The number of horses sold rose 25.6% from 2008 and the gross revenue increased 11.2% during the opening session of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October yearling sale in England Oct. 12. Meanwhile, the average price fell 11.5% while the median price declined 16.7%.
A Royal Applause colt topped the opening session of Doncaster Bloodstock Sales' St. Leger yearling auction bringing £120,000 ($197,765 in U.S. funds) Aug. 25 in England. BBA Ireland's Eamon Reilly purchased the bay yearling for Mark Gittins, outlasting Richard O'Gorman in the bidding.
The action picked up in a big way during the second half of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale opener July 20 when a Rock Hard Ten filly and a Bernardini colt each brought $350,000.
A son of Medaglia d'Oro brought 260,000 guineas to top the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven breeze up sale April 15 in England. Bloodstock agent Richard O'Gorman purchased the bay 2-year-old from Gay O'Callaghan's Yeomanstown Stud.
Day two of Doncaster's St. Leger yearling sale generated a gross of £5,036,500 (approximately $9,281,313), which represented a decline of 17.9% from 2007. The £37,868 average price and £30,000 median price, for the 133 horses sold, fell 4.9% and 4.8%, respectively, Aug. 27. The buy-back rate was 16.4%.
A son of Rahy topped the second day of the St. Leger yearling sale at Doncaster, England, when he was sold to Richard O'Gorman for 175,000 guineas.
The premier session of New Zealand's Karaka yearling sale ended on Wednesday ... or at least it was supposed to. When the yearlings for Thursday's select session usually sell, the prices plummet because these are the horses that barely attract a buyer into the auditorium. Not this year, however.
Newmarket-based Richard O'Gorman, now an important member of Sheikh Mohammed's Darley team, provided the highlight on day three of Goffs' Orby Sale in Co Kildare, Ireland, on Wednesday.
A Grand Lodge colt sold for 700,000 euros ($849,730) to top the first two sessions of L'Agence Francaise's Deauville August yearling sale Sunday and Monday in France.
The Tattersalls July Sale closed Thursday with record amounts paid for a colt or gelding in training and with a total increase over last year's sale figures. Final numbers increased 9% over last year to total 2,742,800 guineas for the three-day sale. The average price was 9,973 guineas, while the median totaled 5,500 guineas.
