'A week which has shone a bright light on a great industry' - Tattersalls chairman salutes spectacular Book 1

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony described trade during Book 1 as "extraordinary" after presiding over a week in which new records were set across the board in the final figures.

"Every year Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale produces the highest percentage of superior racehorses of any European yearling sale and that simple fact has played out in spectacular fashion over the past three days at Europe’s premier yearling sale," he said.

"The breeders and consignors consistently send the cream of the European yearling crop to Book 1 and the outstanding quality of the yearlings they send to this very special sale year after year is the key to attracting so many of the world’s most successful and influential racehorse owners to Tattersalls.

"They come in confidence, knowing that they will find an elite collection of yearlings, more of which will go on to achieve great things on racecourses around the world than from any other European yearling sale. All in all it has been an extraordinary yearling sale. The statistics tell a remarkable story with massive year on year rises in average, median and turnover."

Mahony pointed out unprecedented turnover of 127,823,000gns, average 370,501gns and median 250,000gns, the marks for which were all set in 2022, as well as the highest-priced yearling sold in the northern hemisphere in 2024, the 4,400,000gns Frankel filly out of Aljazzi, and the European record for a yearling colt, in the 4,300,000gns Wootton Bassett out of Park Bloom.

Trade at the top end included the Frankel filly out of Aljazzi selling to Amo Racing for 4,400,000gns Credit: Edward Whitaker

"The very top of the market has been outlandish with an unprecedented eight yearlings selling for 2,000,000gns or more, 16 selling for seven figure sums and almost 70 yearlings realising 500,000gns or more," he said.

"The buyers who have made all of this possible have come from far and wide. The contribution from throughout the Gulf region has been such a feature of sales at Tattersalls for a very long time and their continued support should never be underestimated. This year they have been joined by an almost overwhelming number of overseas buyers with the large contingent of American buyers making a massive contribution alongside buyers from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and throughout Europe, all of whom have been competing with strong domestic demand, most notably from Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing, which has become such a force on the global racing scene.

"There are so many people that can take an enormous amount of satisfaction from this sale and to see so many being so richly rewarded has been a huge boost to the British and Irish breeding industries. Every breeder, every consignor, every handler and all the teams back at the farms throughout Britain, Ireland and further afield who have raised these yearlings; they have all played their part and they should be proud of the collective achievement which is phenomenal."

Mahony concluded: "We will turn our attention very quickly to Books 2, 3 and 4, which starts on Monday, but in the meantime we can reflect on a week which has shone a bright light on a great industry.”

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