New pinhooking partnership emerges as over 43 million gns traded at record-breaking Tattersalls December Foal Sale

After a session of high-rolling end-users drove trade to an unprecedented peak on Friday evening, prices returned to a more prosaic level for the concluding day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Saturday. 

Trade still proved solid for the level though, and a logjam of lots at around the 50,000gns mark ensured the figures still made for positive reading, even if the vast majority of those buying were doing so with profit margin in mind. 

A new partnership emerged at the head of Saturday’s market, with David Redvers and Hannah Wall of Redwall Bloodstock teaming up with teenage brothers Harry (15) and Oliver (13) Vigors to secure a colt from the debut crop of Perfect Power at 72,000gns. 

Offered by Manor House Farm Stud, the youngster is out of the Oasis Dream mare Perfect Muse, who has supplied three winners from as many runners. 

“I’ve seen a good few by the sire and he’s getting very nice stock,” said Wall. “It was a bit more than we wanted to spend, but he’s a very nice colt and very straightforward. He’s a horse we all fell on and were keen to buy. He’ll come back to Tweenhills now and then will be sold by the boys next year.” 

Harry and Oliver are the sons of Charlie Vigors of Hillwood Stud. This is the brothers’ first pinhooking venture, and given their father’s success in this sphere they are surely names to note for the future. 

Harry said of their purchase: “He’s a standout for us today. He’s a lovely big, strong colt and is an athletic mover. Oliver and I went down this morning to see him without Dad and we picked him out. We went back later with Dad and he liked him too.

“We’ve been with Dad a few times to the sales now, but this is the first time we’ve actually bought one. It’s some buzz. When the board gets higher and higher it just gets more and more exciting.” 

Oliver added: “Perfect Power was an amazing racehorse, and the dam is three from three, so hopefully he’ll be a good horse as well.” 

The colt by Perfect Power out of Perfect Muse in the ring on SaturdayCredit: Alisha Meeder

Perfect Power, whose 54-strong debut crop was bred at a fee of £15,000, finished the December Foal Sale with an average price of 40,085gns for 23 sold. His most expensive lot was the colt out of Mutrecy sold by Altenbach Bloodstock, who fetched 130,000gns from Peter and Ross Doyle. 

The Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes and Commonwealth Cup-winning son of Ardad will stand his third season at Dalham Hall Stud in 2025 at a fee of £7,500. 

Stauffenberg steps in for son of Space Blues

A more established name appeared besides the second-top lot as leading pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg bid 65,000gns for the colt from the first crop of Space Blues consigned by Jamie Railton. 

Offered on behalf of Craig and Laura Buckingham’s Manor Farm Bloodstock, the youngster is out of Glyndebourne, a Teofilo half-sister to a whole host of stakes performers, including Arlington Million victor Debussy and Group 3 winner Laugh Aloud. 

“He’s for resale,” said Stauffenberg. “He’s a very good walker, is by a young stallion who we don’t know yet but who we can give a chance to, and, of the foals we’ve seen today, we thought he’s the one who stood out based on his action.

The colt by Space Blues out of Glyndebourne who went Philipp Stauffenberg's way for 65,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

“We just have to hope for the best now, but I think he’ll be a proper commercial October Book 2 horse. I’ve bought four now and have been underbidder a number of times. It’s been tough to buy.” 

The purchase capped a fruitful 24 hours for the popular German operator after he sold a Sea The Stars three-parts brother to Fantastic Moon to Juddmonte for 700,000gns during Friday’s headline session. 

Temples on top form

At this early stage in his career there can be few bigger fans of Newsells Park Stud’s A’Ali than Bob and Fiona Temple, who breed from a nine-strong broodmare band under the banner of Saxtead Livestock. 

On Tuesday the couple toasted their best ever sales ring result when Yeomanstown Stud paid 40,000gns for the A’Ali colt out of Kelapa, who was consigned by Barton Stud. In booking that nomination, the Temples were entered in a prize draw that saw them become the winning recipients of tickets to the Rugby World Cup final in Paris last year. 

The colt by A'Ali out of Akhmatova who turned Tally-Ho Stud's head in NewmarketCredit: Alisha Meeder

On Saturday they bettered day one’s result when another Barton-consigned son of A’Ali, this colt a half-brother to the Listed-placed Wise Words, brought 60,000gns from Tally-Ho Stud. Their three offered lots were completed by a son of Stradivarius who made 25,000gns to Weston Farm. 

Fiona said: “We’re delighted with this week and this colt has been really straightforward all the way along. We looked at the three colts in the field this summer and said it would be great if they could make 100,000gns between them. Well, they’ve topped that at 125,000gns.” 

Whitsbury Manor go from seller to buyer

Whitsbury Manor Stud had an evening to remember on Friday when the Harper family’s operation sold the sister to Chaldean who made a record-equalling 2,500,000gns to Amo Racing. 

It was back to business as usual on Saturday as the stud’s head of bloodstock and sales Joe Callan was on hand to sign for a Showcasing colt offered by Daymark Stud at 55,000gns.

The youngster is the third foal out of Messalina, an Iffraaj sister to the Listed-placed Fourth Way and a half-sister to Empress Stakes scorer System. Her second foal, a filly by Showcasing, was part of the Amo Racing and Al Shaqab partnership’s haul at Book 1, where she cost 340,000gns. 

