Tattersalls October Yearling Sale: Godolphin's 4.6M-Guinea Record

What happened at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale

On Oct 6, 2026, the opening day of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 in Newmarket, England, Godolphin bought Lot 130 for 4,600,000 guineas (about £4.83 million, or roughly US$6.4 million). The colt is by Night Of Thunder out of My Astra, a daughter of Lope De Vega who finished second in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.

He was consigned by Norelands Stud in Ireland and bred by Sunderland Holding. Anthony Stroud signed for Godolphin after a bidding duel with Coolmore's MV Magnier.

The price set three marks at once:

• A European record for a yearling colt. It beats the 4,300,000 guineas paid for Poker, a Wootton Bassett colt, at Book 1 in 2024.
• The highest price for any yearling sold anywhere in 2026. Keeneland's top yearling this year brought $3.7 million.
• The second-highest price for a yearling at Tattersalls, behind only the filly Al Naamah, who sold for 5,000,000 guineas in 2013. (Older horses have made more: the mare Marsha sold for 6,000,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2017.)

Day 1 by the numbers

Six yearlings made seven figures, and Godolphin bought five of them. It signed for 11 yearlings in all, for 15,730,000 guineas, which is about a third of the day's turnover. That haul included a 3,800,000-guinea Wootton Bassett colt (Lot 87) from Croom House Stud. The best-selling filly was a Wootton Bassett daughter of the Matron Stakes winner No Speak Alexander, bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 2,600,000 guineas.

Book 1 continues Oct 7 and 8. We'll treat the later sessions and the final Book 1 totals as pending until Tattersalls publishes them.

What is a guinea in horse racing?

A guinea is an old British gold coin that was worth 21 shillings. In today's money that's £1.05. Britain stopped minting it long ago, but Tattersalls still takes bids in guineas, as it has since the firm was founded in 1766.

Here's the traditional split. The buyer pays the guinea figure, the seller gets the same number in pounds, and the extra 5p per guinea (5%) went to the auctioneer as commission.

• 4,600,000 guineas × £1.05 = £4,830,000 from the buyer
• Traditionally, the seller banks £4,600,000
• The £230,000 difference was the house's cut

Today's conditions of sale spell out the exact fees and VAT, so serious buyers read the catalogue terms rather than relying on the old rule of thumb. It's also why the famous 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas races carry those names: they're named for their original prize money.

How Tattersalls Books 1-4 are tiered

The October sale isn't one auction. It's a series of "Books," sorted by pedigree and physical quality, so buyers know which days fit their budget.

• Book 1 (Oct 6-8): 469 yearlings, the top of Europe's market. The catalogue includes siblings to 44 Classic and Group 1 winners. This is where Godolphin, Coolmore and the big international buyers spend.
• Book 2 (Oct 12-14): 806 yearlings. Tattersalls calls it value with depth, and it has produced Group 1 winners, including Romantic Warrior.
• Book 3 (Oct 15-16): 507 yearlings, aimed at owners on a tighter budget.
• Book 4 (Oct 16): 61 yearlings, right after Book 3 closes.

Prices generally fall as the Books go on. Most yearlings sell for a small fraction of the headline numbers, and some don't reach their reserve at all. The Day 1 median of 240,000 guineas is a Book 1 figure, not what a typical racehorse costs.

Who's who at a yearling auction

News reports throw around three roles that confuse newcomers:

• Breeder: owns the mare, chooses the stallion, pays the stud fee and raises the foal. Here that was Sunderland Holding.
• Consignor: the farm that prepares and sells the horse for the owner. It handles fitness, grooming, showing the yearling to buyers and handing over vet records. Norelands consigned Lot 130.
• Agent: a bloodstock expert who inspects horses and bids for a client. Anthony Stroud bought for Godolphin.

The underbidder is the last bidder to drop out, in this case MV Magnier for Coolmore. Before the sale, buyers can usually review vet reports and X-rays held in a repository, much like a pre-purchase exam on a riding horse.

Why pedigree and conformation drive yearling prices

A yearling has never raced, so buyers are paying for potential. Two things set the price.

1. Pedigree (the family tree). Buyers study the sire's record, the dam's race results and how her relatives performed. A dam who placed in a Group 1 like the Pretty Polly adds "black type" to the catalogue page, which raises value. You can read more about race grades in our guide to Group and Grade 1 races.

2. Conformation and movement. Inspectors check how the horse is put together: straight legs, good feet, a strong back and shoulder, and an easy walk. Agents also watch temperament as the yearling is led out at the barn. Our anatomy guide explains the body parts they look at.

For a colt, there's a third factor: stallion potential. Godolphin's Stroud said this colt has it. A colt who wins big races can earn far more as a breeding stallion than he ever earns on the track, which is why the top colts command such sums.

Tattersalls vs the Keeneland September Sale

The two sales anchor the world yearling market, but they work differently.

Keeneland is much bigger. Over 12 sessions in September 2026 it sold 2,856 yearlings for a record $536.7 million, at a $187,933 average and an $85,000 median. Our Keeneland September breakdown has the full story. Tattersalls offers fewer yearlings, but at the very top end its prices can beat Keeneland's.

What to watch next

• Book 1 Days 2 and 3 (Oct 7-8): final turnover, average and median, and whether Godolphin keeps up its pace. Check tattersalls.com for official results.
• Books 2-4 (Oct 12-16): a better guide to the everyday market than the Book 1 headlines.
• November breeding-stock sales: see our Fasig-Tipton November preview.
• The 2027 two-year-old season: this crop begins racing next year. Our guide to two-year-old racehorses explains how juvenile racing works.

If you're curious about buying (not at Book 1 prices)

1. Start with the cost of owning a horse, not the purchase price.
2. Racing partnerships and syndicates let fans own a small share.
3. For riding, a retired racehorse (OTTB) is often the most affordable way to own a Thoroughbred.
4. Always budget for a vet check before you buy.

New to the vocabulary? Our glossary covers terms like dam, sire and black type.