Tattersalls 1766-2025

Richard Tattersall establishes Tattersall’s Sales at Hyde Park Corner, on a 99 year lease from the Grosvenor Family.

Richard Tattersall acquires Highflyer for £2,500 as a horse in training.

Unbeaten on the track, Highflyer is best known for his stallion career, siring three Derby winners and becaming the first stallion to sire the winners of the Derby and the St Leger in the same season, when Sir Peter Teazle scored at Epsom and Spadille at Doncaster in 1787.

Edmund Tattersall succeeds his father as head of Tattersall’s Sales.

Richard Tattersall takes over from his father, Edmund, as head of Tattersall’s Sales.

Affectionately known as ‘Old Dick’, he was a renowned huntsman and boxer, despite suffering a leg injury as a child.

Under Richard’s tenure, betting begins to take place in the Tattersall’s Sales subscription rooms. To begin with, wagering is unregulated, but Tattersall’s Sales soon starts to impose rules.

Tattersall’s Sales moves from Hyde Park Corner to Knightsbridge Green in April 1865. This took place with ‘Young Richard’ at the head of the firm, son of ‘Old Dick’ who died in 1859.

The arch, now situated in the car park at Park Paddocks, was the gateway to the site.

Tattersalls takes lease of Glasgow Paddocks in Doncaster for sales previously held outside Doncaster’s Salutation Inn.

Richard ‘Young Richard’ Tattersall dies at the age of 58, with his cousin Edmund Tattersall becoming Chairman.

Park Paddocks in Newmarket is bought and the July Sale is the first sale hosted by Tattersalls at the site.

Somerville Tattersall becomes Chairman, taking over from his father Edmund upon his death.

Famously stepping up to the rostrum for the first time aged twenty two during the 1885 July Sales when his ailing father’s voice failed, Somerville Tattersall was the final member of the eponymous family to lead the company and was pivotal in shaping the modern Tattersalls.

A new world record price is set for a yearling at the Tattersalls Sales at Doncaster. Blue Ensign (The Tetrarch – Blue Tit) is sold to Lord Glanely for 14,500 guineas.

Legendary mare Mumtaz Mahal is sold to the Aga Khan for 9,100 guineas at the Tattersalls Sales in Doncaster.

The final Tattersalls sales at Knightsbridge Green are held.

No July Sale or Doncaster Sales are held due to the Second World War.

Future St Leger winner Sayajirao sold at the September Sales for a record 28,000 guineas.

Knightsbridge Green site sold.

Tattersalls Sales at Doncaster resume.

The Queen attending a sale in Doncaster alongside Kenneth Watt.

The Tattersalls offices are re-established at Knightsbridge Green.

Tattersalls moves its yearling sales from Doncaster to Park Paddocks, Newmarket.

A new sale ring is completed at Park Paddocks, Newmarket.

Vaguely Noble is sold for 136,000 guineas, a world record for a horse in training.

Tattersalls buys a 44% stake in the Irish company Ballsbridge International Bloodstock Sales.

Kenneth Watt retires as Chairman of Tattersalls and is replaced by his cousin Michael Watt.

It was under Kenneth’s influence that the new sales ring was built and the appearance of Park Paddocks, as well as the firm as a whole, was greatly improved.

Tattersalls increases its holding in Ballsbridge Sales and the operation becomes a wholly owned subsidiary called Tattersalls Ireland.

Tattersalls acquires the former Old Fairyhouse Stud in Ratoath and a modern sales complex was constructed.

Tattersalls introduces the Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale.

Michael Watt is succeeded as Chairman of Tattersalls by Edmond Mahony but remains on the Board until his retirement in 1996.

A colt by Sadler’s Wells out of Darara sells for 3,400,000 guineas, a European record for a yearling.

Magical Romance sells for a world record price for a broodmare of 4,600,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

Annual turnover at Tattersalls tops 200 million guineas for the first time.

Tattersalls creates the Tattersalls Millions Race Series worth £2,300,000.

Tattersalls takes a 20% stake in leading Australian auction house William Inglis & Son Limited.

A Galileo filly out of Alluring Park sets a new world record for a yearling when selling for 5,000,000 guineas at the October Yearling Sale.

Dancing Rain becomes the first Oaks winner to be sold at public auction carrying her first foal in over 50 years, and sells for 4,000,000 guineas.

Immortal Verse sets a European record for a broodmare when selling for 4,700,000 guineas at the December Mare Sale.

Tattersalls takes a majority stake in French sales company Osarus.

Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Just The Judge sells for 4,500,000 guineas, the highest price for a filly in British auction history.

Tattersalls buys Brightwells Bloodstock Sales which hold auctions at Cheltenham and Ascot racecourses.

Tattersalls launches the £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus to replace the Tattersalls Millions race series.

Tattersalls celebrates its 250th year anniversary.

Turnover at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale tops 100,000,000 guineas.

Dual Group 1 winning sprinter Marsha sells for a European record of 6,000,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

Dispersal of Ballymacoll Stud concludes.

Annual turnover at Tattersalls tops 300 million guineas for the first time.

Tattersalls launch the Tattersalls Online platform in response to the COVID pandemic, the first sale is topped by the sale of West End Girl for £420,000.

The September Sale is added to the Tattersalls sales portfolio due to the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic to the racing and sales calendar and becomes a permanent fixture.

Tattersalls launch the £250,000 Craven Royal Ascot/Group 1 Bonus for graduates of the Craven Breeze Up Sale.

The inaugural Somerville Yearling Sale is held at Park Paddocks, following the success of the relocated Ascot Yearling Sale during the COVID pandemic.

Craven Breeze Up graduate Native Trail wins the first £125,000 Tattersalls Craven Group 1 Bonus en route to European Champion Two Year Old honours.

Regular monthly sales are introduced on the Tattersalls Online platform.

The 300th £20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus is won by Glenfinnan at Yarmouth, taking the bonus prize money paid out to owners to £7,125,000.

The inaugural ‘Sceptre Sessions’ are crowned by the sale of Alcohol Free for 5,400,000 guineas, the second highest priced horse ever sold at auction in Europe.

Annual turnover at Tattersalls tops 400 million guineas for the first time, with a record 413,198,735 guineas worth of bloodstock sold.

Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale sees a colt by Wootton Bassett sell for 4,300,000 guineas, the highest price for a yearling colt in the world in 2024 and a European record for a yearling colt.

The Frankel own-sister to 2000 Guineas winner CHALDEAN equalled the European record price for a foal when selling for 2,500,000 guineas to Amo Racing on an extraordinary day of trade at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. The session saw the five highest priced foals to sell in Europe this year, and record turnover for a day at a European foal sale.

Day two of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale becomes the highest grossing day in European auction history, turning over 55,168,500 guineas.