Book two of the Tattersalls October yearling sale closed with a flurry of fireworks on Wednesday as the two top-priced horses of the catalog were sold in the final session.
Maxine Cowdrey purchased a Danehill Dancer colt for a book-two record of $768,354 (420,000 guineas), and Demi O’Byrne, bloodstock agent for associates of Coolmore, went to $731,766 (400,000 guineas) for a filly by Danehill Dancer.
Despite the late flurry, Tattersalls reported across-the-board declines during book two as 509 of 719 yearlings offered were reported as sold for $35,989,532 (19,672,700 guineas). Total sales dropped 17.7%, compared with the two-session book two of the 2007 Tattersalls sale.
Median declined 17.1% to $53,053 (29,000 guineas), and average price dipped 23.5% to $70,707 (38,650 guineas).
The results of book two were not as strong as the final figures from book one of the 2008 Tattersalls October yearling sale, which closed on October 9 with a record median of $154,170 (85,000 guineas) and $90,363,835 (49,821,000) in total receipts.
“By common consent book one of the Tattersalls October yearling sale produced a remarkable set of figures considering the extraordinary financial climate we find ourselves enduring, but it would have been unrealistic to expect complete immunity from the global financial crisis,” Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said. “Rarely, if ever, have the financial markets experienced this sort of turbulence and in the context of such conditions the three days of book two have demonstrated surprising resilience. Positive aspects have included two lots comfortably exceeding the previous record price for the sale and solid commercial horses fetching good money from start to finish.
“Inevitably, however, the market has experienced a significant correction despite major contributions from those who made book one such a success and a wide cross section of buyers from throughout Europe.”
The record-setting Danehill Dancer colt is out of the Group 3-placed stakes-winning Grand Lodge mare Castle Quest, a half sister to Grade 2 winner Siringas (Ire). Consigned by Ballyphilip Stud, agent, the bay colt is from the immediate family of Group 1 winners Cherokee Rose (Ire) and Kirklees and leading New Zealand sire Volksraad.
Offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, the top-priced filly of book two is out of the unraced Sadler’s Wells mare Evangeline. The Danehill Dancer filly is a half sister to Group 2 winner Infamous Angel.
Book three of the Tattersalls October yearling sale begins Thursday at 10 a.m.
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