Tattersalls December Mares Sale - figures soar

2011 Tattersalls figures

Sold: 4,247

Aggregate: 182,685,600gns (+14%)

Average: 43,015gns (+18%)

Median: 18,000gns (+20%)

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Overall December statistics

Catalogued: 2,331 (2010: 2,344)

Offered: 1,942 (2010: 1,898)

Sold: 1,444 (2010: 1,398)

Clearance: 74%

Aggregate: 71,747,900gns (+29%)

Average: 49,687gns (+24%)

Median: 21,000gns (+23%)

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Tattersalls December Mares Sale statistics

Catalogued: 1,087 (2010: 1,097)

Offered: 865 (2010: 888)

Sold: 629

Clearance: 73%

Aggregate: 44,121,500gns (+28%)

Average: 70,145gns (+31%)

Median: 21,000gns (+24%)

No. seven-figure lots: four (2010: two)

Leading vendor: The Castlebridge Consignment, 39 sold for a total of 3,960,500gns and average of 101,551gns

Leading buyer: Charlie Gordon-Watson, ten bought for a total of 3,650,000gns and average of 365,000gns

 

TOP FIVE LOTS (gns)

Lot no.	Name	Purchaser	Price
1727	Sumora	M V Magnier	2,400,000
1752	Reve d'Iman	Katsumi Yoshida	1,700,000
1707	Pearling	Tony Nerses	1,300,000
1747	Testosterone	Charlie Gordon-Watson	1,200,000
1723	Ventura	M V Magnier	900,000

 

Chairman's statement:
"From start to finish the 2011 Tattersalls sales season has outperformed expectation and the December Sale has continued the momentum bringing the year to a highly successful conclusion. Last week's December Foal Sale produced returns bettered only twice this century and set the tone for the breeding stock this week.

"Total sale turnover in excess of 70,000,000 guineas is the fourth highest ever for the December Sale, and the average and median have both also risen dramatically. Despite a climate of continuing economic uncertainty, the Tattersalls December Sale has yet again demonstrated the extraordinary resilience of the bloodstock industry and also enhanced its reputation as probably the most international bloodstock sale in the world.

"The sheer diversity of the participants at Park Paddocks this week has, as ever, been the feature of the sale with buyers drawn from every continent in a shared quest for quality breeding stock.

"The four seven figure lots were the obvious highlights of the sale and between them they encapsulated the essence of theDecember Sale. These four outstanding fillies and mares matched vendors from Britain, Ireland France and America with buyers from Ireland, Japan, Kuwait and Kazakhstan. Bloodstock is a global currency and nowhere is this more evident than at the DecemberSale which year after year serves up an international catalogue for an international audience.

"Overseas demand at all levels of the market is the hallmark of so many sales at Tattersalls and to see buyers here in such numbers this week is a wonderful tribute to the enduring reputation of European bloodstock. In the course of the last twelve months our team have visited more than 30 different countries building up contacts and relationships throughout the world and we will continue to explore as many overseas markets, both established and emerging, as possible.

"As each sales season concludes it gives us an opportunity to thank all our clients for their continued support. This year I would also like to pay tribute to our bloodstock sales director Martin Mitchell who retires at the end of the year after 40 years with the company. Martin has made a huge contribution not only to Tattersalls but also to the wider industry and we wish him well for a long and happy retirement."

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Day four statistics

Offered: 186

Sold: 129 (69%)

Aggregate: 868,200gns (+4%)

Average: 6,730gns (+17%)

Median: 4,500gns (unchanged)

Top price: 50,000gns paid by Omer Halim Aydin for Tartan Bearer

Leading vendor: Oak Lodge Stud, one sold for 50,000gns

Leading buyer: Conrad Allen, six bought for a total of 53,000gns

 

FRESHMAN COVERING SIRE STATISTICS

Name	Offered	Sold	Average
Alfred Nobel	1	1	25,000
Approve	1	0	----
Arcano	4	3	49,000
Equiano	12	10	24,000
Fast Company	1	1	7,000
Hellvelyn	5	3	3,733
Lookin At Lucky	1	0	----
Lope De Vega	7	5	44,000
Lord Shanakill	4	0	----
Makfi	11	9	192,667
Mawatheeq	5	5	11,000
Paco Boy	10	6	40,000
Rip Van Winkle	6	6	47,500
Showcasing	11	10	19,850
Siyouni	1	0	----
Starspangledbanner	3	2	47,000
Vale Of York	2	1	5,500
Youmzain	3	3	15,667

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Lot 2301: Tartan Bearer: Derby runner-up and Dante Stakes winner Tartan Bearer is set to join the roster at the Jockey Club of Turkey after selling for 50,000gns to Turkish agent Omer Halim Aydin.

