Tattersalls sale's opening session sees declines

Wednesday's opening session at the Tattersalls Craven breeze-up sale in Newmarket, England, drew an international group of bidders but failed to produce gains on last season's figures.

The highest-priced juvenile Wednesday was a 170,000-guinea ($285,600) Danehill Dancer colt out of Miss Keller's half-sister Oshiponga, a daughter of Barathea. Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock bought the chestnut colt, who is a half-brother to Group 2 and Grade 3 winner Hatta Fort. Lynn Lodge Stud in Ireland was the consignor.

Eight horses brought six-figure bids, including a $218,400 purchase by U. S. owner George Bolton. That was for a High Chaparral colt out of Serisia that buying agent Angie Loder said will stay in England with trainer Ed Dunlop. The bay, Irish-bred colt is out of an Exit to Nowhere mare who already is the dam of winners Pivon and Sarsia. His price of 130,000 guineas, was the joint fifth-highest of the day. A Henrythenavigator colt out of Remote also brought that from the SackvilleDonald agency.

The opening session ended with 54 of 76 horses sold for about $5,762,400, for an average price of about $106,711 and an approximate median of $91,560. Compared year-to-year in the local auction currency, the gross dropped 22 percent from last year's total for 59 horses, while the average and median prices were down 15 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Buy-backs rose very slightly, inching up from last year's 28 percent to 29 percent in 2012.

The auction was to continue Thursday starting at 6 p.m. local time.