TATTERSALLS, NEWMARKET – Almost 200 million gns changed hands between Book 1 and 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale but there was no sign of the money drying up at Park Paddocks as Book 3 got off to a rip-roaring start with turnover climbing by a massive 19% to 7,680,500gns.Whitsbury Manor Stud was rewarded for targeting the Book 3 with four horses selling for 371,000gns – which included a 160,000gns Havana Grey colt that was only knocked off his perch by the last lot into the ring, a Ballyhimikin Stud-consigned Blue Point colt that sold for just 5,000gns more.Just as he has been at every major yearling sale in Europe this year, Alex Elliott was extremely active on the opening day of Book 3. Along with signing for the 160,000gns Havana Grey colt on behalf of Valmont and Amo Racing, he also purchased a Nathaniel filly from Jamie Railton's consignment for 150,000gns to go with a 110,000gns Blue Point colt from Norelands Stud – which was purchased alongside fellow agent Billy Jackson-Stops. All told, Elliott has signed for almost 50 yearlings across Book 1, 2 and 3, and spent 381,000gns at Park Paddocks on Thursday. Put simply, few people are better qualified to comment about what has played out in recent months and weeks.Speaking about the Havana Grey colt, he began, “He's been bought for Amo Racing and Valmont and will go to David Simcock. David begged us for a faster horse. We always like sending him the slower ones but he says he slows them down enough! He trained Dream Ahead, who was obviously a top sprinter, so he can do the job if the horse is good enough. I actually bought a sibling to this horse by Due Diligence called Study Up. He was quite talented and won on debut, and obviously Havana Grey is Havana Grey.”Reflecting on trade over the past two weeks, Elliott added, “I've found it easier than last year, there wasn't the mania there was then. Kia [Joorabchian] has been very strong and bought a lot of horses, but because there isn't that mania, Anthony [Stroud] sees more value in the market and is prepared to step in at that stage. It's been good for me, between Amo and other clients I'm getting up towards 50 purchases over the two weeks. I'm in a very lucky position to have people backing me to buy that many.”The majority of the money spent at Book 1 and 2 was on behalf of international buyers but Thursday's action was dominated by domestic traders. Whitsbury Manor Stud were one of the busiest vendors and boss Ed Harper was rewarded for targeting Book 3 with some of his better yearlings by star stallion Havana Grey.He explained, “We make sure to put Book 2 horses in Book 3. We're not trying to do anything clever but we have to spread out the stock by our stallions and Havana Grey is hot. We can't sell them all in Book 2 and, if we get a reputation for selling good yearlings in Book 3, well then people are going to stay for Book 3. Not only are we helping ourselves and our own stallions by doing that but hopefully we are helping the British breeders. There is a higher percentage of British breeders in this sale and we need to give the best buyers a reason to stay for Book 3, and they are. If we don't give them that reason, we all have that little bit less of an option.”The Havana Grey colt of Sakhee's Secret mare, Cross My Heart, who is the dam of a black-type performer in Adaay To Remember. Meanwhile Whistbury's Havana Grey filly out of Hot Secret, the dam of Royal Ascot heroine Pilgrim (Havana Grey), was bought for 135,000gns by Yeomanstown Stud to go breezing. Speaking about his headline acts, Harper continued, “I don't know whether it's fluke or happenstance or whatever but there's an amazing cross between Havana Grey on a Sakhee's Secret mare. I think there's five rated over 100 on that cross and there's only been about eight runners. Five of those were stakes winners. For his age, he was a very impressive colt.”He added, “The filly is a sister to Pilgrim, who won the Palace Of Holyrood House at Royal Ascot for David Barron. Again, she is a late foal so there will be bags of improvement in her, which I think people spotted. When you are bringing a full-sister to a Royal Ascot winner to Book 3, people are going to have a look.”While Elliott has some of the biggest clients – Amo, Valmont and at times Coolmore – on his books, he still pops up now and again to buy a horse he likes on spec. This was the case with the Nathaniel filly that was consigned by Railton, who, like Whitsbury, targeted Book 3 in an effort to stand out. Elliott explained of that 150,000gns purchase, “There could be a few plans because I've half bought her on spec. I've put a partnership together for her and a few people have spoken to me about the filly. I thought she was gorgeous, she's very strong, and I've had a bit of luck with Nathaniel fillies like [Irish Oaks winner] You Got To Me.”He added, “She's out of a Pivotal mare, and he's a great broodmare sire. There's Arch, another great broodmare sire, in the pedigree too. She's also a sister to a Group 3 winner so if she's any good, even if she nicks a little bit of black-type, then she's worth a lot of money. Her march around the back ring was very special. Training plans are up for discussion. Somebody just stopped me in the shoot to see if I'd sold her or not. It's kind of fluid at the moment but she's a good one to