(Edited Tattersalls press release)
The final session of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale saw the highest price for the week of 700,000 guineas for a son of Oasis Dream, who was one of 152 lots sold on the final day for a total of 17,653,000 guineas. This took the three-day sale total to 472 lots sold for 53,764,000 guineas, a rise of 8% on the 2008 sale total with an average of 113,907 guineas and a median of 80,000 guineas.
Cataloged as lot 545, the bay colt by Oasis Dream out of Maganda attracted the attention of plenty of potential purchasers with agent Amanda Skiffington and trainer Marcus Tregoning both trading early bids. Owner Sir Robert Ogden, stood alongside his agent John Warren soon joined the fray but he was unwilling to up the ante further after Coolmore principal John Magnier bid made the successful bid of 700,000 guineas. The sale represented a great result for Oakgrove Stud's John Deer who acquired the colt’s dam for 320,000 guineas through Amanda Skiffington at the 2007 Tattersalls December Mare Sale where she was part of the Haras de Bouquetot partial dispersal.
Magnier was active again on the final day buying the Galileo colt out of Kitza for 600,000 guineas. Consigned from Michael O'Flynn's Rockfield Farm in Co Cork, the half-brother to the listed winner Fort Dignity was secured by Magnier despite spirited opposition from Irish trainer Jim Bolger. The result was handsome reward for O'Flynn who purchased Kitza at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 550,000 guineas through the late Brian Grassick.
At the conclusion of Book 1 of the 2009 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“The global economy remains fragile and we cannot pretend that the bloodstock market is immune from the impact of economic realities, but the vendors have brought some outstanding individuals to Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale and we are delighted that their faith in the sale has been rewarded. From the moment that this year's Book 1 catalog was published we were told that it was probably the strongest we had compiled since moving to this format in 2004 and the results have confirmed that assessment. To achieve a set of figures that compare favorably not only with last year's but also with those from 2007 demonstrates the enduring demand for quality horses as well as the reputation of October 1 as Europe's premier yearling sale.
“The top end of the market has been as competitive as ever with more six figure transactions than at last year's Book 1 and eight yearlings selling for 500,000 guineas or more. The traditional big battalions deserve a special mention for their sustained support of the sale and it has been particularly encouraging to have seen them joined by a number of new participants from throughout the world... We have two more yearling catalogs to come with Book 2 beginning on Monday and we will be able to assess the market more fully at the end of next week, but in the meantime the industry can take heart from the returns this week.”
