FAIRYHOUSE, IRELAND – Breeder Barry Judge enjoyed his greatest day in the bloodstock business at what proved to be a record-breaking September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland when his Starman filly went to breeze-up handlers Jim McCartan and Willie Browne [JB Bloodstock] for €105,000.
The Thursday crowd was notably up on previous years and the Starman filly led the way on what proved to be the strongest-ever edition of Part 2 of this sale.
Turnover climbed by 51% to €1,871,800 despite the fact that the catalogue had been trimmed back by 44% to just 145 horses. There were sharp rises across the board with the median climbing a massive 150% to €10,000 and the average by 112% to €14,074. The clearance rate rested at 92%, which was up 28% on last year.
Judge was one of the main beneficiaries from the record-breaking trade that saw over €20 million fly through the air at Fairyhouse over the past few days.
Judge commented, “This is the best result we've had in the ring. We sold a Space Blues filly here yesterday [Lot 428] for €45,000 and we've had good results in the past, but this is the first time we've had a six-figure sale.”
He added, “We bought the dam, Bella Caelia, for 7,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale, she's by Showcasing and from a really fast family so I thought she'd make a nice broodmare.”
McCartan had to hold off a host of breeze-up buyers on the Starman filly, including Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who underbid the top lot.
“We saw her a couple of days ago and she was our pick of the Starmans,” McCartan said of the filly from the family of the two-time Group 1 winner Twilight Son. “We wanted to buy one by the sire, he looks like he could be an exceptional stallion. She is a lovely athletic and strong individual and could be one for the Tattersalls Craven Sale. We have bought three this week – it has been an expensive sale!”
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