The Ballymacoll-bred son of Spectrum, who is a brother to Golan, was originally scheduled to stand this season in Libya but never made the trip after political unrest broke out earlier this year. Instead, he spent the summer in Ireland and was sold today by Oak Lodge Stud.

"I'm amazed that such a high-class horse was here and selling for that price," said Aydin. "I had no plans to buy him - I just walked into the ring and bought him on spec. He'll stand next season in Turkey for a partnership of mine at the Jockey Club.

"They've got a really good roster of stallions there, such as Lion Heart, Powerscourt and Victory Gallop, but most of their horses are older and so a younger horse like Tartan Bearer should be popular.

"His sire Spectrum has returned really good percentages in Turkey while he is a brother to Golan.

"It's a pity a horse like this was here. I've been in the business for 45 years and I'm sure the commercial side of the business is damaging the thoroughbred horse. Nobody in Britain or Ireland wanted this horse. In Turkey, people still like middle-distance runners and want to breed racehorses."

Lot 2299: Total Gallery - the Prix de l'Abbaye Total Gallery is sold out of Henry Candy's yard for 32,000gns to Ian Deane, acting on behalf of Badal Stud Farm in India.

The son of Namid won at Moulins for Mikel Delzangles and Qatar Bloodstock earlier this year and was recently transferred to Henry Candy, for whom he has been leading out the yearlings. He will stand in India alongside Sussex, an unraced Danehill son of Oh So Sharp.

"He is a lovely horse from a good family," said Deane. "He'll probably be the quickest stallion to stand in India."

Lot 2295: Azmeel - is unsold at 5,000gns, a sad turn of events for the dual Group 3 winner who went off at 14/1 for last year's Derby.

Lot 2266 - Dead Cool, the final foal out of 1989 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Dead Certain, will form part of Dream Ahead's initial book at Ballylinch Stud next year after selling to Mark Crossman for 38,000gns.

Mark McStay was the underbidder on the winning daughter of Kyllachy, who was offered by Hughie Morrison's Summerdown Stables on behalf of C E Trading and breeder Crichel Stables.

"She's for Khalifa Dasmal and will go to Dream Ahead next year," said Crossman. " She's from a very speedy family and out of a Group 1 winner and there are a lot of fillies producing winners in the pedigree. She could easily go back into training after being covered next year, we will have to discuss it.

"It's been very strong this week so we haven't really bought too many for Dream Ahead next year but I believe he is proving very popular and it will be in his second and third years that we'll try and support him more."

Dead Cool is one of nine winners out of Dead Certain. The daughter of Absalom, who was David Elsworth's first Group 1 winner, is also the dam of Cornwallis Stakes runner-up Deadly Nightshade as well as Dodo, the dam of the Listed-winning pair Nota Bene and Porthcawl.

Lot 2236 - Willie Carson will return home from the jungle to find Muja Farewell still residing at his Minster Stud after the daughter of Mujtahid is bought back at 25,000gns.

Alastair Pim introduced the mare, in foal to Exceed And Excel and thus carryinga full sibling to the Group 2-placed Ceedwell, with the words: "The boss is in the jungle and doing very well. But he left this one behind so lets open her at 35,000gns."

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Group 3-winning sprinter and former Mickley Stud resident Needwood Blade will stand in Egypt next season after selling in a private deal.

"He's gone to a breeder in Egypt where he will cover private mares," said Richard Kent, who stood the son of Pivotal at Mickley Stud from 2006 to 2009 before his switch to Sweden. "He's a horse with a lovely character so we're pleased to have found him a home."

Lot 2221 - Sensibility's priceof 22,000gns is matched when Cormac McCormack signs the ticket on Listed winner Dowager. The daughter of Groom Dancer was sold by Plantation Stud in foal to Showcasing.

Her sale brings Showcasing's covering average at this sale to 27,357gns.

Lot 2214 - former trainer Conrad Allen pays 22,000gns on behalf of Qatar buyer Ibrahim Al-Malki for Sensibility, a Halling granddaughter of Group 1 winner Danish in foal to Aqlaam. The six-year-old mare was sold by Thirty Acres Stables.

"She's been bought for a client of Ibrahim Al-Malki in Qatar and she'll head out there quite soon," said Allen. "If she has her foal out there then it is qualified to run in local races.

"I had to stretch my budget to get her but she was a fairly correct mare with good bone and I think Halling is a tremendous broodmare sire. She is in foal to Aqlaam and I liked him when I went to see him, I think he'll do well as a stallion."

Lot 2167 - Marsh Warbler's dam Echo River is heading to the Chippenham-based Biddestone Stud after selling for 18,000gns.

