Record Tattersalls December Mares Sale Concludes

Tattersalls brought the curtain down on this year's December Mares Sale to a positive set of market indicators. Despite the sale being trimmed from four days to three, an 11% cut in cataloged lots, turnover was down just 2% year over year at 81,583,515 guineas (US$114,361,016, 1 guinea=US$1.39). There were gains in the average and median prices, with the former up 13% to 140,660 guineas (US$197,172), while the latter went up seven points to 40,500 guineas (US$56,772). Both indices returned new high marks for the December Mares Sale. The clearance rate stood at 81% as 580 fillies and mares found a new home from 716 offered. A record-equaling 11 lots made a seven-figure sum, headed by the 4.8 million-guinea (US$6,728,478) Prix de l'Opera (G1) heroine Barnavara (IRE). Coolmore's M.V. Magnier finished as the sale's leading spender, with three recruits made under his own name at an outlay of 9 million guineas, half of which went on four-time group 1 winner Porta Fortuna (IRE), while the 2.1 million-guinea Saqqara Sands (GB) was sourced through agent Stephen Hillen. Baroda Stud claimed leading consignor honors, thanks in no small part to selling the aforementioned Barnavara. The group 1 winner was bought online by a buyer who signed as Sugar Whiskey Trading. The successful seven-figure bid is understood to have been struck on behalf of the Ace Stud buying team, who also signed for eight lots at a combined 2,772,000 guineas. All told Baroda Stud sold 30 lots for receipts worth 9,713,500 guineas at an average of 323,785 guineas. Despite the apparent gloss of these results, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony struck an unusually sober tone in his end-of-sale statement, pointing to the significant political headwinds facing the industry and suggesting that such buoyant figures have been achieved "in spite of, rather than because of, government support of a genuine British success story." Mahony said: "In recent weeks at Tattersalls we have enjoyed record-breaking yearling sales, sustained demand for horses in training, and December foal and breeding stock sales that have produced figures second only to the extraordinary 2024 renewals, which broke all records. "On the face of it, we have a strong market with British and Irish breeders being well rewarded for consistently bringing some of the finest bloodstock to be found anywhere in the world to Park Paddocks, but this hard-earned success comes in spite of, rather than because of, government support of a genuine British success story. "Overseas buyers have always been drawn to Tattersalls by the cream of British and Irish bloodstock and we work tirelessly to promote our sales internationally, but domestically the industry continues to be buffeted by external political forces, which make it uncomfortably reliant on overseas investment and participation. "Just as we court overseas buyers, domestic involvement needs to be nurtured and encouraged in order for the industry to thrive in the long term, and the current direction of political travel in this country is a cause for concern. The rural economy is clearly not a priority at present and the two budgets under the current Labor government have increased taxation and business costs in every sector of society." Mahony added: "While government has accepted the racing industry's case with respect to betting duty, the wider industry dynamics remain perilously uncertain. We're fortunate that the lure of Newmarket as the headquarters of European racing continues to resonate globally, but we must also work to ensure that government does not allow the status of a globally admired industry to be eroded through neglect." Wednesday's third and final session was topped by the lightly raced Desert Spring. The Castlebridge Consignment's offering ran four times for John and Thady Gosden and owner/breeder Denford Stud, winning a Southwell novice event by 12 lengths on her third outing. She was last seen running sixth, beaten less than 5 lengths, in a Lingfield listed race won by Fairy Glen. That effort was not only allotted a Racing Post Rating of 100, but prompted agent Alex Elliott to bid 220,000 guineas for the daughter of Oasis Dream (GB). "She's been bought for a partnership," said Elliott. "We're going to send her to be trained by Mario Baratti in France. She ran in a stakes race last time, she's a winner, and bits have happened in the pedigree since she was cataloged. "We'll try and make her a stakes winner and bring her back to the market. She stays well and she's a lovely physical. She's a great mover and, hopefully, with some stakes form she should be worth more money this time next year."