Tattersalls posts gains on first day of December foal sale

The Tattersalls December foal sale kicked off Wednesday in Newmarket, England, with across-the board gains.

The four-day auction opened with a session-topping colt from the first crop of multiple Group 1 winner Paco Boy that brought 52,000 guineas, or about $87,360, from Rob Speers. The bay colt, a March 22 foal, sold through the Voute Sales agency and will head for auction again as a yearling, according to Speers. The session-topper is out of the stakes-placed Dr Fong mare Tincture and is from the family of Group 1 winner Miss Satamixa and Grade 3 winner and Grade/Group 3 producer Miss Caerleona.

Wednesday’s upper market proved strong, with Tattersalls reporting eight weanlings sold for 40,000 guineas or more. Wednesday’s session sold 169 horses for $2,946,720, yielding an average of $17,436 and a $10,920 median.

Compared year to year in the local auction currency of guineas, the gross was up 23 percent compared with last year’s opener, which sold 152 horses. Average and median rose by 10 percent and 4 percent, respectively. The buyback rate also improved, dropping to 24 percent from last season’s 35 percent on opening day.

The Tattersalls December foal sale continues through Dec. 1. Sessions stream live at www.tattersalls.com.