Acclamation Colt Tops Tattersalls December Yearling Sale

A son of ACCLAMATION topped the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale at 140,000 guineas on a day that saw five lots sell for 100,000 guineas or more compared with only two at this sale last year. The sale saw a total of 167 lots sold for 3,595,300 guineas, at an average of 21,529 guineas and a median of 13,000 guineas.

The top lot on the one-day sale was lot 102, the ACCLAMATION colt who was knocked down to John Ferguson for 140,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of Charlie Gordon-Watson standing alongside trainer Ed Dunlop.

Consigned from Rathbarry Stud, the colt is out of the Listed placed BARATHEA mare MUSICAL BAR, herself a half-sister to the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner FINSCEAL BEO and FROZEN POWER, winner of the German 2,000 Guineas for Godolphin.

"He is a very athletic type, who could easily be a two-year-old," said Ferguson. "He is from a family that has been lucky for us and for many others, and is from a very good farm which consistently breeds good horses."

Back in 2010 at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the Coolmore team bought an OASIS DREAM colt for 50,000 guineas bred by Norelands Stud and Hugo Lascelles. Subsequently named POWER, he won the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas earlier this year and the Ballydoyle team will be hoping lightning strikes twice after Demi O’Byrne secured lot 168, the OASIS DREAM colt consigned from Hugo Lascelles’ Lofts Hall Stud for 135,000 guineas.

Out of the Grade 3 placed ZAFONIC mare I’M IN LOVE, and a half-brother to the Grade 3 winner MORE THAN LOVE, the colt was knocked down to O’Byrne after he saw off the efforts of trainer Michael Bell.

"He is very nice horse and from a very good stud," said O'Byrne.

The progeny of Champion stallion GALILEO are always in great demand and it proved the case with lot 212, the colt out of the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR mare ALTESSE IMPERIALE who was knocked down to Andy Geraghty for 130,000 guineas.

"He's been bought for Andrew Tinkler," said Geraghty after purchasing the colt consigned from ‘Flash’ Conroy’s Glenvale Stud. "He goes to Tommy Carmody. Mr Tinkler picked him out - he loves Galileo."

ALTESSE IMPERIALE is a half-sister to the two-time Grade 1 winner ANGARA who was sold at the 2007 Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 3,000,000 guineas.

Late in the afternoon Oliver St Lawrence saw off agent Hugo Merry to secure lot 218, the SPEIGHTSTOWN colt for 120,000 guineas.

"He's been bought for a client of Ed Vaughan's," said St Lawrence.

"We've only tried on two today, this is a lovely type, hopefully he'll be lucky."

The sale provided a pinhooking triumph for Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud who purchased her 2 months ago for $75,000.

Out of the RUBIANO mare REBOOT, the colt is a half-brother to the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes runner-up REBUTTAL as well as the Listed winning filly SUMMER CRUISE.

The Tattersalls December Sale starts at 10am on Wednesday, November 28.