From American buyers to Al Shira'aa, the twists and turns at Book 1

Strong presence of American buyers

American representation has grown in strength in the last few years at Tattersalls and this year's sizeable contingent picked up 50 of the choicest yearlings - about a tenth of the catalogue - to head back across the Atlantic with.

Is this perhaps a sign of the significant success Book 1-consigned horses have enjoyed in recent years in the states - think the likes of Grade 1 winners Domestic Spending, Newspaperofrecord and Digital Age - or does the exodus more reflect the ever increasing concerns over dire prize-money in British racing?

The all-conquering axis of Chad Brown and Mike Ryan picked up 15 yearlings for a total of 3,750,000gns, including Newsells Park Stud's Kingman filly out of a half-sister to Japan and Mogul, the Kingman colt out of a Group-winning relation to Arc hero Waldgeist, and Watership Down Stud's Dubawi filly out of Temple Stakes heroine Priceless.