenblume, by Kendargent.

Kirsten Rausing with her Frankel yearling, a sister to Arc heroine Alpinista, ahead of Tattersalls Book 1Credit: Tattersalls

Those three are out of German stakes winner Alwilda, a Hernando daughter of triple German Group 1 winner Albanova and half-sister to four black-type winners or performers, including All At Sea, the dam of English and Irish St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov. Albanova is a sister to Alborada, a dual winner of the Champion Stakes and it is the exceptional family of blue hen Alouette.

Lot 75
B f Kingman - Anapurna (Frankel)
Meon Valley Stud

Meon Valley Stud's draft includes this Kingman filly out of Oaks and Prix de Royallieu winner Anapurna, already the dam of a winner via her Lope De Vega daughter Monterosa.

Anapurna: a dual winner at the highest level, including in the OaksCredit: Andrew Redington (Getty Images)

The bay is a half-sister to a two-year-old Dubawi filly and a filly foal by Palace Pier, while their dam returned to Dubawi again this year. Anapurna is out of Hoppings Stakes winner and Yorkshire Oaks second Dash To The Top, also the dam of black-type performers Dynasty and Very Dashing and a half-sister to fellow stakes winner Dash To The Front. That Diktat mare is the dam of Speedy Boarding, a winner of the Prix Jean Romanet and Prix de l'Opera.

Lot 135
B c Camelot - Desirous (Kingman)
Barton Stud

A three-parts brother to Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking, this colt is out of a Kingman half-sister to that three-time Group 1 winner. It is a typically excellent Juddmonte family as Desirous is out of Matron Stakes winner Emulous, a Dansili sister to stakes winners First Sitting and Daring Diva. The latter is the second dam of Kentucky Derby and Haskell Stakes hero Mandaloun, now standing at Juddmonte America.

There could be plenty more to come in the family as Desirous has a two-year-old Frankel filly named Sand Gazelle, herself a 425,000gns Book 1 graduate last year. Emulous herself has a yearling filly by Kingman and produced a filly foal by Frankel in 2024.

Sheikh Mohammed inspecting a yearling ahead of Tattersalls Book 1 at Park PaddocksCredit: Tattersalls

The big guns have been out and about at Tattersalls during inspections over the last few days. Take a look at who has been spotted by Tattersalls' Laura Green in our gallery below.

Photo gallery: the calm before the Book 1 storm at Park Paddocks 

Grangemore Stud's Dark Angel sister to Charyn is sure to be popular among buyers at Book 1 Credit: Tattersalls

Get yourself a cup of tea while at the laptop or on your phone, and fasten your seatbelts for some blockbuster action . . .

The first lot through the ring, Rathbarry Stud's attractive Sea The Stars colt out of Tango, gets Book 1 off to a good start. He sells to Yulong for 500,000gns. 

Naturally, there's plenty of people in attendance, both in and outside the sales ring.

Lynn Lodge Stud's No Nay Never colt out of a Zoffany sister to Prosperous Voyage sells to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for 625,000gns Credit: Tattersalls

My colleague Aisling Crowe picked lot 8 in the Racing Post Bloodstock Book 1 selections and MV Magnier goes to 625,000gns for Lynn Lodge Stud's colt by No Nay Never.

The bay is the first foal out of Zoffany mare Thar She Blows, a sister to Falmouth Stakes heroine Prosperous Voyage. That filly took her turn in this very sales ring when selling to Katsumi Yoshida for 2,400,000gns at the December Mare Sale ten months ago. 

The Coolmore head signed the docket with Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. 

The Dubawi colt out of Nassau Stakes heroine Lady Bowthorpe knows he's specialCredit: Laura Green

I can't help but feel pretty old as the first foals out of Group 1 winners such as Snow Lantern, Lady Bowthorpe and Glass Slippers are set to go under the hammer over the next three days. 

My colleague Rosie Margarson filmed Lady Bowthorpe's Dubawi colt as a foal and she did so again at Park Paddocks today. Check out the 'how it's started vs how it's going' reel on our X and Instagram platforms.

Consigned by Fittocks Stud, he sells as lot 242 tomorrow.

Sheikh Mohammed in a brightly coloured outfit at Park PaddocksCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sheikh Mohammed was a notable presence during inspections yesterday and the Godolphin head was in attendance here at Park Paddocks this morning. 

