The median price rose 12.5% while total and average prices experienced moderate declines at the close of the 2009 Tattersalls autumn horses in training sale on Thursday.
Over the course of the four-day sale, Tattersalls reported the sale of 903 horses from 1,063 offered for total sales of $30,020,258 (17,457,800 guineas), down 11.3% from last year, when 935 of 1,186 horses were sold
Average price was down 8.1% to $33,245 (33,245 guineas), while the median price of $15,476 (9,000 guineas) rose 12.5%. The buy-back rate for the four-day sale was 15%.
Rezwaan, a two-year-old Alhaarth colt out of the stakes-winning Elusive Quality mare Nasij, brought the top price of the final session as Geoffrey Howson paid $94,577 (55,000 guineas) for the bay gelding, who was consigned by Ed Dunlop Racing Ltd on behalf of breeder Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Shadwell Estate Co.
Rezwaan posted one win, one second, and one third-place finish in six starts this season for Dunlop.
Michael Dods purchased the overall sale topper, the King’s Best gelding Royal Diamond, for $624,211 (400,000 guineas). The three-year-old won three races on grass and made his final start prior to the sale on the synthetic surface at Wolverhampton, powering to a ten-length romp under Seb Sanders.
A half brother to Irish classic-placed Group 3 winner Mad About You (Ire), Royal Diamond is out of Group 2 winner Irresistable Jewel (Ire), by Danehill.
“Our 2009 yearling sales outperformed expectations, and this week's sale has continued in a similar vein,” Tattersalls Chairman Edmund Mahony said. “The autumn horses in training sale is a unique fixture and yet again it has attracted a uniquely diverse crowd of buyers all of whom have contributed to a sale which has produced a significant increase in the median as well as a higher clearance rate than last year.
“The sale was perhaps a touch short of obvious stars and, considering the strength of the market, the handful of high profile withdrawals was a little disappointing, but overall this has been another week which has provided encouragement for the industry.”
For complete sales results, click here.