Tattersalls Foal Sale Sustains Momentum

Two lots sold for 100,000 guineas (US$131,066) or more at the Tattersalls December foal sale Nov. 26, bringing a close to the four-day sale.

The session saw 160 lots sell for 3,257,000gns ($4,268,827) taking the total to 743 lots sold for 30,568,350gns ($40,064,789). The average and median finished on a comparable level to last year at 41,142gns ($53,923) and 21,000gns ($27,523) respectively, the clearance rate rose four points to 78%.

The top lot on the final day was the colt by Showcasing out of the Shamardal mare Sunrise Star (GB), who bloodstock agent Richard Knight purchased for 110,000gns ($144,172).

"He has been bought for a British-based client as a pinhook," Knight said. "He is by a sire who goes from strength to strength, is independent, and is going up in price. He is out of a mare who won over 6 furlongs. He has plenty of size for a first foal—there's lots to like, let's hope buyers think so next year."

"The Showcasing (colt) is a cracking colt and was bred by Lady Bamford," said Charlie Wyatt, whose Dukes Stud consigned the colt. "He has been a straight-forward, easy-to-do colt all the way through. He has been brilliantly done by Clive Larkin and Jim Robertston at home.”"

Dukes Stud and Wyatt scored another success two lots later when their Iffraaj (GB) filly out of Pink Flames (IRE) sold for 95,000gns ($124,512) to Marc-Antoine Breghgracht’s' MAB Agency.

"The Iffraaj filly was bred in partnership between myself and Simon Sweeting," Wyatt said. "She is lovely. We will probably be sending the mare back to Dutch Art—he is sire of her listed winner, Flanders Flame."

The other lot to reach the six-figure mark was the Kodiac (GB) filly out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Carved Emerald (GB). Consigned by Jamie Railton, the filly was knocked down to Paul McCartan for 100,000gns. The filly hails from the immediate family of group II Polypipe PLC Flying Childers Stakes second-placed Emerald Peace and her daughter, the group III Princess Margaret Stakes runner-up Vital Statistics.

"“The strength and depth to the market (for) books 1 to 4 of the Tattersalls October yearling sale has been reflected in the sustained demand we have witnessed from start to finish of the 2016 December foal sale," Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said. "Another major contributory factor has been the decision to return the sale to its traditional four-day format after the five-day December foal sale last year. This was not a decision taken lightly, but it has without doubt played a major part in the success of this week’s sale."

Each day saw improved clearance rates over the equivalent days last year, with 76 foals selling for 100,000gns or more.

West Blagdon Stud, who consigned this year's 600,000gns ($786,397) sale-topping Dansili filly out of High Heeled, has been responsible for the sale-topping foal three out of the last four years at the December foal sale, each time with a filly out of High Heeled. 

The Tattersalls December mare sale starts Nov. 28.