Numbers down at Tattersalls December Foal Sale

Tattersalls' December Foal sale concluded in Newmarket Saturday night with a

28,684,600 guineas turnover, down 1 percent from 2006, while the 36,541gns average

dropped 6 percent and the 20,000gns median fell by 9 percent. The clearance rate

made a more dramatic decline, from 82 percent last year to 61 percent this time

around.

The top price of the session came early in the day when agent Dwayne

Woods paid 240,000gns for Lot No. 1446, a Green Desert half-sister to Fillies'

Mile (Eng-G1) and Falmouth S. (Eng-G1) heroine Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill). The dark gray

daughter of Hotelgenie Dot Com (Selkirk), bred by Derek and Jean Clee, was

consigned by Catridge Farm Stud.

"It's a top-notch pedigree, and she's very much

like her sister," said Woods, buying for an unidentified client. "She's been

bought to race and everything was right about her -- there haven't been many real

quality fillies like her this week."

Bringing the highest price for a colt during the session, Camas Park Stud's Timmy Hyde paid 205,000gns for

Lot 1501, a Monsun colt from a distinguished German family. Consigned by European Sales Management,

the son of the Second Set (Ire) mare Ailette will be reoffered next year.

Trainer Jim Bolger, who has excelled with the progeny of Mr. Greeley,

acquired a choicely bred filly by sire out of Civility Cat (Tale of the Cat). Eamonn Reilly of BBA Ireland bid 200,000gns for

Lot 1593, whose dam had

been acquired for 340,000gns carrying this foal. The chestnut appeared from Tom

Gaffney's Churchtown House Stud.

"The filly is for Jim Bolger and one of his

existing owners, and will go to his Redmondstown Stud in Wexford until she's

ready to go into training," Reilly said. "She's the only foal he has bought this

week, and reminded us particularly of Finsceal Beo (Mr. Greeley)."

Agent Mags O'Toole

fought off trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias to land a Sadler's Wells half-sister to

Group 3 winner Maharib (Alhaarth) for 210,000gns. The daughter of Diali (Dayjur)

was consigned from Felipe Hinojosa's Chevington and Loughtown Studs as Lot 1647.

The gross, average and median all decreased for the Foal sale.

"Last year's December Foal sale set new

records across the board with an average price up a massive 34 percent and

turnover also in uncharted territory up 24 percent," Tattersalls

Chairman Edmond Mahony said. "This year's Foal sale has

all but matched those extraordinary figures with turnover and average second

only to 2006. To a large degree, this week's foal trade has mirrored the yearling

market, with demand at the top of the market as strong, if not stronger, than

ever. The number of foals making 200,000 guineas or more has exceeded even last

year's total, and competition for quality, commercial foals has been intense

throughout the five days. The one statistic, however, which does not compare

well with last year is the percentage of lots sold and, with the huge numbers

cataloged, it has been evident that the market has been unforgiving for foals

which fell short of the stringent standards set by the pinhookers."

For complete results please visit www.tattersalls.com.