As of this moment, Godolphin have kept their powder dry, but that can all change quickly. . .

Newsells Park Stud's Julian Dollar oversees the sale of the Dubawi filly out of WaldliedCredit: Edward Whitaker

Julian Dollar described the Dubawi filly out of Prix de Malleret winner Waldlied as "exceptional" in a recent Bloodstock Big Read, and so it proved as she sold to Richard Knight and Salhia Stud for 925,000gns.

Consigned by Newsells Park Stud as lot 39, the filly's dam is a New Approach close relation to Waldgeist, a four-time Group 1 winner including the Arc in 2019. It is the famous 'W' family which also includes St Leger winner Masked Marvel, Deutsches Derby hero Waldpark, and champion German filly Wurftaube.

Newsells Park are no strangers to big-lot success at Book 1, having been the leading consignor at the sale for the last six consecutive years and eight times since 2014.

The Frankel filly out of Wonderful Tonight takes her turn in the ring at Tattersalls Credit: Tattersalls

Wonderful Tonight was one of the most popular racemares in recent years and her Frankel filly just made 750,000gns to Yulong.

The youngster, consigned by Stratford Place Stud, is the first foal out of the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and Prix de Royallieu winner. The daughter of Le Havre also won the Hardwicke and Lillie Langtry Stakes for David Menuisier and owner Christopher Wright.

Wonderful Tonight produced a sister to this yearling earlier this year.

Lynn Lodge Stud's Sea The Stars colt out of Zahratty – a half-sister to Group 1-winning juvenile Dubai Mile – was also knocked down for 750,000gns. Alex Elliott signed the docket for Amo Racing.

Speaking about the Dubawi filly who sold for 925,000gns a little earlier, Richard Knight told James Thomas: "She's a filly who, to be honest, I absolutely adored when I saw her. Newsells Park has a fantastic group of horses; I thought they were beautifully prepared. Herself and one other were my favourites. She's just a beautiful physical, a lovely strong filly. She's been bought for Salhia Stud, who are looking to build a racing string that we can breed from at the end of the day, and she's exactly the type of broodmare we'd love to have."

We'll also have news coming shortly of a new top lot.

Kia Joorabchian with Chad Brown after spending 6.9 million guineas on two Frankel filliesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Wow, wow, wow!

Extraordinary scenes as Newsells' Frankel filly out of Aljazzi is knocked down to Amo Racing for 4,400,000gns – the second highest-priced yearling ever sold at Tattersalls.

The most expensive yearling sold was Al Naamah, a sister to Oaks winner Was, who created sales history when making 5,000,000gns to Al Shaqab Racing in 2013.

Needless to say, this is pretty uncharted territory and Amo Racing clearly want to add some well-bred fillies to their ranks.

This filly is out of Aljazzi, who herself went for seven figures in this ring when making 1,000,000gns to Newsells at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in 2018. The Shamardal mare landed the Duke of Cambridge Stakes during her own racing career and produced a brother to this filly this year.

The Frankel sister to Alpinista is led out of the sales ring after selling to Amo Racing for 2,500,000gnsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Amo Racing clearly mean business and collect the second millionaire lot of the sale, the Frankel sister to Alpinista, who was sold for 2.5 million gns just now.

Consigned by Staffordstown Stud, the filly is a real collectors' item as a sister to the six-time Group 1 winner and world champion. She is also a half-sister to the stakes-winning Alpenblume and out of Alwilda, a Listed winner by Hernando and out of triple German Group 1 scorer Albanova. Albanova is in turn a sister to two-time Champion Stakes winner Alborada.

Alwilda is a half-sister to four black-type winners, namely All At Sea, the dam of English and Irish St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov.

Kirsten Rausing, who has so meticulously nurtured this 'A' family, has a two-year-old Iffraaj half-sister to Alpinista and this filly, while Alwilda has a colt foal by Frankel and is in foal to Sea The Stars.

Frankel: sire on fire at Park PaddocksCredit: Edward Whitaker

Frankel sired the two top lots at last week's Goffs Orby Sale and, if possible, is proving even more dominant at Tattersalls.

