THE four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale concluded with a final session last Saturday, headed by Daymark Stud’s Showcasing filly who sold for 125,000gns, the highest-priced foal sold on the final day since 2015. The sale had a record 29 foals selling for 200,000gns or more.

The farm enjoyed a fine Saturday, with their draft of five foals realising 263,000gns, headed by the session’s top lot, knocked down to Glenvale Stud. The February-foaled filly is out of Messaline, an Iffraaj half-sister to the stakes winner System, from the family of top-class miler Sovereign Debt.

Glenvale Stud’s Ciaran ‘Flash’ Conroy commented: “Let’s hope she is a top lot next year! She is a lovely physical, I like the stallion and he is a very good sire of fillies. She is a really good individual, very balanced, a very good walker. She is a Book 1 individual.”

Josh Cameron’s Daymark Stud bred this year’s multiple Group 3 placed juvenile Havana Cigar, sold for 21,000gns on the Saturday of the 2021 Tattersalls December Foal Sale and subsequently resold for 150,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. “It is a sigh of relief! It has been incredible, we are very lucky, we are a very small operation,” smiled Cameron.

“We got there in the end and thanks to the little syndicate who own the mare Messalina for their support. Two mates bought her and sent her to me, and just said, ‘see how you get on!’ Her first foal by Havana Grey, who we sold here last year for 46,000gns, is going to Kevin Philippart De Foy and this year she has produced this amazing Showcasing filly. She is a real athlete, and for someone like Flash to buy her is unreal.”

Last Friday’s session

A St Mark’s Basilica daughter of the Oaks winner Talent became the highest-priced foal sold in Europe and North America this year when she was knocked down to Jill Lamb, on behalf of Newsells Park, for 575,000gns, on a day that saw nine of the top 10 foal prices in Britain or Ireland in 2023. However, all of the key metrics fell by close to a tenth.

After last week’s report was filed, there were a couple of highlights. Michael O’Leary’s Plantation Stud sold a pair of high-priced lots. A Wootton Bassett first foal out of an unraced Galileo half-sister to Group 2 Richmond Stakes winner Ivawood realised 300,000gns to Sumbe, and he was preceded into the ring by a daughter of Pinatubo, a half-sister to this year’s Group 2 Coventry Stakes runner-up Army Ethos. She was one of many purchases by JS Bloodstock, and cost them 240,000gns.

The only one of the five foals by Frankel in the catalogue to be offered for sale was the first foal out of the Group 3 winner Liberty Beach. That mare was placed a couple of times at Group 1 level and her filly foal was bred by Philip Wilkins, who also bred and raced the dam, and sold by Mickley Stud for 260,000gns to Norris/Huntingdon. The Kent’s consignment also contained a son of Havana Grey out of their homebred stakes winner Lady Gaga, and he sold to Yeomanstown Stud for 210,000gns.

Camas Park Stud made a number of significant purchases towards the end of the day. The Hyde team spent 260,000gns on Hazelwood Bloodstock’s Kingman colt, whose lot number was 999, and he is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Barney Roy, from the family of Gordon Lord Byron. Shortly afterwards they added Norelands Stud’s No Nay Never own-brother to the US stakes-winning juvenile Amanzi Yimpolo for 200,000gns.

Godolphin and Katsumi Yoshida both spent 200,000gns each on colts as the day’s trade wound down. Japan-bound is Tinnakill House’s Dark Angel half-brother to the Group 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes winner Woman’s Heart, while Godolphin secured Petches Farm’s Palace Pier half-brother to the UAE 1000 Guineas winner Dubai Love.

Chairman’s words

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony issued the customary end of sale statement. He commented: “Sustained demand for quality foals has been the feature of the four days of selling. In addition to the highest price for a foal in Europe and North America this year, there have been a record 29 foals sold for 200,000gns or more, and a healthy diversity of buyers in all sectors of the market.

“The cream of the British and Irish foal crop has attracted buyers in abundance, not only from Britain and Ireland, but also from throughout Europe and the Gulf region, as well as China, Japan and America. The overseas demand has had a significant impact on trade which, although not matching last year’s record levels, has remained robust, with the exception of the lower end of the market which we must all recognise has been challenging.

“The pinhookers will always be the backbone of any Tattersalls December Foal Sale, and as ever they have worked tirelessly, but the contribution from so many significant owners is becoming an increasingly important and regular feature of the sale. When a sale consistently produces racehorses the calibre of 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and the unbeaten Group 1 and 2 winning two-year-olds Vandeek and Ghostwriter, it reflects the quality of stock presented by the consignors. It is clear that their confidence in the sale has been reciprocated by many of the world’s most successful owners.

“Another positive to come out of this year’s December Foal Sale has been the overwhelmingly favourable response to the break in selling on the Thursday of the sale, which allowed buyers valuable extra time to view the Friday and Saturday foals. The change was introduced in response to feedback from vendors and purchasers alike, and as well as being well received it is notable that the clearance rates for both Friday and Saturday have improved significantly on last year’s record sale.”