There are recent dreams for Harry and Oliver Vigors, some of the youngest pinhookers taking part in Tattersalls this week, with the pair raising 72,000gns to secure a Perfect Power (Ire) colt in association with Redwall Bloodstock.
This was the highest selling price for the latest session of Tattersalls' record-breaking foal trade. In fact, such records were already reached on Friday, when sales of 30,906,000 for that memorable session exceeded spending during the entire sale 12 months ago.
Sales rose a massive 46% to 43,504,000g across the sale. The clearance rate of 78% is up 4% year-on-year, while the average of 67,658gns represents an raise of 52%. The median increased by a similar level [43%] up to 30,000 gns.
Competition in such a competitive market was not enough to deter the newborn Vigors brothers. The Perfect Power stallion, offered by Manor House Farm Stud, was suggested by his older brother Harry on Friday as the colt they wanted most. Although it took a certain amount of courage, the bidding team – which included Hannah Wall from Tweenhills – managed to snag her boy, all with Dad's blessing, of course.
Charlie Vigors, father of Harry and Oliver, commented: “We had to form a partnership to get him so he can go back to Tweenhills from here and we'll give him away next year.” It's the first horse the boys have had in the bought your own name. It's great for the boys. They are interested and want to get involved. They have been involved with various Pinhooks over the years, but this is the first one they have purchased for themselves.”
The Perfect Power colt was bred by Richard Vines. Lot 1095 is by the mare Perfect Muse (GB) by Oasis Dream (GB) and comes from a family that has cared for Vines for generations. The sale capped the stallion's respectable start, with his first crop of foals selling this week for an average of 38,240gns for 25 foals sold.
The three-time Group 1 winner had foals sold to Peter and Ross Doyle, Federico Barberini and others during the week, including a colt that sold to the former for 130,000g.
Harry Vigors commented: “He was the standout person of the day. When we woke up this morning he was the one we really wanted and luckily we got him. Perfect Power was a very swift racehorse and, as a son of Ardad, also a very good father. We went there this morning without dad and we liked him. Then Dad came over and saw him and he liked him too.”
The cat that got “the cream”.
Tattersalls chief executive Edmond Mahony leaned on one of the sales company's main rivals when he claimed where the “best” of the foal crop would be found after the sale. Mahony also recognized the contribution of international buyers in another memorable sale at Park Paddocks.
He said: “During this week's record-breaking Tattersalls December Foal Sale, constant reference was made to the 'cream of British and Irish foal crops' and the exceptional figures demonstrate the esteem in which the finest British and Irish Thoroughbreds continue to be held.” “the cream” can be found. All week Park Paddocks was full of pinhookers from the UK, Ireland and beyond; a combination of veterans who have been practicing their craft for many years and hordes of the younger generation whose enthusiasm and commitment encourage the entire industry and look to the future.
“Equally remarkable was the immense contribution of the owners who chose racing. The December foal sale will always be dominated by pinhookers, but owners from home and abroad have had a massive impact on sales, particularly from Australia, China, Japan and the USA, as well as across Europe and the Gulf region. ”
Mahony added: “All together contributed to a December foal sale at Tattersalls that will be remembered for a long time, not only for the outstanding 2,500,000 guineas Frankel filly by Suelita at Whitsbury Manor Stud, which won the 27th year-old European record.” price for a foal, but also for a sale that produced an unprecedented number of foals that were for 500,000 guineas or more were sold, far-reaching average, median and sales records and a whopping 32 of the 40 most high-priced foals sold in Britain and Ireland this year.
“The confidence shown by leading British and Irish breeders in Tattersalls’ uniquely diverse market is a source of great pride and it would be no exaggeration to say that so much of the strength of this week’s foal trade, as well as the record-breaking foal trade December Yearling Sale was driven forward by the groundbreaking Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale a few weeks ago. These three Yearling Days have driven the European bloodstock market ever since and to see so many British and Irish breeders and consignors subsequently reap the well-deserved reward was truly rewarding.
“However, all has not been rosy in the garden and the bottom tier of the market continues to struggle, which is a cause for concern, but as we move on to the market leading Tattersalls December Mares sale, we can consider another Tattersalls sale in 2024 that will “The expectations were exceeded and the industry was once again put in a positive featherlight.”
Topics of conversation
This was a sale where end users dominated at the high end. With Amo Racing completing the sale as lead buyer with four foals for 4,675,000gns, it was engaging to see that Yulong [signing under Willingham] and Coolmore came second and third with expenditures of 3,224,000gns and 1,800,000gns respectively.
Whitsbury Manor Stud, which led Friday's session with Chaldean's sister, finished the sale as leading bidder with 21 lots selling for a total of 4,347,500gns.
As for the younger sires, you have to be impressed with the start that Baaeed (GB) has made. He had seven foals for sale at Tattersalls this week, averaging 240,000gns. To put that into context, this is better than what Kingman (UK) and Night Of Thunder (Ire) achieved with similar offerings. Shadwell, Katsumi Yoshida and Yeomanstown Stud were some of Baaeed's notable supporters in the ring this week.
As Mahony mentioned in his chairman's statements, there were ten foals at Tattersalls this week that reached 500,000gns. Interestingly, half of this came from Frankel, who ended the week as the leading sire with 1,140,000gns.
Stauffenberg champions Space Blues Colt
Philip Stauffenberg shopped tough at Tattersalls this week and was rewarded for hanging on to the bitter end when he came out on top on a Space Blues (Ire) colt gifted by Jamie Railton for 65,000gns.
The colt, who achieved an investment of 365,000gns for four foals this week, was described by Stauffenberg as a real candidate for Book 2 next year. He comes from a Teofilo (Irish) dam and comes from the family of Group 1 winner Debussy (Irish).
The leading pinhooker explained: “He was just a very good walker. He's from a stallion we don't know much about, but we have to give him a chance. Of the foals we saw today, he is the one that really stood out for his movement. He looks like a proper Book 2 horse – not a high-end Book 2 horse, but you never know, if the stallion has a good horse, it could be him. We just hope for the best with him. This is the fourth horse we have purchased this week. It was tough and we underperformed several times.”
