Tattersalls December Foal Sale Scales Heights

Tattersalls' December Foal Sale concluded in Newmarket Saturday evening with record figures.

The 28.8 million guineas turnover was up 24% on 2005, the 38,688gns average rose by 34% while the 22,000gns median was up by 25%.

"This has been a truly phenomenal December Foal Sale from start to finish. New records for average, median and turnover barely do justice to the extraordinary trade we have experienced this week and it bodes well for the four days of breeding stock to come," said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony.

"Equally telling has been the number of six figure foals which has gone from 32 in 2005 to 67 in 2006.

"We have an outstanding catalogue for the mares' sale which begins on Monday and the trade this week has meant that everyone can look forward to next week with considerable optimism."

Yesterday's sale was topped by a Kyllachy (GB) half-sister to group I-winning juvenile Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean) who had been bought 'in utero' for just 12,000gns at last year's December Sale.

Agent Amanda Skiffington paid 280,000gns for the filly, whose dam Halland Park Lass will be offered on Wednesday, after seeing off Angus Gold, Cheveley Park Stud's Chris Richardson and finally Seamus Burns of Lodge Park Stud – who had kicked the bidding off at 100,000gns – to buy the filly.

A Galileo half-brother to the Flying Childers Stakes (Eng-II) third Berk The Jerk (GB) (Bahamian Bounty) offered from Denis McDonnell's Parkway Farm was sold for 260,000gns to James Wigan of London Thoroughbred Services. Croom House Stud owner Denis Brosnan was underbidder.

The December Mares' Sale begins on Monday at 9.30 a.m.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES
Day
YR/CAT/OFF/SOLD/AGG/AVG/MED
2006/206/153/126/6,347,000/50,373/35,000
2005/298/236/178/6,320,600/35,509/22,000

Total Foal Sale
YR/CAT/OFF/SOLD/AGG/AVG/MED
2006/1,131/908/746/28,861,600/36,688/22,000
2005/1,281/1,089/809/23,295,600/28,796/18,000