2005 DECEMBER YEARLING SALE PRESS STATEMENT
RECORDS SHATTERED AT TATTERSALLS DECEMBER YEARLING SALE
A son of SADLER'S WELLS topped the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale as records for turnover, average and median were shattered on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Sale. In total, 168 lots sold for 4,334,600 guineas, a rise of 54% on last year's sale, whilst the average and median rose 28% and 9% to 25,801 guineas and 14,750 guineas respectively. A total of eight yearlings sold for 100,000 guineas or more compared with two at last year's sale.
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||||||
Cat |
Off |
Sold |
Agg |
Average |
Median |
|
2005 |
267 |
233 |
168 |
4,334,600 |
25,801 |
14,750 |
2004 |
245 |
180 |
140 |
2,812,100 |
20,086 |
13,500 |
Early in the evening lot 217, the SADLER'S WELLS colt out of the Group 3 winning PURSUIT OF LOVE mare LOVE EVERLASTING topped proceeding's when he sold for 260,000 guineas to the bid of London-based bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson. Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, who trained LOVE EVERLASTING, was prominent early, but the battle to secure the colt soon developed into a head-to-head duel between Gordon-Watson and Kern/Lillingston Association's Luke Lillingston, standing alongside Newmarket trainer Michael Bell. The colt, consigned from Sonia Rogers' Airlie Stud was knocked down to Gordon-Watson after Lillingston failed to answer his bid of 260,000 guineas. Gordon-Watson had earlier purchased lot 136, the KING'S BEST half-brother to Group 2 winner IMPERIAL STRIDE and Group 3 winner HIGH PITCHED for 130,000 guineas. Consigned from Peter Stanley's New England Stud, the son of the Listed placed SADLER'S WELLS mare PLACE DE L'OPERA was purchased for a new client and will go into training with Ed Dunlop.
LOT 217: SADLER'S WELLS - LOVE EVERLASTING
Purchased by C Gordon-Watson Bloodstock for 260,000 gns
The second highest price of the day was the 210,000 guineas paid for lot 128, a bay colt by FANTASTIC LIGHT out of the Listed winning and Group 2 Falmouth Stakes placed mare CROESO CARIAD. Consigned from Kevin and Sue Mercer's Usk Valley Stud in Wales, the easy moving colt boasted one of the best pedigrees in the catalogue, with CROESO CARIAD a half-sister to this year's multiple Group 1 placed MONA LISA from the family of the legendary REPROCOLOR. Newmarket based trainer William Muir, standing alongside Japanese owner Takashi Kurisaka made much of the early running, alongside locally-based bloodstock agent David McGreavy who was to end up the underbidder, but neither could withstand the efforts of Darley's John Ferguson who finally landed the colt for 210,000 guineas.
LOT 128: FANTASTIC LIGHT - CROESO CARIAD
Purchased by John Ferguson Bloodstock for 210,000 gns
Kurisaka did not, however, go home empty handed, with the Tokyo based businessman outlasting Belgian bloodstock agent Thierry Storme for lot 175, a bay colt from the first crop of four-time Group 1 winning juvenile JOHANNESBURG out of the Listed placed WOLFHOUND mare ROZEL. Consigned from Gay O'Callaghan's Yeomanstown Stud, the colt was knocked down for 105,000 guineas and Kurisaka indicated that the horse would join Lambourn based trainer William Muir, before heading to Japan.
LOT 175: JOHANNESBURG - ROZEL
Purchased by William Muir for 105,000 gns
Middleham trainer Mark Johnston was very active throughout the day, purchasing eleven lots for a total of 482,000 guineas. The highest priced of these was the 160,000 guineas given for lot 174, a bay colt by sire-of-the-moment MONTJEU out of the Listed placed INDIAN RIDGE mare COYOTE, herself a daughter of the Group 2 Falmouth Stakes winner CARAMBA. Consigned from The Castlebridge Consignment, Johnston secured the colt after seeing off the determined efforts of London-based bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson and Chevington and Loughton Studs' Felipe Hinojosa. Johnston had earlier secured lot 62, a son of SELKIRK out of the Listed winning SADLER'S WELLS mare INCHIRI for 100,000 guineas. The colt, consigned from Woodcote Stud, was sold to Johnston with Hinojosa again unsuccessful.
LOT 174: MONTJEU - COYOTE
Purchased by Mark Johnston for 160,000 gns
After another spectacular year it was no surprise to see a son of Cheveley Park Stud's top stallion PIVOTAL featuring prominently and lot 219, the colt out of the winning LE BALAFRE mare MOONBABY was the third highest priced lot of the day when selling to Irish bloodstock agent Peter Doyle for 165,000 guineas. Doyle, who saw off the efforts of another Irish-based bloodstock agent Bobby O'Ryan indicated that the son of PIVOTAL, consigned by European Sales Management, was purchased for a new client.