Tattersalls: December yearling auction posts gains in average and median

Tattersalls held its one-day December yearling auction on Monday and posted gross receipts that remained level compared with last year’s sale, while improving in both average and median.

Tattersalls reported 185 yearlings sold for revenues of 3,570,100 guineas (about $6,065,900 in U.S. funds), a one percent drop from the gross at last year’s December yearling sale. The average of 24,621 guineas ($41,800) rose 14 percent, and the median of 15,000 guineas ($25,480) climbed 15 percent. The buyback rate was 22 percent, compared with 29 percent in 2012.

The day’s trade was led by a son of multiple Group 1 winner Rip Van Winkle who was purchased by BBA Ireland’s Patrick Cooper for 200,000 guineas (about $339,740) from the consignment of Furnace Hill Stud. The bay colt is out of the winning Rainbow Quest mare Aurelia and is from the family of this year’s Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes winner Forte Dei Marmi, among several other stakes winners.

Four other yearlings sold for six figures, including the auction’s second highest-priced yearling, a Galileo filly, who was purchased for 135,000 guineas (about $229,370) by David Redvers. The English-bred filly is out of the winning Green Desert mare Artful, who has produced stakes winner Duplicity, by Cadeaux Genereux. It is the family of 2012 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Solemia.

The auction’s third highest-priced yearling was a son of prominent young sire Teofilo, consigned by Ireland’s Taroka Stud. Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson went to 120,000 guineas ($203,890) for the colt, who is out of the unraced Cape Cross mare Hentie, a half-sister to champion Blue Duster and to Group 1 winner Zieten.

Tattersalls will hold its four-day December foal auction from Wednesday through Saturday, followed by its four-day mares sale Dec. 2 -5.

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