get.”Along with the major rise in the turnover, the median climbed by a massive 33% to 26,500gns while the average was up by 19%. The clearance rate fell, however, by 3% to 85%.Railton, one of the biggest British-based consignors, heaped praise on the Nathaniel filly's breeder John McNally for forgoing a slot in Book 2 in an effort to stand out before putting on record how pleased he was to see the appetite for horses sustained into the middle and lower tiers at Book 3.Railton said, “She had a place in Book 2 but the owner was keen for her to stand out and he was probably right. She is a lovely filly and had all of the right people on her. It's nice to be involved in those types of horses.”He added, “I think it has been fantastic to see the appetite for a horse. It has carried on into Book 3 and it's important that we have buyers at every level, not just at the top. It's crucial. The pyramid only works if there is a solid base to it. It feels really good and the appetite for horses is what I like to see. It's not just a transaction, it's a passion.”Late Late Show As Blue Point Top Lot Bought To Go BreezingBallyhimikin Stud has knocked it out of the park all week and continued to do so at Book 3, with two Blue Points – a filly and a colt – selling for six figures or more, including the latter, which headlined trade on Thursday at 165,000gns. The Blue Point colt was bought by Rodrigo Goncalves, who signed under the banner of MADR Bloodstock, and held off trainer John Butler as underbidder. MADR Bloodstock ended the day as the second leading buyer behind Elliott with four yearlings sourced for 300,000gns.Goncalves said, “He's been bought to go breezing and the idea would be that he could come back for some of the bigger sales – either the Craven or Arqana. He's a strong horse by a sire that I like a lot. A number of friends and myself have teamed up together to breeze a couple of horses and he was my pick of the day. I left it late to strike but I am happy to get him.”Ballyhimikin also sold a Blue Point colt out of an Oasis Dream mare to Julie Camacho for 110,000gns earlier in the evening. The Irish farm ended the day as the leading vendor with five selling for 396,000gns.SubplotsNo man played a more important role at Book 1 and 2 than Anthony Stroud, who was buying on behalf of the leading purchaser Godolphin among others. However, Stroud has remained active into Book 3, and went to 100,000gns to secure a Starspangledbanner colt from Torard House Stud. “I have bought him for Alison Swinburn and we have been looking for a horse for her since last week” he said. “It was a clever pinhook [bought for 27,000 as a foal]. I think he is a bit of a standout for me today – he has got size and scope and is a very good mover.”Kirsten Rausing's Staffordstown Stud brought a few interesting horses to the market early doors on Thursday, including the 90,000gns Study Of Man colt that was bought by Jeremy Brummitt on behalf of Quantum Leap Racing. He said, “He is an exceptionally well-balanced horse, which I don't think is typical of many horses, but is typical of very good horses. He is by a stallion who is probably still emerging and I don't think I could find a horse as well-balanced as this horse is. The dam [six-time winner Altra Vita (Animal Kingdom)] was obviously tough and most importantly, this colt has been bred by someone who tries to breed racehorses for the racecourse and not sales horse for the sale ring – you can see that by looking at the pedigree and how many winners are in it. He is for Quantum Leap and we have not yet decided on a trainer; if they have got any sense they will be queuing up to see if they can train him – put that in!”The Marnane family played a major role on Thursday. Between trainer David Marnane, who signed for six yearlings for 190,000gns, and breeze-up handler Con Marnane, who signed for four yearlings for 175,000gns, the brothers put 365,000gns into the market. Young James O'Mahony has enjoyed a good week at Tattersalls, notably when selling a colt by first-season sire Persian Force for 100,000 during Book 2. The Irish-based breeder struck again with a colt by the Tally-Ho Stud-based stallion, with Kevin Ross going to 48,000gns to secure a particularly fast-looking offering by the Group 2 winner. He looks very sharp and should provide his connections with some early action next year. Buy of the dayThe National Stud's Stradivarius colt was one of the nicest horses in Book 3 and looks very well-bought at just 62,000gns by Billy Jackson-Stops. He oozed quality and confirmed the decent impression the multiple Group 1-winning stayer has made with his first batch of yearlings. Thought for the dayWhat took place here at Tattersalls during Book 1 and 2 was hardly representative of the industry. Yes, we enjoyed booming trade here over the past couple of weeks, but with foreign money propping up the market. Book 3 was always going to be more informative with a view towards taking the temperature of the industry in Britain and one would have to take encouragement from the figures posted on Thursday. Beyond the figures, there was a strong cohort of trainers on the ground and getting in on the action on Thursday, which was good to see.The post ‘The Appetite Is Fantastic’ – Momentum Rolls Into Rip-Roaring Book 3 Sale At Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.