Book 3 of Tattersalls’ October Yearling Sale finished in Newmarket Friday
with a 10,389 guineas average, down 33 percent on last year, and a 7,000 guineas
median, which showed a 36 percent decline. A low-key concluding day was topped
by two 40,000 guineas lots.
The first was a Bahamian Bounty colt, catalogued as Hip No. 1842, who was
bought by Jono Mills of Rabbah Bloodstock. Later, trainer David Elsworth,
standing with owner Matthew Green, was the highest bidder for a Titus Livius
(Fr) colt, Hip 1933, out of a half-sister to Group 3 winner Compton Bolter (Ire)
(Red Sunset) sold from Maurice Burns’ Rathasker Stud.
“Putting this year’s Tattersalls October yearling trade into context, the
total spend through Books 1 to 3 of the 2008 October Yearling Sale has been just
over 72 million guineas, which, although a fair way below the record breaking
2007 and 2006 figures, places it only marginally below 2005,” Tattersalls
chairman Edmond Mahony commented. “Bearing in mind the current economic climate,
the industry can be satisfied with the resilience of the market when one
considers that the FTSE and other stock markets are currently around 30 percent
lower than their autumn 2005 levels and we hover on the brink of recession. The
72 million guineas has, however, been spread more thinly than in 2005.
“In addition to the very different economic conditions, another major change
between the 2005 October Yearling Sale and this year’s is the number of
yearlings being offered. Between Books 1 to 3 this year we have catalogued 1,942
yearlings whereas we catalogued 1,556 for the equivalent sales in 2005. Even in
last year’s market the weight of numbers had begun to take its toll and with a
backdrop of global financial turmoil we could not expect to come close to such
figures.”