Strong Finale to Tattersalls December Foal Sale
The Tattersalls December Foal Sale concluded with a strong fourth and final session headed by Daymark Stud’s SHOWCASING filly at 125,000 guineas, the highest price foal sold on the final day of this fixture since 2015. The sale turnover was just shy of 30 million guineas with a record 29 foals selling for 200,000 guineas or more.
Daymark Stud’s Showcasing Filly Realises 125,000 Guineas
Daymark Stud enjoyed a fine Saturday at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale with their draft of five foals realising 263,000 guineas headed by the session’s top lot. The SHOWCASING filly was knocked down for 125,000 guineas to Glenvale Stud with bloodstock agent Alex Elliott a persistent underbidder.
The February-foaled filly is out of MESSALINA, an IFFRAAJ half-sister to the Listed Empress Stakes winner SYSTEM and the Listed placed FOURTH WAY from the family of top class miler SOVEREIGN DEBT.
When informed that he had purchased the day’s top lot, 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 - 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, and from a young operation so good to see young breeders having a good result."
Josh Cameron’s Daymark Stud had earlier sold a SHOWCASING colt for 36,0000 guineas to Grangemore Stud and bookended their consignment with a colt and filly by brilliant young sire HAVANA GREY, selling for 60,000 guineas and 42,000 guineas respectively. Daymark Stud has enjoyed previous success with progeny of HAVANA GREY as the breeder of this year’s multiple Group 3 placed juvenile HAVANA CIGAR, sold for 21,000 guineas on the Saturday of the 2021 Tattersalls December Foal Sale to ‘the Gals Gals’ and subsequently resold for 150,000 guineas at Book 2 of the 2022 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. "I have done every hand walk with every single foal and some days I think 'Oh maybe I should get someone to help', but I do think it helps the foals in the end. I am not sure my girlfriend has loved living with me over the last eight weeks!
"But we got there in the end and thanks to the little syndicate who own the mare Messalina for their support. Two mates bought her out of Archie Watson's yard 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 46,000 guineas, is going to Kevin Philippart De Foy and this year she has produced this amazing Showcasing filly, who has not missed a beat all week. She is a real athlete and for someone like Flash to buy her is unreal.“
Blue Point Colt to John Morrin for 88,000 Guineas
The racecourse exploits of BLUE POINT’s first crop of runners have ensured his foals were in high demand at this week’s Tattersalls December Foal Sale, and the last lot to sell by the young Darley stallion was the highest priced colt of the session when secured by John Morrin for 88,000 guineas.
Successful purchaser Morrin had to see off the attentions of Yeomanstown Stud’s Gay O’Callaghan and Hazelwood Bloodstock’s Adrian O’Brien, and explained what attracted him to the Sigsworth family’s West Moor Stud consigned colt:
"His action, his walk, he has lovely movement - we love the stallion and we have been lucky with the stallion, and we have couple of mares in foal to him," said Morrin. "He is an obvious horse today, he looks racy. He will probably come back here to Book 2 if he grows enough."
The February-foaled colt is out of the EXCEED AND EXCEL mare THESME, runner up in the Listed Scarborough Stakes and a half-sister to the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes winner LAST EMPIRE. Just two lots previously West Moor Stud had enjoyed another good result when selling a colt from the first crop of three-time Group/Grade 1 winner SPACE BLUES for 62,000 guineas to John Foley’s GHS Bloodstock.
Chairman’s Statement
At the conclusion of the 2023 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“Sustained demand for quality foals has been the feature of the four days of selling at Europe’s premier foal sale. 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 200,000 guineas 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 the stock presented by the consignors and it is clear that their confidence in the sale has been reciprocated by many of the world’s most successful racehorse 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 breaking sale.
“With a solid Tattersalls December Foal Sale behind us we now look forward to welcoming buyers from every continent in the world to Park Paddocks for another quality renewal of the Tattersalls December Sale which features some spectacular fillies and broodmares, many of them showcased in the elite Sceptre Sessions which take place on Monday and Tuesday."
The Tattersalls December Mares Sale, featuring the Sceptre Sessions, starts at 9.30am on Monday, 4th December.