Lahaleeb, winner of the E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) in October, topped the opening day of the Tattersalls December mare sale, bringing 1-million guineas ($1,727,247 in U.S. funds) Nov. 30 in England. The session posted an increase of 13.4% in its median price from a year ago, but the gross revenue and average price fell 4.9% and 7.6%, respectively.
Jockey John Egan, acting on behalf of an undisclosed client, purchased Lahaleeb, a 3-year-old daughter of Redbank out of the Blushing Flame mare Flames. Richard Frisby was the immediate underbidder, but Seamus Burns and Tom Ryan also tried to buy the filly.
Lahaleeb’s other efforts include victories in the 2008 Countrywide Steel & Tubes Rockfel Stakes (Eng-II) and this year’s Fred Darling Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Eng-III). Consigned by Mick Channon’s West Ilsley Stables, she finished second in this year’s Boylesports.com Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I).
Group I winner Lush Lashes was bought back for 1.8 million guineas ($3,108,912). In 2008, she scored in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I), Coronation Stakes (Eng-I), and Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes (Ire-I).
The first-day results included a gross of 10,908,000 guineas ($18,839,082) for the 173 horses that sold. The average was 63,052 guineas ($108,896), and the median was 19,000 guineas ($32,818).
The clearance rate was 79.7%, up from 2008’s rate of 69.7%.
