Strong demand was a consistent theme throughout Book 2 of the Tattersalls October yearling sale, which closed Oct. 17 at Newmarket with record total revenue for the third consecutive year.
Overall, 765 of 878 horses offered were sold over four days for record total receipts of 36,359,500 guineas ($60,885,437 in United States funds), a 17.1% rise over 2012's record Book 2 sale. The average price of 47,529 guineas ($79,589) jumped 20.6%, and the median price of 37,000 guineas ($61,958) also was a sale record, up 15.6% from last year.
Though 59 fewer horses were sent through the ring this year, the clearance rate rose from 84.1% in 2012 to a record 87.1%.
"Record turnover at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October yearling sale for the third consecutive year is a pretty remarkable achievement and a clear indication of the sale's standing in the European yearling sales calendar," Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said. "The turnover of more than 35 million guineas comfortably exceeds the spend at any other European yearling sale except October Book 1 and is a wonderful tribute to the high regard in which the sale is held."
There were 62 horses sold for 100,000 guineas ($167,454) or more, outpacing any other edition of the Book 2 sale and 14 more than last year. The number horses to sell for 200,000 or more ($334,908) also rose sharply on 2012, with nine this year compared with four last year.
"Book 2 of the October yearling sale has shown itself not only to be the preferred option of so many British and Irish consignors, but also of so many British and Irish buyers and their counterparts from throughout Europe and further afield," Mahony said.
The Book 2 sale followed last week's elite Book 1 sale, which also posted record revenues. Book 1 saw a colt and filly by leading European sire Galileo sold for a respective record price for a European auction yearling and a world record price for a filly
"The extraordinary events of last week will sit proudly in the record books for many years to come, but the depth to the Book 2 trade has been equally gratifying," Mahony said.
Topping the trading at the final session was an Irish-bred colt by Australia's current leading sire Fastnet Rock that sold to London-based bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson for 180,000 guineas ($301,417).
Offered by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Watership Down Stud, the colt is out of the Indian Ridge mare Green Castle, who has four winners from five to race, including stakes winner Ithoughtitwasover. His second dam is Irish highweight and classic-placed Green Lucia, a half sister to brilliant Irish Derby (Ire-I) and French Derby Fr-I) winner Old Vic, a prominent National Hunt sire, who died in 2011.
"This horse could look cheap this time next year," Gordon-Watson said of the session topper, who was bred by Stonethorn Stud Farms. "A nice individual by a very good sire. He goes to (trainer) David Wachman."
The final day saw 175 horses sold for 7,808,500 guineas ($13,075,645), a rise of 9.2% on the final session in 2012's Book 2. The average of 44,620 guineas ($74,717) and the median of 35,000 guineas ($58,610) increased 29.2% and 16.6%, respectively.
The father-son bloodstock agents Peter and Ross Doyle were the leading buyers at the Book 2 sale, acquiring 41 horses for 3,587,000 guineas ($6,006,757), but an international buying bench helped push record sales.
"Buyers from more than 20 countries, including Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Ukraine have all made a significant contribution and, similar to Book 1, the influence of our wide cross-section of buyers from the Gulf region has been immense," Mahony said at the conclusion of the Book 2 sale.
The concluding single-day Book 3 session of the Tattersalls October yearling sale starts at 10 a.m. Oct. 18 with 300 lots cataloged.
