Tattersalls Reports Solid Gains in February Sale

Tattersalls' first auction of 2004, the one-day February Sale, posted solid advances on last year when turning over 893,900 guineas (up 16%) for 118 lots sold.

The average price of 7,575gns was up 20%, while the median of 4,500gns was up 14%

The top price of 70,000gns was paid for German Listed winner Gipsy Moth, who is in foal to Halling, and knocked down to the Curragh Bloodstock Agency's Eamonn Reilly. She will stay in Britain and join Colin and Melba Bryce's broodmare band at Laundry Cottage Stud in Hertfordshire.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony commented: "All in all this week has got the Tattersalls year off to a more than satisfactory start. Our two-day sale at Tattersalls (Ireland) which concluded on Wednesday was a resounding success with records across the board, and the trade today at Park Paddocks has followed on in similar fashion with a record turnover and record-equaling median.

"The individual highlight was, without doubt, the 70,000gns paid for the mare Gipsy Moth, which was the second highest price ever at the February Sale, and also a record price for a mare at this fixture.

"The real feature of the day has been the number and diversity of buyers present, who have produced a vibrant trade from start to finish," Mahony added. "And although in an ideal world we would like to have had a larger catalogue, today's proceedings have shown that the February Sale not only has a solid foundation but also a potentially bright future."

COMPARATIVE FIGURES

YR/CAT/OFF/SOLD/AGG/AVG/MED

2004/205/163/118/893,900/7,575/4,000

2003/219/181/122/769,400/6,306/3,500