Tattersalls launched its 2013 sales calendar on Feb. 7 at Park Paddocks in Newmarket and saw the one-day sale of broodmares, fillies/horses in training, weanlings, and 2-year-olds continue the momentum of last year's successful sales season.
Topped by Diara Angel, a highly desired half sister to 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) winner Wrote , for 100,000 guineas ($164, 420), the February sale posted gains across the board, including a 42.9% rise in median price.
Overall, 190 of 244 horses offered sold for 1,747,600 guineas ($2,873,379 U.S.), up 6.5% from the 2012 sale. Average price increased 6.5% to 9,198 guineas ($15,123), and median price showed a 0.3% gain at 5,000 guineas ($8,221 U.S.).
The clearance rate improved from 73.4% last year to 77.9%.
Tim Lane, of John Deer's Oak Grove Stud, signed the ticket for the session topper, a 6-year-old Hawk Wing mare sold in foal to High Chaparral, thus carrying a three-quarter sibling to Wrote. Diara Angel is out of the Green Desert mare Desert Classic.
Lane prevailed in spirited bidding with bloodstock agent Cathy Grassick and Ibrahim Araci's racing manager Rob Speers to secure the mare, who is from the family of the breed-sharper Sadler's Wells, one of the most influential sires of all time; and champions Nureyev and Blame .
Consigned by Voute Sales on behalf of Sean Conway, Diara Angel won two of seven career starts in while racing in 2010 and 2011 in Ireland, France, and Germany. She will join the broodmare band at Oak Grove Stud.
"She is for the farm, the boss is at home," Lane said. "We don't know what she is carrying, but she is from a great family and is a young mare. "She was on the list and we liked her when we saw her. She is a neat mare."
Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said buyers from around the world helped contribute to the rise in figures in all the key indicators.
"The common theme running through all Tattersalls sales is the enduring global demand for quality and this has been very evident today," he said, "but it is equally crucial at mixed sales of this nature to attract buyers at all levels of the market and the Tattersalls February Sale consistently succeeds in doing so."
For complete sales results, visit www.tattersalls.com.
