NEWMARKET, UK – With a little help from his son, Blandford Bloodstock agent Richard Brown was responsible for his second Book 2 top lot in as many days when going to 650,000gns on a homebred Lope De Vega colt from Yeomanstown Stud at Tattersalls on Tuesday.That topped what was a record-breaking Book 2 session for the average and turnover – a massive 27,380,000 gns [up 27%] was traded on the day while the 123,333 gns average represented a 22% rise. The median was up by 27% to 87,500 gns while the clearance rate settled at 90%. Brown, who signed for a 600,000gns Blue Point colt 24 hours previously, said of the Lope De Vega colt, “I thought he was an outstanding individual walking around the outside ring. My 11-year-old son has just come from school and when we leant on the rail I said, 'that's the one we're going to try and buy,' and he replied, 'that's an amazing horse.' Hopefully he's a good judge!”He added, “The mare has done it over and over again, year after year. He comes from a very good nursery at Yeomanstown and hopefully he is the sort of colt who will be running this time next year or a little bit earlier and then make into a smart three-year-old.”The mare in question is Silk Bow (Elusive City) and, after producing a number of classy horses, including Wings Of A Dove, by Yeomanstown's own Dark Angel, was sent down the road to Kildangan Stud to be mated by Lope De Vega. The resulting colt pleasantly surprised Yeomanstown's David O'Callaghan by bringing such a price.He said, “We thought he'd sell very well but I didn't think he'd reach those heights. He is an exceptional horse and the mare has done very well. She produced a number of highly-rated horses and the two-year-old looks very smart. He had everybody liking him, and for Lope De Vega, he looked very forward and mature. I wouldn't say precocious, but definitely a two-year-old, and he is just a real good-looking Lope De Vega.”On the mating, he continued, “Well, she had been to Dark Angel three or four times, and she had produced nice horse after nice horse, so we said we'd give her a change of scenery. We usually try to buy foals by outside stallions to mix it up, but actually, we are probably sending more mares to outside stallions than we used to – we need to mix it up and appeal to everybody.”The sale on the whole is flying along. The 119,136 gns average is up by 11% on last year while the 85,000 gns median is up 12%. Nothing seems to be slipping, either, with a 90% clearance rate representative of the strong demand across the board. Ingordo Finally Getting To Spend “Healthy Budget”Such is the strength of the marketplace, US agent David Ingordo revealed that he had been teasing Tattersalls about not being able to give them any of his money during Book 2 – but that all changed after he snapped up a well-bred Blue Point filly from Croom House Stud to the tune of 600,000gns alongside Matt Dorman of Determined Stud. Ingordo said, “There have been some really top horses with nice pedigrees here. I was focusing on fillies with a pedigree but I saw a lot of nice colts, too. This is our third year in a row coming to Tattersalls and I think they have done a great job. It hasn't been easy to buy anything. We have been the direct underbidders on I don't know how many millions of dollars worth of horses, so it has been tough. But that's how it goes. I understand the market is a little thinner here compared to America, but it sure feels tough when we go in to buy a horse to bring back home. If you want to be the best, you've got to buy the best and we have gone up against the best. It's been tough but it's been good and we are happy. We bought five in Book 1 and finally got one today. We brought a healthy budget with us and have been joking with Tattersalls that we have been struggling to give them our money!”On the Blue Point filly, he added, “Matt Dorman, who owns Determined Stud, bought a breeding right in Blue Point right before the stallion did the liftoff during the summer. I mean, Blue Bolt is probably as good a filly that Europe has seen in some time. The sire can get a top horse and they have speed. They look precocious but they train on so hopefully she will do well in America.”Determined Stud and Ingordo went on to spend a further 150,000 gns on a Starspangledbanner filly from Clara Stud. Twomey Tops £4 Million At TattersallsPaddy Twomey is not messing around. The trainer has spent more at the yearling sales this year than ever before and added a 440,000 gns Sea The Stars sister to Roscarberry to his team from Philipp Stauffenberg midway during the session. He commented, “Obviously it's a familiar pedigree – Roscarberry was very lucky for us. She has been bought on behalf of an existing owner in the yard. Gestüt Wittekindshof does a great job and we are thrilled to get her.”Speaking about trade, Twomey, who has spent over £4 million at Books 1 and 2 alone, commented, “I think there is a good standard of horses here and there is good trade for the horses that people want. There is great competition for them. Obviously, the foals were expensive last year and some of the vendors are probably finding it difficult. However, when we go in there to buy horses we want, we are fully extended every time.”That proved to be the first leg of a memorable double for Stauffenberg, who went on to sell a Zarak filly to Henry Lascelles for 400,000gns. Speaking after the Sea The Stars filly, Stauffenberg said, “Obviously she's a sister to a very good horse, and she's a very well-developed filly. I prepped her for the breeders and she's been going down very well, but you never know really at what level you will end up. She was put into Book 2 specifically at the request of the breeders because they wanted her to stand out here. It seems to have worked out!”He added, “They have been very successful breeders, they've bred Derby winners and Oaks winners. I've been selling for them for quite a few years now. We sold her sister, Rosscarbery, too, but she made only 130,000gns in Book 2. This filly had more substance and moved well. It's good that it worked out