The Showcasing colt out of Messalina described by Joe Callan as 'gorgeous'Credit: Alisha Meeder

“He’s a gorgeous colt,” said Callan. “We really liked him and there’s a lot happening in the family. The first two foals out of the mare have gone to great homes. Daymark does a wonderful job and we’re delighted to buy him. We’re looking forward to bringing him back here next year.” 

Callan also shared his reflections on a historic night in the Newmarket sales ring on Friday, saying: “It was a sensational day. We brought a fantastic draft of foals but days like that don’t come around very often. It was very special and it’s a credit to the whole team. It’s a great result for everyone and it was just amazing to have the chance to be a part of it.” 

He added “It’s been over 50 years in the making for the Harper family. Suelita is an incredible mare, the filly is a wonderful foal and we wish Kia [Joorabchian] and his team all the very best. It’s a day that will live long in the memories for all of us.” 

National Stud net well-related Palace Pier colt

The first lot to fetch 55,000gns was the Palace Pier three-parts brother to Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Cormorant who went the way of Joe Bradley, head of bloodstock at the National Stud. 

“The plan is to re-offer him next year, most likely in October, but we’ll see how he goes and develops over the year,” said Bradley. 

“He’s for a National Stud-operated syndicate. He’s very much in the mould of his sire. We like Dansili as a broodmare sire and there’s lots to come on the page with the two-year-old by Night Of Thunder named Portfolio Duration to run. The mare has already produced a good horse in Cormorant and this is a close relation.” 

The Palace Pier colt out of Shemya was one of a trio to make 55,000gns on SaturdayCredit: Alisha Meeder

If the Langton Stud-consigned youngster can follow the same sales ring trajectory as Cormorant then connections will be in good shape. The son of Kingman went from 135,000gns pinhook to 1,050,000gns Book 1 yearling thanks to a seven-figure bid from Coolmore’s MV Magnier. 

The third and final foal to fetch 55,000gns was the Caturra colt out of Shrara from Whatcote Farm Stud. Blandford Bloodstock signed the ticket on the most expensive representative from the debut crop of Overbury Stud’s Flying Childers Stakes winner. 

Flying figures

Saturday’s session ensured the four-day event ended on a positive note, with gains across the full spectrum of market indices. Turnover rose nine per cent year-on-year to 2,260,500gns, the average price climbed by 18 per cent to 16,870gns, while the median was 12,000gns, up 33 point from 9,000gns on this day 12 months ago. The final day’s clearance rate was 77 per cent as 134 foals sold from 176 offered. 

Underpinned by the remarkable strength of Friday’s headline session, which produced turnover in excess of the entire four days in 2023, this year’s December Foal Sale ended with new historic high marks set across turnover, average and median prices, each by clear water.

Aggregate sales for the four sessions reached 43,504,000gns, a 46 per cent year-on-year increase despite a smaller catalogue resulting in 26 fewer foals changing hands.

The vibrancy at the head of the market ensured the average price made the biggest gain, up 52 per cent to 67,660gns. The median figure also reflected the depth through the middle market, up 43 per cent to 30,000gns. The combined clearance rate was 80 per cent as 643 lots sold from 822 offered. 

In his end-of-sale address, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony noted the unusually strong contribution made by end-users in underpinning record-breaking trade, as well as the ripple effect from a similarly record-busting Book 1.

“References to ‘the cream of the British and Irish foal crops’ have been made constantly throughout this week’s record-breaking Tattersalls December Foal Sale and the extraordinary figures show the esteem in which the best British and Irish thoroughbreds continue to be held, and where ’the cream’ is to be found,” he said. 

As a collective, the foal class of 24 earned a big smacker at Tattersalls this weekCredit: Alisha Meeder

“All week Park Paddocks has been alive with pinhookers from Britain, Ireland and further afield; a combination of veterans who have been plying their trade for many years and hordes of the younger generation whose enthusiasm and commitment provide encouragement to the wider industry looking forward.

“Equally notable has been the immense contribution made by owners buying to race. The December Foal Sale will always be dominated by pinhookers, but owners, both domestic and international, have made a huge impact on the sale, particularly those from Australia, China, Japan and the USA, as well as from throughout Europe and the Gulf region.

“Between them all they have contributed to a Tattersalls December Foal Sale which will be remembered for a very long time, not only for Whitsbury Manor Stud's outstanding 2,500,000gns Frankel filly foal out of Suelita, who equalled the 27-year European record price for a foal, but also for a sale which produced an unprecedented number of foals selling for 500,000gns or more, wide-margin records across the board for average, median and turnover and a massive 32 of the 40 highest-priced foals to have been sold in Britain and Ireland this year.”

He continued: “The confidence that the leading British and Irish breeders show in the uniquely diverse market at Tattersalls is a source of immense pride and it would be no exaggeration to say that so much of the strength of this week’s foal trade, as well as the record-breaking December Yearling Sale, has been driven by the game-changing Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale a few weeks ago. 

“Those three days of yearlings have driven the European bloodstock market ever since and to see so many British and Irish breeders and consignors subsequently reaping richly deserved rewards has itself been truly rewarding.

“Not all in the garden has, however, been rosy and the lowest tier of the market continues to struggle, which is a concern, but as we move on to the market-leading Tattersalls December Mares Sale we can reflect on another 2024 Tattersalls sale which has exceeded expectations and again shone a positive light on the industry.” 

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