Tattersalls Concludes Record Year

Courtesy of Racing Post

After a year in which all of its auctions posted significant gains in key market areas, Tattersalls has ended 2017 with another record year of turnover, with more than 331 million guineas in total sales.

The previous record had been set during Tattersalls' 250th anniversary of operation last year, when it posted turnover of 265,519,379gns (about US$373,436,000).

During 2017, some 5,282 lots from 6,441 offered were sold for an incredible 331,489,750gns (about $465,530,000) and an average of 62,758gns.

The December mares sale, which concluded Dec. 7, was a big factor in the staggering rise in turnover thanks to Marsha's headline-topping sale when knocked down for a European record of 6,000,000gns (US$8,491,140) to M.V. Magnier on Tuesday.

Tattersalls' chairman Edmond Mahony said: "The demand for quality bloodstock at Tattersalls has been unprecedented throughout 2017. Every single Tattersalls sale this year has achieved record figures and last year's best ever annual turnover of 265 million guineas has soared to a truly remarkable 331 million guineas."

Another big contributing factor of the boost in turnover was the record-breaking edition of Book 1 of the October yearling sale, at which Dank's Galileo (IRE) filly sold for 4,000,000gns ($5,563,320) to Godolphin—one of 17 million-guinea lots to change hands at the auction. Those high prices contributed to whopping takings of 102,290,000gns ($142,353,493).

Highlights of 2017 also included a strong edition of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale, at which group 2 winner Elizabeth Browning became the highest-priced horse ever to sell at the auction when bought by Alex Elliott for 700,000gns ($974,166).

"Individual highlights have come thick and fast throughout our autumn sales season," Mahony added. "The 4 million guineas October Book 1 sale-topper was the highest price for a yearling in the world this year and was followed by record top prices at Book 2 of the October yearling sale and the Autumn horses in training sale.

"Nothing, however, compares with the pure theater of the Tuesday evening session of this week's December mares sale. All of us lucky enough to have witnessed and participated in such a spectacular sale will have memories to treasure.

"Each of the 11 fillies and mares who sold for 1 million guineas or more were exceptional, but the new European record of 6 million guineas for the dual group 1-winning filly Marsha was genuinely unforgettable and a wonderful reward for the Elite Racing Club, her trainer Sir Mark Prescott and all associated with such a special filly."

The Newmarket, England sales house also conducted the dispersal of Ballymacoll Stud's stock throughout the year, with highlights including a Kingman filly out of Justlookdontouch fetching 1,700,000gns ($2,369,945) from Fiona Craig of Moyglare Stud at Book 1 and Justlookdontouch herself selling for 1,200,000gns ($1,698,228) to Peter Brant's White Birch Farm Tuesday.

For more European racing, sales, and bloodstock news, visit RacingPost.com.