today, although for me, the main thing is that the horses are successful on the track. The sale is only one step.”Subplots Ghaiyyath on the rise: As well as being top-class horse people, good at managing people and being somewhat business savvy when it comes to accounting and bookkeeping, nowadays a successful breeder must also be able to see into the future when it comes to booking nominations. So, if you were to set out to breed a horse to sell at Book 1 or 2 over the coming years, where does the value lie on the British and Irish stallion roster in 2027? Ghaiyyath has to be pretty high on everybody's list after what has played out at Park Paddocks over the past week or so. The Kildangan Stud-based stallion was responsible for 1.3 million gns and 900,000 gns colts during Book 1, which contributed to a 517,857 gns average for seven yearlings sold. The momentum has carried over into Book 2 where, so far, we have seen nine sell for 1,315,000 gns. But what is perhaps the most interesting stat that is stacking up in Ghaiyyath's favour is his rising yearling average – £56,318 in 2024, £76,673 in 2025 and £173,163 this year. Those are magnificent stats and his best books are still to come. He won't be standing for €20,000 in 2027, that's for sure, and, whatever Darley decides to bump him up to, the chances are that Ghaiyyath will still represent value for many breeders.Shadwell shows strength: Shadwell has been a welcome addition to the buying bench, spending 1,355,000 gns on six yearlings so far this week. Angus Gold, racing manager to the Shadwell operation, commented, “It's been lovely. We've received great support from the family, which has been fantastic. We have bought six and we're trying to find as much value as we can. It is not easy in this market. It seems remarkably strong when you go in to buy one you like, which is great to see.” Another point of pleasure for Gold has been the market's reaction to Baaeed between Books 1 and 2 off the back of a strong run of success for the young Beech House Stud-based stallion. “It's very exciting at times. And even the ones that aren't winning, they're all running extremely well and showing plenty of ability. They have great minds, which is a wonderful help, and we've got to be very excited. We have some very nice ones still to run, which is great.”A great sight: One of the best sights of the week has been witnessing Nico Archdale in action with Najd Stud. The bloodstock agent spoke openly about his cancer battle in these pages earlier in the year and, despite being in the middle of treatment, summoned the energy to buy four yearlings for 505,000gns on behalf of the Saudi Arabian-based owners. Archdale said, “I am mid-chemo at the moment, so it's pretty draining, I'm not going to lie. The energy levels aren't the best. But, I guess for my mindset and mental health, I have enjoyed being here and reminding people that I can still do this. I am pushing myself to be here but it's worth it.” He added, “I've been very lucky. I've had amazing support from family, friends and people within the racing industry. It really helps you keep going, keep motivated and keep positive, really. I think positivity is the key to getting through something like this. And, yeah, it's been great having such support and to be here this week. A good boost.”Stewart scores again: Is there anything that Trevor Stewart can't do? After selling another millionaire lot from the family of Cassandra Go during Book 1, the breeder saw a Lope De Vega half-brother to Breeders' Cup Juvenile scorer Victoria Road sell for 525,000gns to Rabbah Bloodstock a few lots from the finish. Stewart said, “I kept thinking, 'is this real?' The worry goes out when you get to the level you thought and then it goes above and you can enjoy it. My wife will be happy again! Luckily, I kept her expectations well down, so she'll get a big surprise now!”Golden touch Paddy Vaughan lit the touchpaper for what proved to be a record-breaking Tuesday session by turning €75,000 into 400,000gns – close to €500,000 – with just the fifth lot in the ring. The colt in question was by Little Big Bear, a young stallion having an outstanding couple of weeks, and he was purchased at Goffs last winter. He sold to Godolphin and became the second colt by the stallion that the powerful operation has purchased.Vaughan, who operates under the Moanmore Stud banner, commented, “That was great. He is a May foal and he just turned into a nice, good, strong horse for his age. I'm sure he'll be even better come Christmas time and beyond. It's nice to sell Godolphin a horse.”Buy of the dayJessica Harrington's buying team were busy on Tuesday, spending 215,000gns on four yearlings for Omega Racing, and the pick of the bunch might well prove to be the 78,000 gns Starman filly bought off top-class breeders McCracken Farms. It was only this time last year when buyers were climbing over themselves to buy the progeny of Starman – the fillies especially. This year was always going to be a tough act to follow for the 2025 champion first-season sire but the fact remains that Starman is a hugely exciting stallion capable of producing Group 1 and Royal Ascot winners. The Harrington team might well have found a bit of value when picking up lot 865, a Starman sister to the black-type performer Nandita (Blue Point), whose other sibling Big Tribe (Sioux Nation) appears capable of adding further black-type to the page on the strength of his taking debut success at Newcastle last week. A nice, strong and fast-looking filly, she should be out early next year. Thought for the dayWe're only two days into the week and already a number of buyers are blowing hard. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and this week has been a timely reminder about how draining the buying process can be, especially when you only have one or two bullets to fire. It has been hard to hit the target at every level. It's been an extremely strong sale. The post Record Book 2 Session Sees Yeomanstown’s Lope De Vega Colt Top Trade At 650k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.