THE Tattersalls Ireland November NH Sale returns on Sunday, November 10th, with a notably smaller catalogue of 887 lots to be offered over four days. The sale will begin with 37 yearlings offered on the opening day, followed by 806 foals, with 62 breeding prospects concluding proceedings on Wednesday, November 13th.

It marks a 20% drop on the number of lots catalogued in 2023, when a clearance rate of 62% represented a selective market, though the average price of €17,592 and median of €12,000 were the fourth highest in the sale’s history. The top lot 12 months ago was a Walk In The Park colt foal who fetched €100,000. Heaven Help Us, who is reoffered again this year, would have been a clear leader at €195,000, but was led out unsold.

The sale experienced record-breaking trade in 2021 and 2022, when 1,389 and 1,333 lots were catalogued respectively. 2021 was particularly strong, helped by an exceptional breeding stock segment, which included a quintet of six-figure sales and was topped by Benie Des Deux at €350,000.

That said, it wasn’t plain sailing even then, with the clearance rate dropping from 73% in 2021 to 65% in 2022, while the notable differences between the average and median prices showed a clear divide between the fashionable and undesirable.

A reduced catalogue should, hopefully, help the cause, and it is evident looking through the list of sires that breeders have focussed their investments on commercial matings. This may make it difficult for their stock to stand out, though, considering the numbers of some sires’ stock. Those with the largest offerings include Affinisea (48 lots catalogued), Blue Bresil (61), Crystal Ocean (66), Poet’s Word (54) and Vadamos (49).

Lot 24: Yearling half-sister to Grade 1 second High Class Hero, by Gentlewave

Lot 90: Order Of St George half-brother to Scottish Champion Hurdle winner and Fighting Fifth Hurdle runner-up Cockney Sparrow

Lot 298: Poet’s Word colt out of Grade 3 performer Grangeclare Gold, herself an own-sister to Grade 2 hurdle winner and Grade 1 chaser Real Steel

Lot 350: Harzand half-brother to Diva Luna, the winner of a listed bumper and Grade 2 bumper on both her starts under rules

Lot 474: Blue Bresil half-brother to multiple graded winner Impervious. His full-sister sold for €110,000 last year

Lot 511: Mahler filly is a full-sister to Grade 2 winner Shanagh Bob, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle

Lot 563: Crystal Ocean half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Flooring Porter

Lot 591: Walk In The Park half-brother to two graded performers, out of dual listed winner Morning Supreme

Lot 598: Vadamos half-sister to Grade 1 winning novice chaser Master McShee

Lot 619: Crystal Ocean filly out of Grade 1 Champion Bumper heroine Relegate

Lot 637: Affinisea colt out of Grade 1 winner Skyace

Lot 661: No Risk At All filly out of Grade 2 winner Violin Davis, from the family of Klairon Davis

Lot 673: No Risk At All colt out of a Grade 3 winning Authorized mare from the family of Zarkandar

Lot 686: Shirroco colt is a full-brother to Grade 3 winner Queens Brook, who placed at Grade 1 level on three occasions

Lot 731: Affinisea half-brother to three-time Grade 1 scorer Sir Gerhard

Lot 756: Affinisea half-brother to Tolworth Hurdle victor and Grade 1 chaser Fiddlerontheroof. His full-brother sold to Frank Berry for €80,000 at this year’s Derby Sale

Lot 807: Maxios half-brother to Grade 1 winner Coney Island, out of a half-sister to Rhinestone Cowboy and Wichita Lineman

Lot 847: Instit, a listed winner over hurdles and fences. Multiple graded-placed, the Saint des Saints mare is in foal to Walk In The Park

Lot 862: Junta Marvel was unbeaten in two starts, including at Grade 3 level, and is offered in foal to Blue Bresil

Lot 884: Dual graded winner and Grade 1 runner-up Heaven Help Us went unsold at last year’s sale at €195,000. She is now offered in foal to Jeu St Eloi

The biggest spender at last year’s sale was Timmy Hillman, who purchased seven lots for a total of €309,000, while Richard Frisby secured the same number for €287,000. Overall, the buying bench is dominated by pinhookers, with a select number of end-users among them.

The sale’s current flagbearer, triple Grade 1 winner Ballyburn, was sold here as a foal to Ian Ferguson for €80,000, and after winning on debut for Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison, was purchased privately by Ronnie Bartlett.

Ferguson was also responsible for sourcing Banbridge as a yearling for €36,000, while earlier November NH Sale buys included Ballycasey (€45,000), Ballyoptic (€32,000), Bellshill (€21,000), Identity Thief (€15,000) and Yorkhill (€41,000).

Constitution Hill is the sale’s other current flagbearer, having been bought by Warren Ewing and Barry Geraghty for €16,500 and resold for £120,000 following his debut second. Geraghty also found Bobs Worth at the sale, giving €16,500 for the son of Bob Back as a yearling.

John O’Byrne is another who has an impressive honour roll at the sale, his top purchases including Albertas Run (IR£11,000), Carlingford Lough (€80,000) and Coney Island (€34,000).

Of course, most foal buyers will be hoping for financial reward before their purchases make it to the track, and this year’s Derby Sale produced some success stories. Oaks Farm Stables achieved the second highest price with their Harzand gelding, the €50,000 foal transforming into a €185,000 store.

Kilminfoyle House Stud sold a Goliath Du Berlais gelding for €160,000, having been bought from Burgage Stud for €68,000 as a foal. Kieran Shield’s €62,000 outlay on a No Risk At All gelding was rewarded with a resale price of €130,000.