THE four-day December Foal Sale came to a close at Tattersalls on Saturday.

Almost 30 million guineas was spent on 668 foals this week and the final clearance rate for the entire sale came in at 75%.

The median price of 21,000gns was 19% on last year while the average price of 44,670gns was down 6%.

Topping the final session was a Showcasing filly from Josh Cameron's Daymark Stud in Dorset, which was bought by Ciaran Conroy of Glenvale Stud in Co Tipperary for 125,000gns.

Conroy said: "She is a lovely physical, I like the stallion, he is a very good sire of fillies. She is a really good individual, very balanced, very good walker. She is a Book 1 individual. And from a young operation, so good to see young breeders having a good result."

Daymark Stud - a big supporter of Whitsbury Manor Stud stallions - sold four other foals this week, including a Havana Grey colt for 60,000gns and a filly by the same sire for 42,000gns.

John Morrin of Pier House Stud is thinking of Book 1 for the Blue Point colt foal he bought from West Moor Stud for 88,000gns.

Asked what attracted him to the colt out of the listed winner Thesme, Morrin said: "His action, his walk, he has lovely movement. We love the stallion, we have been lucky with him and we have a couple of mares in-foal to him. He is an obvious horse today, he looks racy, he will probably come back here to Book 2 if he grows enough."

At the conclusion of the sale, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “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 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."

“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 December Mares Sale starts on Monday.

December Foal Sale, 2023

Full Sale Statistics

Current Year Previous Year Change %

Lots Catalogued 1,084 1,173 -8%

Lots Withdrawn 196 190 +3%

Lots Offered 888 983 -10%

Lots Unsold 219 239 -8%

Lots Sold 669 744 -10%

Total Value (gns) 29,842,902 35,255,050 -15%

Median Value (gns) 21,000 26,000 -19%

Average Value (gns) 44,608 47,386 -6%

% Offered Lots Sold 75% 76% -1%