Record Turnover on Third Day of Tattersalls December Foal Sale

The records continued to tumble at Tattersalls December Foal Sale with rises across the board and a turnover that is the highest one-day total at a foal sale in European auction history. That record had been set on this day last year but with the 195 lots today realising a total of 17,731,500 guineas, 35% up on 2012, last year’s total was not so much beaten as obliterated. The average and median also rose significantly, by 26% and 21% to 90,931 guineas and 60,000 guineas respectively. The remarkable trade is best illustrated by the fact that ten lots sold for 300,000 guineas or more compared with just 5 last year whilst 23 lots made 200,000 guineas or more, more than double last year’s figure of 10.

Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor John Ferguson has been very active at the December Foal Sale signing for 16 lots so far including the DUBAWI filly out of the Oaks placed Group winner HIGH HEELED at 450,000 guineas. Consigned from James Wigan’s West Blagdon Stud, the filly also caught the attention of Newsells Park Stud’s Julian Dollar who opened the bidding at 300,000 guineas as well as Hugo Lascelles and the underbidder Charlie Gordon-Watson.

"She is a filly full of quality," said Ferguson. "She comes from an outstanding breeder, is by a great sire and has a pedigree. At the end of the day there are not many foals sold in the world that can boast as much quality as her."

James Wigan, after the last of the West Blagdon Stud seven-strong draft sold, modestly said: "They were very nice horses, and nice horses make good prices."

The draft produced an aggregate of 1,177,000gns, the seven lots selling at an average price of 168,143gns.

The second highest price on the third day of the sale was the NEW APPROACH filly consigned from Juliet Minton’s Mill House Stud. The daughter of the Group-placed DANEHILL DANCER mare GEE KEL was knocked down to David Ryan for 400,000 guineas on behalf of Mubarak Al Naemi, recent purchaser of Kilfrush Stud.

"She's been bought to race and will come back to Kilfrush. We are looking to upgrade and improve the quality of our broodmare band and we are targeting well-bred fillies," said farm manager Ryan.

"We have 23 mares on the farm, and Mr Al Naemi is passionate about his breeding and racing," added Ryan.

Ryan has been based at Kilfrush Stud for more than 20 years prior to the sale of the Stud to the Qatari-based Al Naemi this summer.

"Let's hope we're going to be lucky!" laughed Ronald Rauscher after spending 350,000gns on the OASIS DREAM filly out of the champion juvenile Irish filly TERMAGANT, sold by Kenilworth House Stud.

"She was a stand out for me, and is by one of the best sires around. She is a beautiful filly and handled all the proceedings very well. She is for resale, let's hope the market stays like this!"

The Tattersalls December Foal Sale continues at 9.30am on Saturday, November 30.