The top lot of Book One at the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket (8–10 October) was a Frankel filly, who was knocked down for 4.4m guineas (£4.62m), the second highest price for a yearling in European auction history.

Out of Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Aljazzi, the filly was sold to Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing, alongside agent Alex Elliott, after he saw off a determined effort from Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida. The filly will be trained in the UK.

“Kia and partners wanted the filly very badly,” explained Alex. “A Frankel filly from that family and with that physical make-up – she was always going to be a collector’s item. It is a deep price tag and, though we had discussed her at length, I obviously did not see her making that, but we had very much homed in on her.”

Consignor Julian Dollar of Newsells Park Stud said: “To be honest, I was hoping she would make a million and that would have been nice, but obviously some good players had her valued at twice that. We are obviously delighted. Mitsu Nakauchida is a great trainer and a lovely guy and he loved her, and obviously Kia, Amo and Alex loved her too – it is unbelievable.”

Top priced colt in Tattersalls Book One sales results

Amo Racing invested significant sums throughout this year’s sale with the second highest-priced lot, a Wootton Bassett colt, knocked down for 4.3m guineas (£4.515m) – a new record price at Book One for a colt – to Amo, with Coolmore the underbidders.

The record price for a yearling sold during Book One was achieved in 2013 by a Galileo filly when she was sold for 5m guineas. She was out of Alluring Park – this colt’s granddam – and was also bred and sold by Lodge Park.

After the sale Jamie Burns of Lodge Park, who led up the colt and was surrounded by family, said: “He is a beautiful horse and the family has always done us well, and, hopefully, he will be the next one to enhance the pedigree.

“I was not expecting that! I was not really thinking when it went over four million – emotion took over, it was surreal and all pretty special.”

Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott said: “If you were going to paint a racehorse, he is as close to perfection as you can get. From the top to the bottom, from the farm he came from – the amount of time and money and love that the Burns family has put into that page, it just does not take any explaining to anyone.

“For us to be part of that, to buy into that is just phenomenal. I said, ‘Kia, you have been second in two Derbys, this is the horse who could take you one place better.’ He has got every right, if he can run how he looks to have a spot in a stallion shed one day.

“I am very honoured to be a small part of the process, thankfully Kia has faith in his team, I just hope he gets rewarded for what they are doing.”

Kia Joorabchian added: “For us to get to the next level we have to target the best stock. When we saw this colt, every member of my team said ‘We can’t leave without him’.”

Of the 345 lots sold, the total turnover was 127.8million guineas (£134.2million), with the average lot price of 370,501 guineas (£389,026).

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H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.