Tattersalls tweaks October sale dates

Responding to smaller foal crops in Britain and Ireland, the Tattersalls auction house has made some changes to Europe’s largest Thoroughbred yearling sale, the Tattersalls October auction.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said the “huge numbers” of earlier foals crops made moving the October sale dates too difficult. But with crops falling, Tattersalls now will start its October sale a day later on the calendar. The sale’s Book 1 portion, originally set for Oct. 4-7, now will begin on Oct. 5. Book 2, initially slated for Oct. 10, will start instead on Oct. 11, and Book 3 will now open on Oct. 14 instead of the originally scheduled Oct. 13.

Tattersalls said that if yearling numbers require a Book 4, that will take place on Oct. 28, one day after the Tattersalls autumn horses-in-training auction.

“The reduced foal crop and the reintroduction of a Book 4 if required allow these minor changes, which will make the two weeks of the Tattersalls October yearling sale tighter and easier to work for both purchasers and vendors,” Mahony said. “The new dates also will mean that Book 1 concludes on the eve of Future Champions Day at Newmarket, which will allow people to attend what promises to be an outstanding day of racing at Newmarket before beginning to inspect the Book 2 yearlings in earnest on the Sunday.”