The 2011 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale will not be the marathon that was
2010. This year’s event, beginning in Newmarket October 5, offers 1,687 lots
over the three books of the 2011 October Sale, down from 2,230 a year ago. It is
the smallest allotment for Tattersalls’ autumn yearling auction in eight years.
“We catalogued more than we expected last year, and probably more than we
would have wanted in the days available,” Jimmy George, marketing director at
Tattersalls, remarked. “A conscious effort was made to streamline everything
this year without diluting the quality, and the catalogues reflect that. There
has been a fairly significant drop in the foal crop, and it shows in the
numbers. This is the first post-recession crop of yearlings — there were
significantly less born in Britain and Ireland in 2010, compared to 2009, and
that trend will continue. It is also the first-crop conceived at post-recession
covering fees.”
With satisfactory results at Deauville, Doncaster, Keeneland and Tattersalls
Ireland so far this year, George believes it bodes well for the two-week event
in Newmarket.
“You would have to be encouraged by what has happened at the yearling sales
so far this year — supply is beginning to meet demand,” he said. “The two had
been out of kilter, but are starting to even out this year.
“We try to cover as many bases as possible on promotional trips and,
hopefully, that will pay dividends at the October Sale,” he added. “I think
we’ll see some new faces in Books 1, 2 and 3, and we have had considerable
interest from all corners of the world. I would expect to see more participation
from America and Australia than in recent years, and a greater diversity of
buyers from the Gulf region. I think a lot of those people are looking to race
here in England.”
There are 35 yearlings by Galileo (Ire) — regarded as the world’s best sire
by many at present — catalogued in Books 1 and 2, and George feels they will
serve as an incentive to buyers.
“This year’s Book 1 is, by common consent, regarded as the best we’ve
compiled for a number of years,” he stated. “It’s the premier yearling sale in
Europe, and I think the extraordinary quality of stallions here at the moment is
something buyers are latching onto. The top stallions in Britain and Ireland are
the top sires in the world at present. It’s caught the attention of the leading
owners from all parts of the globe.”
The restructured sale gives buyers the opportunity to attend Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Fr-G1) day in Paris on Sunday before heading on to Newmarket, where
the sale is now punctuated by the new Future Champions raceday on October 8.
“Last year, with the sheer number we catalogued, it would have been
impossible to structure the sale as we have done this year,” George continued.
“But tightening up the three books has enabled us to hold Book 1 from Wednesday
to Friday, lead into Future Champions Day at Newmarket on the Saturday and go
smoothly into Book 2 the following Tuesday. When we restructured the sales in
2004, our aim was to produce a Book 1 that would appeal to buyers at all levels
of the market, and for that you need a certain number of yearlings in the
catalogue, otherwise it can be perceived as being too rarefied.”
While Goffs dropped its Millions series of races last year, graduates of
Tattersalls Book 1 will continue to be eligible to run in a group of contests
worth a total of £1.3 million. The races
have not enamored everybody, and were criticized by jockey Richard Hughes in a
recent Racing Post article, suggesting that juveniles were skipping
pattern races to contest the big-money sales events. Tattersalls officials do
not agree.
“All you need to do to assess the importance of a series like the Tattersalls
Millions is to talk to the connections of runners and see their excitement on
the raceday,” George said. “At a time when the issue of prize-money levels has
never been more acute, it’s vital that we all explore ways to provide owners
with opportunities to run for significant prize money. To produce a series of
races worth a seven-figure sum, catering to both two- and three-year-olds, and
specifically framed to give opportunities below the top level of Book 1 is very
important.”
The Tattersalls Millions is the most extensive Thoroughbred sales race series
run in the Northern Hemisphere. Comprising six races worth
£1,300,000 in prize money, the races are
exclusively for yearlings purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October
Yearling Sale. The six races are for both two- and three-year-olds over
distances from six to 10 furlongs. The culmination of the series is the
£500,000 Tattersalls Millions 2YO Trophy,
Europe’s most valuable two-year-old race.
“The Racing Post Yearling Bonus Scheme runs hand in hand with it, and
both schemes are designed to reward owners and attract them to the sport at a
time when prize money is poor. The key message from the sale is that buyers can
be confident that they can find quality horses, whether they have 30,000 guineas
or 300,000 guineas to spend. The first three Tattersalls Millions winners this
year precisely fit that profile, having cost between 32,000 guineas and 72,000
guineas.”