By Emma Berry
Only twice in the history of Tattersalls have more foals been offered at the December Sale and this was reflected in a new record for Europe's leading weanling auction, at which 33,565,600gns changed hands for 803 foals.
Mutterings of over production have grown ever louder in Europe since the yearling sales season began and there were justifiable fears that the foal market would struggle with almost 400 more horses catalogued in Britain and Ireland than this time last year. What has become abundantly clear from the last two weeks of foal sales at Goffs and Tattersalls is that demand at the top end is still extraordinarily strong, while in the middle to lower tiers breeders are finding it harder to sell as pinhookers contemplate the level of yearling sale at which they are aiming next year.
For the sale as a whole, the median value–a key indicator– dropped by 20% to 20,000gns, though the average increased by 1.4% at 41,800gns. Around a quarter of the foals offered were taken home by their breeders after the clearance rate fell by 5% to 73.74%, and the challenge of more foals being offered was addressed by Chairman Edmond Mahony in his end-of-sale statement.
“While there have been many positives to take from this week's sale, it would be wrong to overlook the impact of a significantly larger catalogue than last year,” commented Mahony.
“Only twice have we offered more foals at the December Foal Sale, and the larger numbers have resulted in a more selective market and a lower clearance rate than in recent years, very much mirroring the dynamics at play in the yearling market,” Mahony added. “Nevertheless, the demand for quality foals has yet again demonstrated the enduring demand for quality British and Irish bloodstock as we turn our attention to the eagerly awaited December Mares' Sale which begins on Monday. We have an outstanding catalogue with some rare gems on offer, and look forward to welcoming a truly cosmopolitan cast of buyers.”
Reflecting on a frenetic day's trade during the traditionally strong Friday session, Mahony said, “The highest priced foal to be sold in Europe this year, three filly foals, all by the outstanding Dubawi making more than 600,000gns, and record turnover for the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for the third consecutive year are tributes to a December Foal catalogue which, as ever, has featured so many of the best foals to be found in Britain and Ireland.”
“The 800,000gns European top price for West Blagdon Stud's Dubawi filly out of High Heeled is the highest priced filly to sell at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale since 2002, and the fourth highest ever in Europe,” added Mahony. “The Tattersalls December Foal Sale is primarily the domain of British and Irish pinhookers and they have worked tirelessly all week, joined, in increasing numbers, by international owners looking for quality foals to race. Buyers from America, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have all purchased foals for 200,000gns or more and made a huge contribution to the 2015 December Foal Sale.”
Saturday's final session brought another 3,653,900gns to the final tally, at an average price of 27,681gns (-14.53%) and median of 19,500gns (-7.14%) for 132 foals sold–a clearance rate of 71.74%.
One stallion whose offspring never fail to find viewers is Dark Angel (Ire) and his colt out of Welsh Angel (GB), by in-vogue broodmare sire Dubai Destination (lot 1407), took his turn in the spotlight on the final day of trade, selling for a session-topping 170,000gns.
The March colt was bred by Kevin and Sue Mercer of the Welsh-based Usk Valley Stud and traces back to the family of the sale's overall second-top lot, the filly by Dubawi (Ire) out of Hit The Sky (Ire) (Cozzene), which made 720,000gns. His illustrious relatives include the Group 1 winners Moonstone (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Cerulean Sky (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}).
The buyer was from the family which knows the sire better than any other–Robert O'Callaghan, whose father Gay stands Dark Angel at his Yeomanstown Stud.
“He's a big smashing colt, just like his daddy,” said the younger O'Callaghan. “His sire has had another great year, with 14 stakes winners and 26 stakes performers. We are very lucky to have him. The colt was my choice and with a bit of luck he'll be back here next October.”
A first-crop son of Darley's champion juvenile and G1 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach (Ire) was next on the list at 150,000gns, sold to Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud.
The Bryanstown House Stud-consigned son of Bernard Cooke's homebred dual winner Liscune (Ire) (King's Best) (lot 1338) is a half-brother to listed Buckhounds S. winner Ektihaam (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who raced for Sheikh Hamdan and was another decent sales return for his breeder when sold for 250,000gns at this sale six years ago.
“She has been a wonderful mare and has earned me over 2 million guineas through her foal sales,” reported the delighted breeder. “She has visited Invincible Spirit a lot so I decided to mix it up a bit with the Dawn Approach covering. She is barren now, but will be going back to Invincible Spirit next spring.”
A rare foray into the commercial sales market from the Aga
Khan came through lot 1305, a filly by the late Azamour (Ire) who was offered by Simon Sweeting's Overbury Stud for Italian breeders Riccardo Cantoni and Giovanni Benvenuto.
Cantoni confessed, “I am very keen on pedigrees but don't know so much about the physical horse side of things so we use Simon [Sweeting] for that.”
He added, “I like to try to breed horses to race rather than to sell but unfortunately I can't keep them all. I liked Azamour and sadly he died the day after covering this mare.”
The value of Azamour fillies has no doubt been enhanced this year by the performance of dual Group 1 winner Covert Love (Ire) and this filly foal, out of the Italian listed winner She Is Great (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), will now hopefully be seen in future in the red-and-green silks of the Aga Khan.
John Ferguson's dominant presence throughout Friday' session had already ensured him the leading purchaser title for the sale and he added a Raven's Pass colt to the final tally when going to 100,000gns for lot 1358.
The colt in question was offered by Derek Iceton's Tara Stud and is a son of the Peintre Celebre mare Rosa Clara (Ire), a half-sister to the admirable dual-purpose performer Blythe Knight (Ire) (Selkirk), whose highlight on the flat came when winning the G3 Diomed S. on Derby day at Epsom.
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