Strong Trade on Second Day of Tattersalls December Foal Sale

Trade stepped up a level on the second day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale with 17 lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more and colts by KODIAC and TORONADO sharing top billing at 190,000 guineas. A total of 211 lots were sold for 8,441,000 guineas, down 2% on last year albeit with 13% less lots offered. The average was up 9% to 40,005 guineas whilst the median rose 15% to 30,000 guineas. The clearance rate was a strong 82%.

The dual-Group 1 winner TORONADO is one of a plethora of sires whose first foals are on offer this year and leading the way for the son of HIGH CHAPARRAL was the colt out of the DANSILI mare RASKUTANI. Consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of James Stewart’s Wellsummers Stud, the half-brother to the Group 1 Irish St Leger runner-up AGENT MURPHY was knocked down to MC Bloodstock’s Jim McCartan for 190,000 guineas.

"We thought he was an exceptional foal," said Jim McCartan. "We waited to see him again up in the back ring, but we loved him then - he has a lot of presence.

"It is a lot of money for a foal by a first-crop sire, but Toronado was a very good horse. Roger Varian paid 230,000 guineas for the yearling by Azamour, hopefully he will have helped us out by the time we come to resell!"

As well as being a half-brother to AGENT MURPHY, the colt is also out of a half-sister to the Group winners HATTA FORT and BLUE BAYOU and from the family of Group 1 EP Taylor Stakes winner MISS KELLER and this year’s Group 1 St Leger winner HARBOUR LAW.

The session-topping price of 190,000 guineas was matched late in the evening when the colt by KODIAC out of the TEOFILO mare INYOUDREAMS was knocked down to Eugene Daly. Consigned by Paul and Sara Thorman’s Trickledown Stud on behalf of the Ellis family’s Bolton Grange Stud, the colt is a son of the Listed winner INYORDREAMS, herself a daughter of the Group 2 Flying Childers winner WUNDERS DREAM.

"We bred most of the horses on this foal's page," said Jane Ellis. "He is very nice colt and we are delighted. Kodiac was a good price when we covered the mare."

Daly was sat next to Anthony Stroud who commented: "He is very racy and will be reoffered next year."

The sale of the INVINCIBLE SPIRIT colt out of the TOBOUGG mare KERRY’S DREAM for 180,000 guineas provided a day to remember for consignor Bumble Mitchell.

"I bred this colt's mare Kerry's Dream," said Mitchell, "and sold her as a yearling. She won at two and I bought her back privately.

"This colt has been exceptional and he was outstanding from day one. He has been very busy here and I am delighted, he is a lovely foal with a wonderful temperament. It is the biggest price we have achieved for a foal."

The half-brother to the Listed winner VENTURA MIST was knocked down to John Ferguson who secured the January foal after seeing off Turkish-based owner Mehmet Kurt.

KERRY’S DREAM has proven to be a great purchase for Mitchell, with the sale bettering her previous foal best of 130,000 guineas for her DUTCH ART filly at this sale in 2013.

Few stallions can boast having sired three horses of the calibre of SEA THE STARS, OUIJA BOARD and GOLDEN HORN as CAPE CROSS can and so it was no surprise to see his son, out of the Group winning SINGSPIEL mare GOWER SONG, light up the ring when knocked down to John Ferguson for 170,000 guineas.

"He's a fabulous, fabulous colt," said Usk Valley Stud’s Kevin Mercer.

"He's always has been a lovely sort - so light on his feet and typical of his sire and dam. He's been vetted a lot - more times than any other I have brought here.

"I have always supported Cape Cross - his fortunes have gone up and down, but I am a big fan.

"We bought Gower Song here as a yearling and David Elsworth trained her for us. He bought her first yearling Melodious, a full-sister to this foal and she went to get some black-type, and I think he was bidding on this foal too.

"Gower Song is a young mare and is in-foal to Sea The Stars."

Ferguson secured the colt after seeing off the efforts of Littleton Stud’s David Bowe.

The Tattersalls December Foal Sale continues at 9.30am on Friday, November 25.