A colt by the all-conquering FRANKEL topped the one-day Tattersalls December Yearling Sale at 250,000 guineas on a day that saw a record average and median and robust trade throughout the day. 142 lots were sold for 4,377,500 guineas which was a rise of 7% on last year's corresponding session, whilst the average and median rose 7% and 8% respectively to a record 30,827 guineas and 21,500 guineas. The clearance was an impressive 85%.
The star turn for the day was the FRANKEL colt out of the ANABAA mare DEBONNAIRE. The half-brother to the multiple Group 1 winner and recent Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate placed HARTNELL was knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 250,000 guineas after he saw off former Champion Australian trainer Peter Moody and Oliver St Lawrence.
"My client wanted to buy two horses today, but I suggested that we target one," reported Gordon-Watson. "This is a very nice horse out of a very nice mare. There is an Arc winner on the page and he out of an Anabaa mare, which I particularly like. He is all two-year-old."
The colt was sold by Highclere Stud, on behalf of Greg Goodman's Mount Brilliant Farm, and Lady Carolyn Warren said: "He is a lovely horse. We foaled him at Highclere, he went to the US and failed to sell earlier in the year. He came back to us and has done really well."
McKeever Bloodstock's Johnny McKeever bought the SEA THE STARS half-sister to the Group 1 winners CHARITY LINE and FINAL SCORE for 170,000 guineas. Out of the HERNANDO mare HOLY MOON, the filly is a sibling to no fewer than four Group winners and was consigned to the sale by Old Buckenham Stud.
"You just need to read the page," said Johnny McKeever. "There are three Italian Oaks winners between 2012-1014, and a black-type update since the catalogue was published.
"She won't be early and will get tonnes of time."
McKeever purchased the filly on behalf of Ling Tsui's Sunderland Holdings after seeing off Newmarket-based trainer Marco Botti.
Blandford Bloodstock's Tom Goff signed for the third highest priced lot for the day when securing the Rathbarry Stud-consigned KODIAC colt out of AZIA for 120,000 guineas.
"He is for George Baker at Manton. He is a lovely horse and is an out and out two-year-old - he is a classic type of Kodiac," said Goff. "He has a proper two-year-old page too. I hope they like him when they take delivery at Manton!"
The four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale starts at 9.30am on Wednesday, November 23.
