The Tattersalls Houghton yearling sale concluded on Thursday with decreases in both total receipts and average. Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony attributed the declines to the unstable international economic climate brought on by the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, but was generally pleased with the overall results of the sale, where on Wednesday a colt by Desert Prince brought the third-highest price ever at public auction in Europe."The three weeks leading into this sale have been dominated not only by human tragedy but also by global financial uncertainty from which none of us are immune," Mahony said, "but this week has shown an undiminished appetite for the sport of racing at the highest level, and a refusal of people to be deterred from conducting their business, and pleasure, by terrorism."

Tattersalls reported 130 yearlings as sold during the three-day sale for gross receipts of 28,563,000 guineas (about $44,272,650) and an average of 219,715 guineas ($340,557). Last year 141 yearlings changed hands for a total of 32,978,000 guineas ($51,157,764) and an average of 233,877 guineas ($362,821).

A colt by Sadler's Wells topped the final session with a final bid of 750,000 guineas ($1,162,500) from Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. The bay out of Russian Ballet, by Nijinsky, is a half brother to Irish Derby (Ire-G1) runner-up Dr. Johnson and was consigned by Baroda Stud of Ireland.

The sale topper came in Wednesday's second session on a final bid of 2,300,000 guineas ($3,563,571) from Gainsborough Stud Management's Michael Goodbody. The regally bred colt consigned by Ireland's Lodge Park Stud is from the first crop of champion Desert Prince out of Irish champion Park Express, by Ahoonora, and is a half brother to champion filly Dazzling Park and Japanese stakes winner Shinko Forest. The price represented the highest for a yearling from a first crop sire.

Thursday's third session saw 33 yearlings sold for a gross of 6,701,000 guineas ($10,395,055) and an average of 203,061 guineas ($315,002). At last year's corresponding session 34 yearlings were sold for 7,897,000 guineas ($12,250,374) and an average of 232,265 guineas ($360,305).