Fireworks at Tattersalls Book 1, Sierra Leone set for Coolmore America, retirement contemplated for Horse of the Year – all this and more in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
World’s two highest-priced yearlings this year sold at Tattersalls Book 1
GB: The opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Tuesday [Oct 7] saw two colts realise 3,700,000 guineas and 3,600,000gns – both exceeding the highest price for a yearling sold anywhere in the world in 2025 – and five seven-figure lots.
Top lot at 3.7m guineas was Lot 90, a son of Sea The Stars out of the dam Crystal Zvezda consigned by Longview Stud. The colt was knocked down to Godolphin after a spirited bidding battle with Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian, who had earlier gone to 3.6m guineas for Lot 15, a son of Frankel out of Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Aljazzi. More here
The prestigious sale’s second day saw a further six lots realise seven-figure prices headed by a trio of colts, two by the late Wootton Bassett and one by Frankel, at 2,200,000gns. The average was an impressive 352,672gns. More here
Sierra Leone to enter stud at Ashford in 2026
USA: Sierra Leone will take up stud duties at Coolmore’s Ashford base in Kentucky after defending his title in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on November 1. A stud fee has yet to be announced.
Last year’s champion US three-year-old will start the 2026 covering on the back of an encomium from trainer Chad Brown. “I’ve trained a lot of great horses, and to me, I’d say unequivocally he’s the best horse I’ve had my hands on,” said Brown. “He’s just in a different league.” More here
After a troubled passage, the son of Gun Runner was touched off in last year’s Kentucky Derby by Mystik Dan, who will debut on the Airdrie Stud roster in 2026 at a fee of $15,000. More here
Thorpedo Anna may be retired after Keeneland defeat
USA: Retirement could be on the cards for Thorpedo Anna after the reigning Horse of the Year after a dismal effort in defeat in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Sunday [Oct 5], where she was a well-beaten fourth of five behind Gin Gin.
‘We don’t have any obvious excuses,” said trainer Kenny McPeek, speaking to Thoroughbred Daily News. “You have to consider retiring her. She has done more than anyone ever could have expected from a $40,000 yearling.” More here
Sprint star Patch Adams retired to WinStar
USA: Dual G1 winner Patch Adams will miss the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and has been retired to WinStar Farm after sustaining an injury.
“Patch Adams had a straightforward lateral condylar fracture in his right hind that went back together extremely well, and he can race or breed without any notice of the fracture in 2026,” said Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. “He has an excellent prognosis.”
Trained by Brad Cox, Patch Adams recorded back-to-back G1 wins at Saratoga in the summer, winning both the Woody Stephens and the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial. More here
The three-year-old is a son of six-time champion sire Into Mischief, who is set to stand at an unchanged fee of $250,000 for the 2026 breeding season. Into Mischief, whose representative this year are headed by Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, is #1 dirt sire on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings. More here
O’Brien strengthens grip on two-year-old scene
France: Aidan O’Brien’s dominance of the European two-year-old scene was underlined on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe undercard at ParisLongchamp on Sunday when the world-leading trainer claimed both G1 juvenile contests.
The filly Diamond Necklace is ante-post favourite for next year’s 1,000 Guineas and Oaks following a comfortable one-length victory under Christophe Soumillon in the Prix Marcel Boussac. “She’s not short of speed and is going to be a lovely Classic filly,” commented O’Brien. More here
Puerto Rico is set for the Breeders’ Cup after dominating the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardered from the front for a 2½-length success. “I’d say he definitely could be one for the Juvenile Turf,” said the trainer, who has won France’s premier two-year-old race ten times. More here
O’Brien runs four in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile on Friday [Oct 10] at Newmarket headed by the favourite Precise. He then bids for his ninth success in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Europe’s most prestigious two-year-old contest, on Saturday [Oct 11] at Newmarket where his main hope is Royal Ascot winner Gstaad. More here
Ka Ying Rising ‘needs to improve’ for Everest
Australia: “Needs to improve” was the verdict from jockey Zac Purton after world #1 racehorse Ka Ying Rising could finish only third in a full-scale barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday [Oct 7] ahead of the Everest on October 18.
David Hayes: I think Ka Ying Rising can earn comparison with Black Caviar
“Pass mark, needs to improve,” said Purton after the 1000-metre blowout. “He hasn’t had a run for about a month and he hasn’t done too much serious work in that amount of time, so it was the first time he’s done anything competitive in a while.”
Trainer David Hayes added: “It was a good, solid trial but he did need it. He blew a few cobwebs out and he’ll really come on a lot for that and he’ll have a nice gallop on Monday [Oct 13] and he’ll be right the big one.” More here
Elsewhere in racing …
GB: Rossa Ryan hits 1,000-win milestone More here
GB: Derby-winning jockey Adam Kirby to take up training More here
GB: Ryan Moore’s 17-year-old son to make race-riding debut More here
USA: Luan Machado civil lawsuit dismissed More here
USA: Veteran trainer George Handy dies aged 102 More here
France: Betting markets and customer experience highlighted at IFHA conference More here
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