2012 February Sale Review

The Tattersalls February Sale saw an increase in turnover as the Sir Mark Prescott trained APPEAL topped proceeding’s at 110,000 guineas. A total of 179 lots were sold for 1,641,100 guineas, at an average of 9,168 guineas and a median of 3,500 guineas.

The top lot for the day was the four-year-old SELKIRK filly APPEAL who was consigned from Sir Mark Prescott’s Heath House Stables on behalf of Prince Faisal Salman’s Denford Stud. The daughter of the LINAMIX mare AMENIXA is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner ZINZIBERINE and attracted a plethora of interested bidders which included Richard Kent, Tom Goff, Michael Donohoe and Anthony Stroud but it was Charlie Gordon-Watson who eventually secured her at the expense of Paddy Twomey.  

"She's been bought for an existing client, but for a new partnership," said Gordon-Watson. "She's going back to Sir Mark, and as she is currently in such good form we might as well take advantage of that and try for a bit of black-type. She will be covered later this spring."

"I am pleased she is coming back to me, and pleased with the price!" added Sir Mark whose Heath House Stables offered the filly.

Earlier in the day Ed Dunlop secured the SHIROCCO filly TAMEEN for 80,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of Tweenhills’ David Redvers. The daughter of the NASHWAN mare NAJAH, a champion three-year-old filly in Italy, was rated 100 on the Flat, and is the winner of three races when under the care of John Dunlop.

"I obviously know the family well through my father," said Dunlop. "She was fourth in a Listed race last year and she will come into training with me. If she progresses from three to four, she has chances of picking up some proper black-type."                          

That family, trained by Dunlop snr, includes TAMEEN's grand-dam MEHTHAAF, the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner and champion three-year-old filly of 1994, while under the third dam is the champion sprinter and sire, ELNADIM.

Any draft from Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms’ attracts plenty of interest and it was no different with the 22 strong consignment here which grossed 305,100 guineas. The top lot was the winning four-year-old KING’S BEST filly TUSCANIA who was knocked down to Justin Wadham on behalf of Victoria and Anthony Pakenham, owners of the Derby winner SIR PERCY. The daughter of the DANZIG mare CONTIGUOUS is a half-sister to the Group winner CONFRONT and hails from the family of ELMAAMUL, REAMS OF VERSE, ZACINTO and MIDDAY and she looks destined to visit the Derby winner at his Lanwades Stud base.

"TUSCANIA will race again," said Lucy Wadham, "and she might be covered this spring, it is an option, but I suspect she will not be covered until 2013. SIR PERCY is busy enough already this year!"                          

At the conclusion of the 2012 Tattersalls February Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“The Tattersalls February Sale has been a popular fixture since its inception in 2000 and this year’s renewal has, as ever, attracted an international cast of buyers with a myriad of different requirements. It may not have been a vintage February catalogue but the feature of today’s sale has been the demand for the better quality lots, in particular those from the major owner/breeders who continue to support this and other mixed sales at Tattersalls with high class commercial consignments.                         

“While the clearance rate has not matched the record levels of last year’s February Sale it is the second highest since 2007 and the key indicators of average, median and turnover have all held up well. In addition, we have sold horses to countries as diverse as Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Kuwait, Libya and Qatar as well as all the traditional European markets, which is a tribute to the continued high regard in which mixed sales at Tattersalls are held.”