The daughter of Irish River was a high-class two-year-old for David Loder, winning the 2001 Star Stakes and running second in the May Hill Stakes. She was bought for 92,000gns by Newsells Park Stud through John Warren at this sale in 2008 with the intention of supporting Mount Nelson, and was sold today with a June 1 covering to the stallion.

"She was the one we really wanted today," said Derek Larkin, assistant manager at Biddestone, which is home to in excess of 30 mares. "She's in foal to an exciting young sire and she's done it all already. There's plenty going on in the family and you don't see too many Irish River mares now."

Lot 2149 - Lordship Stud paid just 10,000gns for Money Note, a Darley-bred by Librettist, in this ring in July. Today, the unplaced half-sister to Lend A Hand sells for 20,000gns to Whatton Manor Stud.

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Following a week of absence, John Ferguson has just made his first appearance in the gate.

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Lot 2123 - Maid For Running is set to stay in this country after selling to Alan 'Scobie' Coogan for 1,000gns. She is the first mare offered in foal to 2006 Coventry Stakes winner Hellvelyn.

Introduced as the dam of 'the great Born To Run' (perhaps a little optimistic), Coogan secured the daughter of Namaqualand on one bid.

Coogan is known in racing circles as the trainer of Listed-winning sprinter Matsunosuke but he is a jack of all trades in Newmarket as a saddler, song-writer and expert judge of koi carp.

Lot 2121 - Tally-Ho Stud fights off Paul Thorman at 14,000gns for Classical Air, a strapping Dubai Destination daughter of Italian Group 2 winner Claxon. She is also a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cassydora.

One lot earlier, Brick Kiln Stud returned to familiar territory when going to 8,000gns for Bow River Arch. The placed daughter ofArch was bred in the US by Grapestock LLC but is a granddaughter of Brick Kiln's excellent producer Lady Blackfoot, the dam of Labeeb and Alrassam among others.

Bow River Arch was a $190,000 yearling purchase by Bluehills Racing.

Lot 2091 - this is usually one of the more depressing days of the bloodstock year, as vendors struggle to sell uncommercial mares, and this year is going to be no exception - eight of the first 13 offered are unsold.

They include two pricey buybacks in Mille Feuille (2086), a young daughter of Choisir in foal to Showcasing who is bought back for 19,000gns, and Smackeroo (2091), a Smarty Jones mare in foal to Danish stallion Mingun who fails to sell for 15,000gns. Today marked her seventh trip through the ring - she has been unsold on five occasions.

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TODAY'S fourth session will provide a low key finale to the Tattersalls DecemberSale, which has already grossed in excess of 43 million guineas - way above last year's final figure of 34,544,800gns.

In keeping with the lesser lots on offer, the minimum bid drops to 800gns but there are still several who should sell well, including:

2091) Smackeroo: a regular in this ring (she has been catalogued on no fewer than ten occasions), this five-year-old relation to Ghostzapper is now the half-sister to current Grade 3 winner Northern Causeway

2121) Classical Air: a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Cassydora from the famous Goulandris family of Bulaxie and Zoffany

2129) Fly In Style: dam of this season's Listed-placed juvenile Percy Jackson and in foal to that colt's sire Sir Percy

2167) Echo River: 2001 May Hill Stakes runner-up who has dual-purpose appeal as the dam of high-class young hurdler Marsh Warbler. In foal to Mount Nelson

2179) Chrysalis: dam of Grade 3 winner Moth Ball in foal to Cockney Rebel

2205) Russian Rhapsody: dam of the Listed-winning sprinter Russian Spirit who is in foal to Authorized

2212) Highly Liquid: dam of No Compromise, winner of a maiden since the publication of the catalogue, as well as a Compton Place foal which sold for 28,000gns last week

2293) Manifest: Yorkshire Cup winning half-brother to Elmaamul and Reams Of Verse

2295) Azmeel: 2010 Dee Stakes winner

2299) Total Gallery: Prix de l'Abbaye winner

2301) Tartan Bearer: 2009 Derby runner-up who was originally sold earlier this year to stand in Libya

2302) Needwood Blade: Group 3-winning sprinter and former Mickley Stud resident

Today's withdrawals: 2089, 2095, 2097, 2098, 2101, 2102, 2107, 2117, 2126, 2132, 2139, 2146, 2153, 2156, 2157, 2159, 2166, 2173, 2174, 2182, 2186, 2198, 2199, 2200, 2201, 2204, 2213, 2218, 2228, 2229, 2238, 2243, 2253, 2254, 2256, 2259, 2260, 2262, 2263, 2265, 2275, 2276, 2277, 2278, 2287, 2292, 2294, 2296, 2297, 2298, 2300, 2303, 2304, 2305, 2307, 2308, 2311, 2320, 2328, 2332, 2337