Son Of Acclamation Tops Second Day Of Tattersalls December Foal Sale

John Ferguson bought the top two lots on the second day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale as four lots sold for 100,000 guineas or more with turnover, average and median all posting increases over 2010. A total of 191 lots were sold for 5,374,900 guineas, at an average of 28,141 guineas and a median of 20,000 guineas. These represented rises of 19%, 14% and 13% respectively on last year’s sales returns.

The top lot for the day was the ACCLAMATION colt out of the KEY OF LUCK mare KEY GIRL who was knocked down to John Ferguson for 150,000 guineas. Consigned by Bill and Tara Dwan’s The Castlebridge Consignment, the colt is one of 24 sons of the Rathbarry-based stallion catalogued for the December Foal Sale, and the highest priced of those to go through the ring so far. Progeny by the son of ROYAL APPLAUSE have been in great demand throughout the yearling and foal sales following on from the exploits of his progeny on the racecourse this year which have included six Group winning two-year-olds.                          

A couple of hours earlier Ferguson secured a filly by resident Darley stallion DUBAWI for 120,000 guineas. The daughter of the KRIS mare TROPICAL BREEZE was consigned by to the sale by David Redvers’ Tweenhills Farm & Stud.

"He is a lovely colt by Dubawi, a sire who is going from strength to strength," said Ferguson of the top lot. "This colt is from a fast family and looks the type to be an early two-year-old."

Another Darley stallion whose progeny are in great demand following success on the racecourse in 2011 is EXCEED AND EXCEL who has had twelve individual Group/Listed winners this year headed by the Group 1 winning pair of EXCELEBRATION and MARGOT DID. Julie Wood, who has enjoyed great success as an owner with Richard Hannon over the past few seasons signed for the EXCEED AND EXCEL filly out of the MONTJEU mare HOLAMO consigned from Newsells Park Stud at 135,000 guineas.

"She's been bought to race," said Wood, buying under the name Woodstock, after signing for the filly .

"I've been waiting all day for her, she vetted well and is a nice, athletic and correct filly. She has a great attitude, she was the same everytime we went back to see her. Of course, her stallion has plenty of appeal too.

"She will go back to Catridge Farm Stud from here and then to Richard's [Hannon] next autumn."

"I don't want to breed, but I love buying horse at this stage. I've bought a lot of foals, and half of the winners I had this year we bought as foals," added Woods, who also joked that her usual agent Peter Doyle was in opposition on this occasion.

The top priced EXCEED AND EXCEL colt for the day was the Langton Stud consigned son of the ROSSINI mare MISS CHAUSSINI who was knocked down to Willie Browne for 100,000 guineas.

"He is a lovely colt and a great walker," said Browne of the son of Exceed And Excel offered by Langton Stud. "The sire is going well and had an exceptional year and if he has as half a good year again we will be ok.

"I was underbidder on this colt's Acclamation half-sister at Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale and I think this one will grow into a nice horse. He is probably going to go to Pier House Stud, we are developing a partnership with them and he will be resold next year."

The Tattersalls December Foal Sale continues on Friday, November 25 at 10am with nine foals by the great SEA THE STARS set to go under the hammer.