His third millionaire of the day has come via Baroda Stud's colt out of Atone, an Oasis Dream sister to the prolific Midday. Alex Elliott won the battle for the March-born bay, yet another big signing for Amo. The colt was sold for 1.1m gns.

The Racing Post's award-winning photographer Edward Whitaker caught the moments during the 2.5m guineas sale of Alpinista's sister.

Kirsten Rausing after her Frankel filly's sale to Amo Racing for 2.5m guineasCredit: Edward Whitaker

Alpinista's sister is led out of the ring after a 2.5m guineas sale to Amo Racing Credit: Tattersalls

Alpinista's sister in the parade ring at TattersallsCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Frankel sister to Alpinista is led out of the sales ringCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sheikh Mohammed: Godolphin head has entered the fray Credit: Edward Whitaker

Godolphin have arrived at the party as Anthony Stroud goes to 2.2m guineas for Ballylinch Stud's No Nay Never colt out of Bella Estrella.

The bay is a half-brother to 2023 Champagne Stakes scorer Iberian, while their dam is a stakes-winning daughter of High Chaparral and a sister to High Heeled. High Heeled was a Group winner and placed third in the Oaks and Coronation Cup, while she is the second dam of this year's Belmont Oaks winner Cinderella's Dream.

It is a fantastic family, a Classic-winning one that includes Irish 1,000 Guineas victress Just The Judge.

Charyn: top-class miler will retire to Sumbe for 2025Credit: Edward Whitaker

Appropriately, given his sister sells in tomorrow's session, it has been announced that Charyn will retire to Sumbe's Normandy base in 2025.

The son of Dark Angel has flourished this year for Roger Varian, updating his and his sister's page with victories in the Queen Anne and Prix Jacques le Marois.

Aisling has all the news here.

Kia Joorabchian was on a mission on the first day of Tattersalls Book 1Credit: Edward Whitaker

After a blockbuster few minutes earlier in the session, James Thomas caught up with Alex Elliott, adviser to Kia Joorabchian.

In case you missed the incredible scenes, Elliott first went to 4.4m gns for Newsells Park's Frankel filly out of Aljazzi, then 2.5m gns for Staffordstown's Frankel sister to Arc heroine Alpinista.

Just in case that wasn't enough of a spending spree, Elliott also struck the winning 1.1m gns bid for Baroda Stud's Frankel colt out of a sister to Midday.

Asked what this headline purchase signified in terms of Joorabchian's strategy, Elliott said: "I think you can say that his sights have been raised and he wants to compete at the top level. He knows you've got to buy them at the top level. All the top teams select the best horses – it's just a case of who blinks first."

You can read all the news here.

The Siyouni sister to St Mark's Basilica is another to head Amo Racing's way at Book 1Credit: Alisha Meeder

Amo Racing have also snapped up Norelands' Siyouni sister to world champion St Mark's Basilica (107), this time for 'just' 675,000gns.

The filly is out of the Group-winning Galileo mare Cabaret, not only the dam of Coolmore's first-crop yearling sire and world champion, but also of Magna Grecia, a winner of the 2,000 Guineas and another Coolmore resident.

St Mark's Basilica won the Dewhurst at two and went on an unbeaten run at three, landing the French Guineas and Derby, Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes. His first yearlings this year have been received warmly, headlined by the €1.7 million Arqana August sale-topper, a Group 1 winners Chicquita and Magic Wand, who sold to Coolmore from Monceaux.

Selling continues on a sunny afternoon at Park PaddocksCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Frankel filly out of Aljazzi Credit: Tattersalls

Going back to the 4.4m gns Frankel filly who was sold to Amo Racing earlier, William Hill have priced her up at 66-1 to win a Classic in 2026.

Lee Phelps, spokesman for the bookmaker, said: "When anyone decides to spend over £4m on a Frankel offspring, you always have to take note. That's exactly what Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing operation have done today, and while we know it's a long way away we've gone 66-1 that the Frankel X Aljazzi filly wins a UK Classic in 2026.

"Amo have also spent 2.5m guineas on a Frankel full-sister to Alpinista, and we've gone 100-1 that she wins the Arc in the years 2026-2028. As they say, Elvis' brother couldn't sing, but you couldn't blame connections for dreaming of Longchamp glory with their new purchase."