"As ever, the quality lots have had no shortage of admirers, but most importantly for a sale of this nature, we have seen realistic reserves rewarded by a good clearance rate. There have been more than double the number of five figure transactions than at this sale last year."
Business was on the upswing Thursday at the Tattersalls February mixed sale in Newmarket, England. The 122 horses sold grossed 769,400 guineas and averaged 6,306 guineas. The median was 3,500 guineas. All the figures represented an increase from a year ago, when 74 horses were sold for a gross of 452,600 guineas, an average of 6,116 guineas, and a median of 3,000 guineas. The one sour note was the buy-back rate, which rose from 35.4% last year to 40.3% this year.Miss Meltemi set February record for a mare when she topped the sale by bringing 50,000 guineas. Sold in foal to Dansili, she finished third in the 2001 Oaks d'Italia (Ity-I). Tim Lock of Hedsor Stud purchased the 5-year-old daughter of Miswaki Tern--Blue Meltemi with one bid. She was consigned by Jamie Railton."It's always good to start any year on a positive note, and bearing in mind the prevailing global uncertainties, we would have to be pleased today's sale," said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. "The catalogue was larger than last year and had a greater strength in depth, which has attracted solid domestic demand as well as buyers from throughout Europe and further afield.