Quartet of Group 1-Winning Fillies Headline Exceptional Tattersalls December Mares Sale

An exceptional line-up of fillies and mares has been catalogued for the forthcoming Tattersalls December Mares Sale, headlined by the fifth renewal of the acclaimed Sceptre Sessions. The sale will take place from Monday 30 November to Wednesday 2 December, with the Sceptre Sessions scheduled for Monday 30 November and Tuesday 1 December. The catalogue for Europe’s premier breeding stock sale comprises 896 lots and can be viewed online at www.tattersalls.com.

Heading the outstanding line-up for the 2026 renewal is the emphatic Irish Oaks winner JOHANNA WALSH, who is only the second winner of the race in more than 40 years to be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in the same year as her Classic success. She is joined by last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner BALANTINA, who will be offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency who make a welcome return to Park Paddocks with a select draft of four lots, following the sale of PORTA FORTUNA last year for 4,500,000 guineas.

The outstanding VENETIAN SUN, who won the Group 1 Prix Morny and Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot as a two-year-old before going on to win the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at three, will be offered from Karl Burke’s Spigot Lodge Stables. Meanwhile, Newmarket trainer Sir Mark Prescott’s Heath House Stables will offer the globetrotting star TIFFANY on behalf of the Elite Racing Club. Winner of the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and the valuable Kentucky Turf Cup in 2026, TIFFANY will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of her close relation MARSHA, whose 6,000,000 guineas price at this sale in 2017 for the same connections remains a European auction record.

They are four of an exceptional 44 Group and Listed winning fillies set to be offered across the three-day sale. The catalogue also includes the Littleton Stud homebred SEE THE FIRE, a Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed filly, and INIS MOR, who finished placed in this year’s Irish and French Oaks. They will be joined by the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes winner CITY OF MEMPHIS, who finished second to BLUE BOLT in the Group 1 Matron Stakes, and BELIEVED, a Group 3 winner who produced a career-best performance when finishing second to MINNIE HAUK in the Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day on her latest start. The Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes winner CALENDAR GIRL, who finished a close fourth to BLUE BOLT in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes, is also likely to attract considerable interest, as is SHES PERFECT, first past the post in the French 1000 Guineas before being controversially demoted to second place. 

High-class two-year-olds catalogued with Group or Listed-winning form include the Group 2 Prix d’Aumale winner ROGUE PASSION, the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes winner PERSHAADA and the Listed winner ALWAYSANANGEL, who finished third behind superstar SUN GODDESS in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes.

The high-quality broodmares on offer are headed by SYNDICATE, one of four mares catalogued in foal to Champion Sire NIGHT OF THUNDER. The dam of five-time Group 1 winner OMBUDSMAN, SYNDICATE is offered in foal to the sire of her celebrated son, carrying a full sibling to Godolphin’s superstar. The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner GARDEN OF EDEN is the only lot catalogued in foal to superstar FRANKEL, while QUEEN POWER, whose yearling filly by that sire realised 1,400,000 guineas at this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, will be offered in foal to KINGMAN, as will the six-time Group 1 winner LAURENS. Also of interest is the SIYOUNI filly FLIGHT, who finished second to DESERT FLOWER in last year’s 1000 Guineas, and is offered by Tweenhills with a cover by six-time Champion Sire DUBAWI. 

Other notable fillies and mares include the Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner AYLIN, the dual Group 2 winner and beautifully bred ALALCANCE, the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes winner REVIVAL POWER and the Group 3 winners ACCLAMATION STAR, ATSILA, CELESTIAL ORBIT, DUCKADILLY, ELANA OSARIO, INDALIMOS, LOVE DYNASTY, NYRA, ROYAL VELVET, SOUL LOVE, SUKANYA and TAJLINA.

The Juddmonte consignment has long been a highlight at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, and for good reason, with the dams of 2026 Group 1 winners OMBUDSMAN, KALPANA and ESTRANGE all sourced from previous Juddmonte drafts at the December Sale. This year’s consignment comprises 28 regally bred fillies and mares, with highlights including fillies by ST MARK’S BASILICA out of the Champion and six-time Group 1 winner MIDDAY and the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes winner TIMEPIECE. The draft also includes a KINGMAN filly out of the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile winner QUADRILATERAL, alongside a DUBAWI half-sister to Champion mare ENABLE.

The Godolphin draft is equally sought after, with a remarkable 18 Group or Listed winners in 2026 having emerged from fillies and mares sold by Godolphin at previous December Mares Sales. Highlights among this year’s draft of 37 lots include the Group 2 Middleton Stakes winner BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE, who is in foal to PINATUBO, and her three-year-old daughter by the same sire. A half-sister to French 2,000 Guineas winner VICTOR LUDORUM will also be offered, alongside the Group 3 Prix de Psyché fourth ELLE ECLIPSE. Joining them are the well-related daughters of top sires BLUE POINT, DUBAWI, LOPE DE VEGA and SEA THE STARS.

The Castlebridge Consignment will offer the largest draft, comprising 96 lots, followed by Barton Sales with 69 lots, including eight as part of a partial dispersal from Meon Valley Stud. Baroda Stud, the leading consignor at the December Mares Sale in 2025, offers a select draft of 33 fillies and mares, while leading domestic owner-breeders Cheveley Park Stud, Hascombe & Valiant Stud, Lanwades Stud, Newsells Park Stud, Shadwell Estate Company, Tweenhills, Watership Down Stud and Whatton Manor Stud also have significant consignments

Commenting on the catalogue for the 2026 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Tattersalls Managing Director Matthew Prior said:

“The Tattersalls December Mares Sale has been a key staging post for the international bloodstock industry for more than a century, and the introduction of the Sceptre Sessions in 2022 has further enhanced its standing as Europe’s leading breeding stock sale. The Sceptre Sessions have quickly established themselves as a highlight of the sales calendar, and with the exceptional quality of entries once again in evidence, the 2026 renewal promises to be an occasion not to be missed. 

“The quality and depth of the catalogue are further underlined by outstanding drafts from many of Europe’s leading breeders, offering buyers access to some of the most sought-after bloodlines in the world. The Tattersalls December Mares Sale has an unrivalled record as a source of fillies and mares who have gone on to achieve outstanding success both on the racecourse and at stud, and the continued support of so many of Europe’s leading owners and breeders is testament to the sale’s enduring appeal. We look forward to welcoming the buyers from throughout the world to Park Paddocks in Newmarket for what remains Europe’s most influential breeding stock sale.”