Ross Doyle's 110,000gns purchase by Farhh the best at December Foal Sale finale

Breeders endured mixed fortunes at Tattersalls during the fourth and final session of the December Foal Sale on Saturday, as the most sought after offerings brought eye-catching sums but 83 of 198 offered lots failed to sell, leaving a clearance rate of just 58 per cent.

Other stats for day four will have made for sobering reading too, with the average and median figures both down by 17 per cent year-on-year, with the former at 17,465gns and the latter at 12,500gns. The aggregate also dropped by 34 per cent to 2,008,300gns, albeit from an offering that was down by 37 lots.

The sole six-figure lot of the session went the way of Ross Doyle, who gave 110,000gns for the Farhh colt offered by Jamie Railton.

View full Tattersalls December Foal Sale results and stats

"He's a very good-moving horse, he's one of the best movers I've seen this week," said the agent. "He's got a great frame to fill into as well, he looks like a real athlete.

"The sire is obviously very capable of getting good horses. I know Richard Hannon holds King Of Change in extremely high regard and Sean Levey's been quoted as saying he's never had as good a feel off a horse.

"He's been bought for Pier House Stud, who'll resell him next year. Brendan Morrin was very keen on the horse."

Doyle and his father, Peter, were busy throughout the four-day sale, and walked away from Park Paddocks as the leading buyers by aggregate, having signed for 22 lots at a total outlay of 1,415,000gns.

The Farhh colt bought by Ross Doyle for 110,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

Reflecting on the four days of selling, Doyle said: "Trade has been great and stallion power has been huge here this week. We saw that in a big way on Friday, though there was some lovely foals with good pedigrees coming from good homes so they deserved to get well paid."

The session-topper is out of Duchess Of Fife and was bred by Colin and Melba Bryce's Laundry Cottage Stud, who also topped Thursday's session of the December Foal Sale with the Bated Breath colt bought by Doyle for 185,000gns.

"It's great, we're very lucky," said a delighted Colin Bryce. "We bred the mare Duchess Of Fife and this was always a fabulous foal, a great walker. It was Melba who decided on Farhh - she loved him when she saw him at Darley. Duchess Of Fife is in foal to Unfortunately and is due to be sold here next week [lot 1,983]."

Bryce added: "We've had a bit of bad luck throughout the year, so this helps enormously with this stupid business that we're all so attached to!"

Railton also offered a Caravaggio colt out of Swept Away on behalf of the Bryces, with Camas Park Stud signing for the youngster at 80,000gns.

"I love the sire," said the stud's Tim Hyde. "His progeny are full of quality and have good actions."

Love for Ulysses

The first eye-catching acquisition of the session was made by Ballyphilip Stud, who parted with 90,000gns for a colt from the debut crop of Cheveley Park Stud's Ulysses.

Consigned by West Moor Stud, the April foal is out Azhar, a winning daughter of Exceed And Excel, meaning the colt is bred on an extension of the cross responsible for Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck.

"He's a gorgeous individual and from a good cross with Galileo over Exceed And Excel," said Ballyphilip's Paul McCartan. "He's out of a mare rated 89 who won at two and he looks as though he will have some pace. It's also the family of the autumn Group 1 winner Albigna."

Aclaim in demand

Another first-crop sire whose progeny brought a sizeable sum was the National Stud's Aclaim, as Dermot Farrington went to 65,000gns for the colt out of Quiet Protest offered through Kirtlington Park Stud.

The February foal, a half-brother to the smart juvenile Jouska, was bred by Andrew Davis and Matt Eves of the Equity Growth Partners.

"I couldn't be happier," beamed Kirtlington Park's Charlie Budgett. "He's a very nice horse and all the good judges were on him.

"The girls at home have done a great with him and it's nice to sell one well for nice owners in Matt and Andrew. I bought half the mare recently so I'm quite pleased about that as she's back in foal to Aclaim.

"I was actually quite keen to buy this foal myself but I just couldn't afford him!"

Final figures

The four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale concluded with an improved clearance rate of 72 per cent, up from 70 per cent in 2018, as 663 of 921 offered lots changed hands. However, all other market indicators went in the opposite direction.

The aggregate was down by 16 per cent to 29,338,300gns, the average dropped by 14 per cent to 44,250gns and median was 22,000gns having been 25,000gns 12 months ago.

At the conclusion of the December Foal Sale, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: "A sale average of almost 45,000gns, second only to last year's wide-margin record, combined with an improved clearance rate and turnover well in excess of any other European foal sale, are all positive indicators, yet again reinforcing the status of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale as the premier fixture of its kind in Europe.

"Demand for quality British, Irish, French and German foals has been unrelenting, and while we should continue to recognise the selective nature of the current market, we have had more than 70 foals selling for 100,000gns or more this week, as well as an impressive 14 foals breaking the 300,000gns mark and international buyers making a significant impact at all levels of the market.

"Following on from their prolific buying at Books 1 and 2 of our October Yearling Sales, it was particularly encouraging to see American buyers continuing to make their presence felt alongside buyers from throughout Europe, the Gulf region and Japan, all of whom have also made a major contribution to this week's sale.

"While the Tattersalls December Foal Sale has enjoyed a spectacular year of racecourse achievement in the shape of Classic and Group 1 winners Blue Point, Magna Grecia, Phoenix Of Spain and Star Catcher, it is, of course, primarily the domain of the pinhookers who as ever have worked tirelessly throughout the sale.

"Their commitment to the Tattersalls December Foal Sale is driven by consistent success and we very much look forward to seeing their expertise and judgement being handsomely rewarded at next year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale where so many of their purchases will reappear.

"In the meantime we look forward to welcoming buyers from all over the world to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which begins on Monday and is the annual showcase for the very best breeding stock to be found in Europe."

More Tattersalls December Sale news:

Budding trainer David Weston enjoys breakthrough sale with Nathaniel colt

Frankel colt out of Simple Verse tops Tattersalls trade at 600,000gns

Budget breeder cashes in on cheaply bought Anapurna sister at Tattersalls