Records Again for Tatts Foal Sale

RECORDS AGAIN FOR TATTS FOAL SALE 
By Emma Berry 
For the second year running, Tattersalls’ December Foal Sale concluded yesterday in record-breaking fashion at Park Paddocks. At 32,110,90gns, the auction achieved the highest-ever turnover (+2%) for its four days of weanling trade. The average dropped marginally by 3% to 41,221gns, but the median was up by 9% to 25,000gns. Throughout the four days, 779 of the 966 weanlings offered sold for a three-point rise on clearance rate to 81%. 
Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “Yet again, outstanding results from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale have provided the impetus for a record-breaking Tattersalls December Foal Sale. The level of trade at Europe’s premier foal sale has mirrored the extraordinary demand for yearlings here in October and to have achieved record turnover for the second consecutive year is a tribute to a catalogue comprising so many of the best foals to be found in Britain and Ireland.” 

During the final day, both average and median climbed to 32,386gns (+2%) and 21,000gns (+5%), despite a two-point drop in clearance rate to 76%. A total of 4,663,600gns was added to the aggregate, just 1% down on the corresponding day last year. 

A National Double… 
The final session of foals at Tattersalls proved to be another good sales day for the Irish National Stud when consecutive lots 1184 and 1185 each brought a return of 170,000gns. The former is the by the stud’s stalwart stallion Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of listed winner Nina Celebre (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), who has already produced the listed-placed 2-year-old winner Ninas Terz (Ger) (Tertullian). The filly, whose first three dams are all black-type winners, will be joining the Darley ranks having been bought by John Ferguson. 

Angus Gold signed for the following lot, yet another by Sea The Stars (Ire) and a half-sister to listed winner Lake Palace (GB) (Nayef) from the family of Lawman (Fr). 

Just four lots previously, Gold also claimed a first-crop son of Bated Breath, the most expensive by the young sire to sell this week at 130,000gns. His grandam Bahamian (GB) heads a dynasty that includes G1 Irish Oaks winner Wemyss Bright (GB) as well as the stallions Oasis Dream (GB), Kingman (GB) and Beat Hollow (GB). 

The Shadwell team later added a son of another freshman, Casamento (Ire), to the list at 110,000gns. Bred in Ireland by Gerard and Tomas Kerin, the Abbey House Farm-consigned colt is the second foal of the unraced Dixieland Kiss (Dixie Union), a daughter of Grade 3 winner Kiss The Devil (Kris S). 

Tomas Kerin said, “He was always a lovely foal and is a good walker. He really showed himself off well. We bought the mare here as a 3-year-old for 33,000gns–we loved her–and we liked the cross of Casamento, by Shamardal, over this mare by Dixie Union.” 

More Magic… 
The late Con Wilson enjoyed one of the most memorable moments in Tattersalls’ history when selling broodmare Magical Romance (Ire) for a then-record 4.6 million guineas in 2006. Stephen Kemble consigned the mare on his behalf and on Saturday brought a Dutch Art (GB) colt (lot 1325) to the ring for Wilson’s daughter Debbie James, who breeds horses under the banner of Highgate Stud and boards two mares at Kemble’s Clanville Stud. 

One of those mares is Darling Grace, a 3-year-old winner whose first foal realized 160,000gns when sold to Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg of Germany’s Gestut Itlingen. 

“We thought me might make 60,000 or 70,000gns,” said James. “My father raced [five-time winner] Lady Grace (Ire) and when he died, we raced her daughter Darling Grace. This is her first foal, so we’re absolutely thrilled. Dad would be absolutely dancing about.” 

James added, “I can’t thank Stephen enough, he’s done a wonderful job and has always given us very good advice.” 
The Stauffenbergs have been on the hunt for another draft of potential pinhooks over the last few weeks at Goffs and Tattersalls and have signed for four foals in Newmarket, including a 150,000gns daughter of Elusive Quality. Last year, Philipp Stauffenberg livened up the first session of foals at Tattersalls when going to 160,000gns for a Champs Elysees (GB) half-brother to G2 Rockfel S. winner Al Thakira (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). That colt was resold during Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale for 320,000gns. 

Stroud Gets A Star… 
Anthony Stroud was also keen to get his hands on a Sea The Stars weanling and went to 155,000gns for lot 1170, Aston Mullins Stud’s colt out of Garanciere (Fr) (Anabaa), a half-sister to G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Glorosia (Fr) (Bering). The colt’s breeder Simon Hope said, “Blandford Bloodstock helped to organize the mating with Sea The Stars and until Frankel came along he was the best racehorse in a generation. The dam’s first foal, I Love Me (GB), was a talented filly and was by Cape Cross, which is another reason behind the Sea The Stars cover.” 

Kevin Mercer’s Usk Valley Stud enjoyed some success with a son of Kyllachy (GB) out of the homebred mare Welsh Angel (GB) (Dubai Destination), who sold for 130,000gns to Paddy Twomey. The dam’s half-sister Nantyglo (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) was a listed winner for Mercer’s Welsh farm and the further family includes the Group 1-winning half-sisters Cerulean Sky (Ire) and Moonstone (Ire). 

Nathaniel Provides Bryces A Strong Result… 
Colin and Melba Bryce Of Laundry Cottage Stud Farm paid 230,000gns for the Invincible Spirit mare Bahama Spirit (Ire) in foal to Nathaniel (GB) last December and her resultant colt (lot 1196) went some way to repaying that sum when selling for 110,000gns to Amanda Skiffington. The 5-year-old mare is a half-sister to the good sprinter Brazilian Bride (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who is the dam of listed runner-up and multiple winner Rivellino (GB) (Invincible Spirit {GB}), who was bought by the Bryces at the Craven Breeze-up Sale two years ago. 

“We bought Bahama Spirit for two reasons,” said Colin Bryce. “Firstly, we already had Rivellino and we knew he was likely to move up to listed standard, and also we liked Invincible Spirit on a Nathaniel cover–plus she has a really nice back pedigree. We thought he might make 80,000 to 90,000gns. He’s very correct, perhaps fractionally small, but he is a first foal and we were delighted with him.” 

Bryce also confirmed that Bahama Spirit is currently in foal to Intello (Ger) and will visit new Darley stallion Slade Power (Ire) next season. 

Chairman Concludes… 
Referring to a strong finish to Europe’s largest sale of foals, Edmond Mahony added, “Sustained demand at all levels of the market has been the feature of the sale with a huge number of pinhookers and many of the world’s leading owners all contributing to the impressive returns. As ever, comparative figures make interesting reading and it seems amazing to note that turnover as recently as the 2010 Tattersalls December Foal Sale was a little over 17 million guineas with 105 foals sold for 50,000 guineas or more, while this year’s sale has achieved turnover of more than 32 million guineas with more than 200 foals breaking the 50,000 guineas mark. Never before have so many foals sold for 50,000 guineas or more at the December Foal Sale and it has been wonderful to see British and Irish breeders being so well rewarded.” 

He concluded, “To date, every 2014 sale at Tattersalls has achieved growth in turnover and the level of demand this week suggests that we can look forward to a successful conclusion to the Tattersalls sales season. Every year the Tattersalls December Breeding Stock Sale is one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the bloodstock sales calendar and as ever we look forward to welcoming buyers from every continent in the world.” 
The Breeding Stock Sale will begin at 9:30 a.m. Monday.