by Carl Evans

A stellar cast of young Thoroughbreds will be the latest barometer of economic caution when Europe’s premier yearling sale opens in Newmarket, England, Tuesday.

The 676-horse catalog for Book 1 Tattersalls Ltd. October yearling sale contains no fewer than 310 full or half siblings to group or listed stakes winners, and 58 yearlings who are related to horses successful at classic level, the premier test of three-year-olds.

Standouts include the world’s only yearling by ill-fated two-time champion George Washington (Ire) (Hip #405), an early February filly out of Flawlessly, by Rainbow Quest, and offered by Gerry Burke’s Glidawn Stud in Ireland.

Burke paid $350,867 (280,000 euros) to acquire this rare gem at the Goffs November foal sale, and her neat proportions and pedigree—she is a half sister to six winners including Group 3 scorer Ombre Legere (Ire) and Grade 1-placed winner Flawly—suggest her vendor will make a profit when the filly walks through the ring Wednesday.

Also selling Wednesday, from Bobby Donworth’s Round Hill Stud, is a three-quarter brother to George Washington (Hip #272). The chestnut colt by Danehill Dancer is out of Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s stakes-placed winner Bordighera, by Alysheba.

Those seeking an early cash convertor could do worse than follow the fortunes of a colt by Sadler’s Wells out of Riskaverse, by Dynaformer (Hip #33). Consigned by the Lloyd-Webbers’ Watership Down Stud, this colt’s dam won a trio of Grade 1 events, namely the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes twice and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, and sold for $5-million at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November selected mixed sale.

Not far below that valuation was Specifically, who brought $3,791,760 at the 2006 Tattersalls December mare having produced that year’s Stan James One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) heroine Speciosa. Newsells Park Stud bought the mare and offers her Pivotal colt (Hip #97) Tuesday.

Pivotal, Britain’s most successful sire, produced a dual Classic winner this year in Sariska, whose yearling half brother out of Maycocks Bay, by Muhtarram (Hip #567) sells on Thursday from Lady Bamford’s Daylesford Stud. This late April foal is not hindered by being a son of Cape Cross (Ire), whose standing has been catapulted upwards by the exploits this year of Sea The Stars.

Sea The Stars’ memorable win in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) will be recalled Tuesday when a half sister to the third-place finisher in that race, Cavalryman, is consigned by Bill Dwan’s Castlebridge Consignment. By  Exceed And Excel, this February filly (Hip #74) is a sibling to four winners produced by Group 3-placed winner Silversword, by Highest Honor (Fr).

Another up-to-date family centers on a filly from the first crop of Coolmore Stud’s Holy Roman Emperor out of Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair (Ire) (Hip #103), which makes her a three-quarter sister to the Aidan O’Brien-trained champion Mastercraftsman, this year’s Boylesports.com Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) winner and a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Book 1 of the sale starts Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. local time and runs through Thursday.

Carl Evans is an England-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent