A TOUGH and decidedly subdued day’s trade brought this year’s Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to a close as the one-day Part II section of the sale ended with sharp declines in all key areas.
Over the course of the day, 259 lots came under the hammer but the issue of oversupply to the market place was again in evidence as 172 lots were sold for a clearance rate of 66% which was a 20-point decrease on last year.
An aggregate of just under €1.25 million was down 41 points, the average of €7,217 fell by 29% and the median dropped from €8,000 to €5,000.
Unfortunately the day’s trade acutely highlighted just how far supply has started to outrun demand and the increase in the number of horses has made a decidedly selective area of the market a very challenging one.
TOP LOT
A daughter of Camacho emerged as the top lot of the day when selling to Luke Lillingston for €32,000. The Nicola Kent-consigned filly, whose sire has enjoyed his best season to date, is a half-sister to a useful two-year-old from last season, and her dam has the classy sprinter Monsieur Joe among her siblings.
“She has been bought for Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds. She is lovely filly with size, substance and a good walk,” said Lillingston. “I have always been a fan of Camacho and he has really come of age this year. The Kents have had this pedigree since the 1980s, with Pass The Peace, and Nicola is a great breeder.”
The only other lot to reach the €30,000 mark was a daughter of No Nay Never who will carry the Clipper Logistics colours after being knocked down to Joe Foley. The €15,000 foal purchase hails from a family that goes back to the top-class sprinter Dream Ahead.
“She’s a great example of the sire who has done so well this season. We’re quite familiar with the family and we’re delighted to have been able to buy back into it,” stated Foley.
RESTOCKING
Tony Mullins, whose promising juvenile Howling Ridge has been sold to race abroad, was restocking for 2019 and he spent €25,000 on a son of Epaulette who had been picked up for €8,500 as a foal. This colt is out of an own-sister to the stakes-winning dam of the top-class sprinter and successful sire Society Rock.
“He’s a super walker and hopefully he’s a horse that will be able to do something for us next year,” reflected Mullins. “I’ve seen a few by the sire and they are good looking horses and I thought this colt was worth taking a chance on.
"Over the next couple of months I’d hope to buy about half a dozen yearlings with a view to hopefully trading them on next year.”
Much later in the day, Tom Mullins made his presence felt when he gave €22,000 for a son of Camacho from the family of Cassandra Go and her many decorated descendants.
As the sale drew to a close, Johnny Murtagh, acting through Eddie Linehan, went to €28,000 to acquire a daughter of Elzaam who had fetched €12,500 as a foal last November. This filly is an own-sister to the useful three-time two-year-old winner Daddies Girl.
Easily one of the busiest purchasers in action yesterday was Italian trainer Alduino Botti who signed for eight lots headed by a €24,000 son of Rock Of Gibraltar out of a half-sister to the Australian Group 1 runner-up Libran.
Elsewhere, Michael Orlandi forked out €22,000 for a filly hailing from the first crop of Night Of Thunder. Her two-year-old half-brother Dirty Rascal has done his bit to boost the pedigree with two recent victories and he holds a rating of 96.
Part II
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2018 285 259 172 1,241,300 7,217 5,000
2017 271 242 207 2,093,800 10,115 8,000
2016 463 410 267 1,868,400 6,998 5,000
2015 235 212 182 1,636,200 8,990 7,000