Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale got off to a flying start on Wednesday with 30 lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more.

The Galileo three-quarter sister to this year’s English Derby winner Pour Moi realised top price of 800,000 guineas.  Paul Makin won a bidding battle with John Magnier for the filly whose full-sister Kissed was a timely debut winner at Navan earlier in the day.

The opening session saw 120 lots sell for 18.14 million guineas at an 84% clearance rate.  The average of 151,233 guineas jumped 48% from 2010 while the median rose 52% to 100,000 guineas.

A flashy chestnut sister to Galileo’s 2006 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime was purchased for the Niarchos family for 700,000gns.

Galileo was also represented by a filly from Candy Mountain, a winning Selkirk mare from the family of Green Dancer and Makfi.  The Qatari-based Umm Qarn Farm bought her from Highclere Stud for 260,000gns.

Darley agent John Ferguson paid 170,000gns for an Oasis Dream half-brother to Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Cape Of Good Hope.  The colt is also a half-brother to recent four-length debut winner Nephrite.

Currency converter:  1,000 guineas = AUD 1,707