Tattersalls to Introduce Select 'Sceptre Session' at December Mares Sale

Tattersalls is to introduce a new select session, named the ’Sceptre Session’, which will headline the Tuesday of the Tattersalls December Sale and showcase the highest quality race fillies and broodmares to be offered for sale in Europe.    

The select ’Sceptre Session’ takes its name from the great race filly SCEPTRE who was the only horse ever to win four Classics outright, and was herself sold for a record 10,000 guineas at Tattersalls in 1900. The ‘Sceptre Session’ will feature up to 75 elite fillies and mares focussing on high class racing prospects and well - covered, well bred broodmares with pedigrees which will appeal to the international buyers who annually descend upon Tattersalls Park Paddocks for Europe’s premier sale of breeding stock.    

The all new ’Sceptre Session’ will be the highlight of day two of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which has traditionally featured the most coveted fillies and mares at the four day finale to the Tattersalls sales season. Notably, the highest priced thoroughbred ever sold at European public auction was MARSHA whose 6 million guineas price tag was the extraordinary climax of the 2017 December Mares Tuesday session which in a run of 75 lots saw 10 lots sold for 1 million guineas or more and a further 11 sold for between 500,000 and a million guineas.    

Commenting on the new initiative, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said:    

“SCEPTRE was one of the most outstanding fillies ever to grace the turf and is inextricably linked with the rich history of Tattersalls and specifically Somerville Tattersall who himself owned the great mare for a short while. The new ’Sceptre Session’ will feature the very best race fillies and broodmares and add a new dimension to a sale which is already long established as the most prestigious showcase of world class breeding stock in Europe.”    

Simon Marsh, Manager of Lord and Lady Lloyd - Webber’s Watership Down Stud, added his praise saying:

“Over the last 30 years Watership Down Stud has purchased some of its most important mares at the Tattersalls December Sale including SUMOTO, the granddam of Champion racefilly THE FUGUE and GALE FORCE, the dam of 2021 Classic winner HURRICANE LANE. So many legendary broodmares have been purchased at the Tattersalls December Sale and the new ‘Sceptre Session’ will undoubtedly capture the imagination of breeders from throughout the world.”

SCEPTRE - 1899 Filly by PERSIMMON out of ORNAMENT (BEND OR)

Sceptre was British-bred and British-trained. Her career ran from 1901 to 1904. In 1902, she became the only racehorse to win four British Classic Races outright winning the 2,000 Guineas followed two days later by the 1,000 Guineas. After finishing third in the Derby she won the Oaks two days later and then won the St Leger.    

Bred by the 1st Duke of Westminster SCEPTRE was purchased as a yearling in 1900 at Tattersalls for the record price of 10,000 guineas by Robert Sievier.