‘There’s going to be some very good value horses’ - Somerville in the spotlight as sales season rolls into Newmarket

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Sales season rolls into Newmarket on Wednesday for the sixth edition of the Tattersalls Somerville Sale. 

The event has quickly established itself in a crowded calendar, thanks to some positive results both in the ring and on the track. 

Celeron, an impressive winner of this year’s Railway Stakes, is the latest example of the talent that can be found at this sale. The Group 2 scorer was picked up by Antonio da Silva for just 20,000gns. 

The Michael O’Callaghan-trained son of Mohaather joins a roll of honour that includes other notable runners such as Anisette, Arabian Dusk and Bradsell, the last of whom now plies his trade just up the road from Tattersalls at the National Stud. 

Half Sovereign, a mere 12,000gns signing by Karl Burke, also won the Group 3 Prix Miesque before being resold to Lady Bamford for a sales-topping €2.6 million at Arqana last December. 

After hitting a bit of a bump in the road when expanded to two days in 2024, last year’s staging saw the Somerville Sale resume its upward trajectory.

Celeron: Somerville Sale graduate wins this year's Railway StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

The average price of 34,255gns was not only a 21 per cent year-on-year gain, but set a new benchmark for the sale. There was also a record number of six-figure lots (ten), headed by two that equalled the auction’s high price of 160,000gns. 

Rabbah Bloodstock was the first buyer to hit that mark for a daughter of Havana Grey, before the sale’s leading spenders Highflyer Bloodstock and Phil Cunningham went to the same sum for a son of Dark Angel. 

Although the picture of this year’s yearling market will become that bit clearer after the Somerville, those selling in Newmarket have taken plenty of optimism from the auctions staged elsewhere this year. 

Arqana’s blue-chip August Sale produced an unprecedented set of results, thanks in no small part to several seven-figure clashes between Coolmore and Godolphin. The Irish firm won out when a blue-blooded son of Wootton Bassett brought a record €4.6m on the final day. 

Some had expected the commercial end of the market to prove altogether more challenging. However, while Doncaster was not entirely plain sailing, the two-day sale still threw up its share of positive signs. The top price of £250,000 – achieved by a well-related son of Blue Point – eclipsed last year’s top lot, while turnover was almost identical to 12 months ago at £14,247,000. 

And although the average price dipped by seven per cent to £40,020 and the median fell 14 per cent to £30,000, there was still a solid clearance rate of 85 per cent.

The Blue Point colt out of Happy Romance brings £250,000 in DoncasterCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

“I thought Doncaster was a good sale, especially for the nicer horses,” said Luke Barry, whose Manister House Stud sold nine lots for receipts totalling £547,500. 

“It’s been a very lucky sale for us and we’ve sold a lot of good horses there. We always try to bring some nice types back to that market, and this year’s were well received. We were very content with virtually all our sales.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Jamie Railton, who sold nine lots for an aggregate of £251,000. 

“You can’t get away from the fact the median in Doncaster dropped 14 per cent, but I think there’s still a thirst for a nice horse,” Railton said. “That is definitely apparent. 

“There probably isn’t the demand to accommodate increased catalogues, which would be a little bit of a worry at the Somerville, but Doncaster’s clearance rate of 85 per cent is certainly workable. If we have that across the board this year then I think that’s fairly acceptable myself.” 

The Goffs UK Premier Sale and the Somerville specialise in yearlings whose primary selling point is their physical attributes, more so than their pedigree.

Luke Barry: "The harder you work, the luckier you'll get"Credit: Tattersalls

This means placing your yearling in the right sale is absolutely imperative for vendors looking to maximise their returns, while buyers looking to get the most out of these events are best served by rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in to inspections. 

“These sales are all about the physical,” said Barry, who offers three lots at the Somerville, namely colts by Kameko and Shaman and a daughter of Sioux Nation. 

“This means sales placement is ever-so important. You need every horse to hold its own and stand out to a degree. If you’re not good enough, you’ll get slated. 

“We had individuals by some slightly out-of-fashion stallions in Doncaster, but it worked because they were very good physicals. It’s all about bringing the right physical to the right sale and not overfacing your yearling.” 

He added: “You make your own luck, though, so the harder you work, the luckier you'll get. I’m a big believer in making your own luck in life, so if you keep putting the right horse in the right sale, or you keep doing your job properly, whether you’re buying or selling, you’ll get rewarded.” 

Looking ahead to Wednesday’s Somerville session, for which Tattersalls have catalogued 286 lots, Railton said: “I’m sure it’ll be selective, but we can’t get away from the fact there’s going to be some very good value horses here.

“I’d like to see more trainers here, we’re a bit light on those, but maybe they’ll show up on Wednesday. We need the smaller, workingman's trainers to show up, because if they do, they’re going to buy some nice horses for not too much money.”

Jamie Railton: "There’s going to be some very good value horses here"Credit: Alisha Meeder

Railton pointed to the appeal of lots qualified for the Great British Bonus (GBB) scheme, which pays up to £20,000 in additional winnings per race. Given the median price at last year’s Somerville Sale was the equivalent of £26,250, a GBB windfall could potentially go a long way. 

“For those that are GBB registered and fall into band D races, what’s not to like?” Railton said. “The GBB Bonus is an absolute game-changer because now, these horses really do make sense. 

“We’ve got ten horses in our draft, and eight of them are eligible for the GBB bonus. I think it’s important to be supportive of British-bred horses because British breeders are dropping in numbers, so this is something we really need to encourage.” 

Railton’s consignment kicks things off with Lot 1, a Mostahdaf filly out of the Hilary Needler Trophy scorer Lady Ayresome. She is swiftly followed by a daughter of in-form sire Kameko out of the well-related War Front mare Lady Eros (Lot 3).

“Both of those horses are GBB registered,” said Railton. “One is out of a mare rated 89 and the other is out of a mare rated 86. They’re going to be great value for somebody.” 

The Somerville Sale has already proved it can offer buyers bang for their buck, as shown by its 12 Group-winning graduates costing an average of 43,415gns. This track record suggests someone is going to unearth a bargain on Wednesday. The only question now is: who?

Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale fact-file

Where Park Paddocks, Newmarket

When Selling begins on Wednesday at 10

Last year’s stats From 257 lots offered, 230 (89 per cent clearance rate) sold for turnover of 7,878,500gns (down 12 per cent year-on-year), an average price of 34,255gns (up 21 per cent) and a median of 25,000gns (up 14 per cent)

Notable graduates Anisette (sold by Manor Farm, bought by Avenue Bloodstock for 26,000gns); Bradsell (sold by Bearstone Stud, bought by Highflyer and Harry Dunlop for 12,000gns); Celeron (sold by Barton Stud, bought by Antonio da Silva for 20,000gns); Half Sovereign (sold by Petches Farm, bought by Karl Burke for 12,000gns)

More to read: 

Inside bloodstock's wild boom and bust years - when Godolphin v Coolmore went into overdrive and a breeder was accidentally killed off 

‘There are horses I like that bloodstock agents don’t, but I’m not frightened to be my own man’ – Jim Crowley swaps the saddle for the sales ring as training career beckons 

Social media snubs, bold statements and a dodgy Jeremy Clarkson lookalike at the sale that simply can’t be ignored