After two strong sessions to begin the four-day mare portion of the Tattersalls Ltd. December breeding stock sale, the company reported across-the-board declines on Wednesday.

One day after totaling $77,870,351 (36,084,500 guineas) in gross receipts, the most for a single session in European auction history, Tattersalls reported 186 horses as sold from 260 offered for $15,840,195 (7,337,500 guineas). Total receipts plummeted 47%, compared with the corresponding 2006 session, and average price and median also declined by double digits.

Average dipped 40.2% to $85,163 (39,449 guineas), and median dropped 22.2% to $60,446 (28,000 guineas).

Despite the falloff on Wednesday, Tattersalls eclipsed the previous December breeding stock sale record for total receipts with $147,109,267 (68,144,000 guineas) with one day remaining. The previous record was established last year.

Epona Management Ltd. went to $1,338,456 to land the session topper, Group 2 winner Jewel In The Sand. Consigned by Lisieux Stud, the five-year-old bay mare is in foal to Galileo (Ire).

Out of the stakes-placed Green Desert mare Dancing Drop, Jewel In The Sand won the 2004 Chippenham Lodge Stud Cherry Hinton Stakes (Eng-G2). She posted four wins in nine career starts and earned $146,775.

The Tattersalls December breeding stock sale, which also featured five foal sessions and one yearling session, concludes Thursday at Park Paddocks in Newmarket.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.