Record-Breaking October Sale Concludes

RECORD-BREAKING OCTOBER SALE CONCLUDES
By Emma Berry 
Over the last fortnight, the message that the upper and middle tiers of the bloodstock industry are in rude health has been writ large across the manicured lawns of Tattersalls’ Park Paddocks, which has been the scene of almost 130 million guineas-worth of horse trading. 

The European sector is still heavily reliant on a small clutch of big-spending patrons, many of whom are of Arab descent, and their participation, along with a buying bench from across the globe which has shown encouraging growth, contributed to a bumper renewal of the October Yearling Sale. New benchmarks were set left, right and center as “unprecedented demand” for yearlings led to record turnover for each of Books 1, 2 and 3, and, naturally, for the sale as a whole, with the tally coming in at 128,993,850gns. That figure represented an increase of 18% on 2013 from 112 more horses sold. 

Across the three books, the median rose by 7% to 45,000gns and the average by 9% to 90,080gns. Apart from a sticky start to the first day of Book 1, the clearance rate has been well in excess of 80% on each day, and was 85% for the entire October Sale. 

Book 3 Back Up In Numbers… 
A straight comparison with last year’s Book 3 is hard to make, with it having been staged on just one day in 2013 and two this time around. The last time a similar number of horses were offered in Book 3 was back in 2007, just before the recession hit, when an aggregate of 5,697,400gns was posted for 376 sold of the 567 to pass through the ring. Over the last two days at Park Paddocks, 511 have been offered and 436 sold (85%) for an average of 16,432gns (+54%), median of 11,500gns (+67%) and total turnover of 7,164,350gns. 

Edmond Mahony, Chairman of Tattersalls, said, “From Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale last week to the very end of today’s Book 3 we have experienced unprecedented and record-breaking demand every step of the way, and the catalyst is the consistent achievement of Tattersalls October Yearlings at the very highest level throughout the world. Nearly 130 million guineas has been spent on yearlings over the past two weeks, and while the extraordinary levels of trade at both Books 1 and 2 may receive more attention, the demand over the two days of Book 3 has been no less satisfying. Buyers from as far away as Japan have been active at Book 3 and the gains in turnover, average, median and clearance rate are as important in this sector of the market as any other.” 

The Perfect Showcase For Young Talent… 
There is no doubt that Europe currently has an impressive array of first-crop sires. Lope De Vega (Ire) notched a group-race double and his first Group 1 winner at Newmarket on Friday afternoon, while in the sales-ring Showcasing (GB)–the sire of 24 winners this term–has continued to be popular throughout the week, with two of his daughters at the head of proceedings on the final day. 

As Book 3 drew to a close on Friday evening, a Keith Harte-consigned filly by the Whitsbury Manor Stud resident (lot 1795) took the took the top slot when selling to new agent Alex Elliott for 42,000gns. Out of the three-time winner Folly Lodge (GB) (Grand Lodge), the chestnut filly is from the family of G1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Best Of The Bests (Ire) (Machiavellian). 

“She’s been bought for a client to come back to the breeze-up sales next year,” said Elliott, who made his first purchase in his own name during the Goffs Orby Sale after cutting his teeth working for Jamie McCalmont. “Showcasing has been so popular and Jim McCartan beat me on one the other day so I’m pleased to get her.” 
Indeed, that popularity made Showcasing leading sire by an average price of 29,294gns through Book 3 for 16 yearlings sold. Another one of those was lot 1656, a May-born filly out of a sister to listed winner Bomb Alaska (GB) (Polar Falcon) who was consigned by Houghton Bloodstock and knocked down for 38,000gns. She too will be returning to the sales ring next spring, having been bought by Yeomanstown Stud’s David O’Callaghan, who sold Showcasing’s G2 Mill Reef S. winner Toocoolforschool (Ire) to Karl Burke for 16,000gns at the Guineas Breeze-up Sale in May. 
Keith Harte enjoyed some good results through Book 2–most notably when selling a Dutch Art (GB) colt for 340,000gns–and his draft was again to the fore in Book 3 with the sale of a Champs Elysees (GB) colt (lot 1844) on behalf of Dr Philip Brown for 38,000gns. 

The appearance of an athletic-looking colt by Shirocco (Ger) (lot 1790) from the family of popular and durable hurdler/chaser Fair Along ((Ger) was enough to get the pulses racing of a number of agents with jumping connections. Mags O’Toole prevailed at 34,000gns in the contest for the Hillwood Stud offering. 

“He’s going to Ireland,” said O’Toole. “He’s a horse with real quality and is a decent size. He has the scope to do either job down the line.” 

Concluding his appraisal of a successful fortnight at Tattersalls, Edmond Mahony said, “At Newmarket’s Future Champions Day today we saw three group-winning graduates of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, including Godolphin’s Group 1 Middle Park S. winner Charming Thought (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), and it is this sort of racecourse achievement that is the key to the success of the sale.” 

He added, “Year after year, the October Yearling Sale produces champions on the world stage and the buyers come to Park Paddocks confident that they will find the cream of the European yearling crop. We would like to thank each and every one of the vendors and buyers who have all made the 2014 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale so memorable.”