Records Tumble At Tattersalls February Sale

The Tattersalls February Sale, being held over two days for the first time, saw records across the board as it concluded on Friday evening. The robust trade continued from where it left off yesterday with a remarkable 94% clearance rate sending turnover past 2 million guineas for the second consecutive day. The turnover for the sale of 5,710,200 guineas was more than double the previous February Sale record set last year whilst the average and median of 16,944 guineas and 8,000 guineas were both records for the sale, up 56% and 60% on last year’s corresponding sale.

Leading the way on the second day was the OASIS DREAM filly DREAM WALTZ consigned from John Gosden’s Clarehaven Stables who was knocked down to Laurent Benoit’s Broadhurst Agency for 105,000 guineas. The filly was purchased on behalf of Australian owner Peter Maher who raced her Classic winning dam VALENTINE WALTZ.

Maher secured the filly despite the efforts of agent Barry Lynch and Arrowfield Stud’s Paul Messara and indicated that she would be shipped to Australia and covered.   

VALENTINE WALTZ was bought as a yearling at Tattersalls in 1997 for 75,000 guineas by Kern/Lillingston. She was owned in training by Kirby Maher Syndicate and won the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and finished third in the Group 1 1,000 Guineas and in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes.

It was another resident of Clarehaven Stables who was the second highest price for the day, with the 99-rated VON BLUCHER knocked down to Salcey Forest Stud’s Daniel Creighton on behalf of John Dance for 95,000 guineas.

"He is for John Dance," said Creighton. "He is going into training with Rebecca Menzies as a dual purpose prospect. She has done well and deserves a good horse."

Earlier in the day the owner Andy Cosias secured the DANDY MAN filly DANDYMAN PORT for 75,000 guineas. Trained in France by Eoghan O'Neill, for whom she won and was placed at Chantilly and Maison-Laffitte, the three-year-old filly will be heading for Ireland and to the stables of Tipperary-based Des Donovan.

"We wanted to buy a filly," said her new owner Cosias. "She should suit the soft ground in Ireland, we're very pleased to have bought her."

At the conclusion of the 2017 Tattersalls February Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“The Tattersalls February Sale has achieved phenomenal growth in recent years and the 2017 renewal has taken it to a new level. As recently as 2010, the turnover at the February Sale was less than a million guineas and the average price below 7,000 guineas. This year we extended the sale to two days for the first time and the turnover has soared to nearly 6 million guineas, more than double last year’s record level, the average has reached a new record of 16,944 guineas and even last year’s impressive clearance rate of 82% has jumped to 90%.

“The obvious highlight of the sale was the 500,000 guineas paid for the outstanding race filly EASTON ANGEL, another new record for this fixture, but the real feature of the sale has been the extraordinary depth to the trade in all sectors of the market and, as ever, the contribution made by overseas buyers from throughout Europe, the Gulf region, America and as far afield as Australia. More six figure lots than ever before demonstrates the enduring global appeal of quality bloodstock, but it is equally important that sales of this nature attract buyers at all levels of the market and the sustained demand from start to finish has been just as gratifying as the individual highlights and the record returns.

“There is no doubt that the regular significant consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell play a major part in attracting such a diverse crowd of buyers and it is wonderful to see their confidence in Tattersalls so consistently rewarded. Equally pleasing has been the success of the Irish and French vendors who have supported the sale and we are delighted that our 251st year has made such a positive start."