Jason Singh is the marketing manager of Tattersalls, the famous UK-based auctioneering company of British and Irish thoroughbreds, and he answered some questions about the forthcoming Tattersalls December Mare Sale which starts next week and has scarcely believable quality.
He said, “The December Mares Sale is an exceptional renewal this year, and the catalogue includes a remarkable six Group 1 winning race fillies with Alcohol Free, Saffron Beach, Pearls Galore, La Petite Coco, The Platinum Queen and Princess Zoe all set to go under the hammer along with Desert Berry, the dam of this year’s Derby winner Desert Crown. There are also 97 lots that make up the inaugural ‘Sceptre Sessions’, featuring elite fillies and broodmares that will be offered on the evenings of both Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th November.”
He continued, “The sale is arguably the most important bloodstock sale in the world and has been for 100 years. Breeders from all corners of the Globe come to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale to buy the broodmares that are going to hopefully be the cornerstone of their future breeding success.”
There are too many success stories from this sale to mention and Jason said, “To name just a few of them: Hayyona, the dam of G1 Champion Stakes winner BAY BRIDGE was purchased at the 2013 December Mares Sale for 18,000 gns; Poyle Sophie, the dam of the 1000 Guineas winner CACHET was purchased at the 2018 December Mares Sale for 3,000 gns; Suelita, the dam of the G1 Dewhurst Stakes winner CHALDEAN was purchased at the 2013 December Mares Sale for 21,500 gns; Pure Illusion, the dam of the triple G1 winner HIGHFIELD PRINCESS was purchased at the 2016 December Mares Sale for 18,000 gns; Needleleaf, the dam of the Irish 2000 Guineas winner NATIVE TRAIL was purchased at the 2015 December Mares Sale for 60,000 gns.”
The above results show why it is not just the big breeders who flock to this sale.
Nevertheless, the big guns are expected to attend this year as usual and Jason confirmed, “We would expect the major breeders from throughout Britain and Ireland and Europe to attend and of course notable breeders from the US< Australia and Japan will also be in attendance.”
And the record price at the Sale?
Jason answered, “Marsha (an Acclamation filly who won the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye as a three-year-old and the Group 1 Nunthorpe at four) sold for a European record 6,000,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2017. That sale was such a phenomenal result that it’s unrealistic to think that it will be beaten anytime soon.”
What are the expectations for this year’s Sale?
Jason replied, “We have had some remarkable sales over the years, but given the quality of the catalogue it is possible that records could be broken.”