St Mark’s Basilica Filly Plays Starring Role At Book 2

A daughter of St Mark’s Basilica became the highest-priced filly at a strong opening session to Tattersalls Book 2, as Al Shaqab and Amo Racing stretched to 600,000gns for Yeomanstown Stud’s offering.

“She was one we very much honed in on,” reported Alex Elliott, who provided the final bid. “She's an early foal and I'd like to think that we can be thinking of Royal Ascot. It's a very good pedigree.

“St Mark's Basilica is obviously the unknown but he was a very good racehorse and he's got to have every chance at stud. If he keeps producing horses like that, I'm sure they are going to make big prices and have a big impact on the track as well.”

Monday’s sale was the best result to date for Yeomanstown Stud’s mare Angelic Light, who hails from the family of Irish Derby and US Grade 1 winner Treasure Beach (Galileo).

“It's a savage result,” Yeomanstown’s Rob O’Callaghan later said. “She's been flat out the past free days and had a lot of vettings. I haven't seen many horses by St Mark's Basilica but we sent the mare back to him on the strength of this filly. We've loved this filly since the day she was born.”