Dam of Decorated Knight among 1,095 lined up for December Mares Sale

Blue chip producer Pearling, dam of three-time Group 1 hero Decorated Knight, heads a 1,095-strong catalogue for the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, which takes place at Park Paddocks on December 3-6.

A major date on the international sales calendar, the 2018 renewal of the December Sale will welcome the addition of a quality consignment from top US-based operation Taylor Made Sales Agency, which is making its European sales debut.

Pearling, who will be offered carrying a brother or sister to Decorated Knight, is one of two mares in foal to Galileo in the catalogue, with the other being the Listed-placed five-year-old Pocketfullofdreams.

Buyers will have three opportunities to buy a mare in foal to Dubawi, with that trio, comprised of Group 2-winning The Miniver Rose, Group 3 winner Stellar Path and Listed scorer Soon, being the only mares in foal to the Darley linchpin on offer in Britain or Ireland this year.

The auction is also the only sale in Britain or Ireland to have mares in foal to Cracksman's sire Frankel, with nine catalogued.

They include Juddmonte Farms' Argumentative, whose first foal is the Group 1 winning two-year-old Epicuris; the Listed-winning and Classic-placed Shamardal mare Heuristique; Listed winner and Group 1-placed Pivotal mare Princess Loulou, and the Listed-placed Rubina, whose first foal by Frankel is the US stakes-winning Rubilinda.

The full December Sale entries include 116 Group and Listed winners and producers, including mares in foal to leading sires such as Dark Angel, Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, Lope De Vega, Sea The Stars and Shamardal, as well as leading French sire Siyouni and the only mare in foal to War Front to be offered in Europe in 2018.

Flying freshman Kingman and No Nay Never also feature prominently with eighteen mares in foal to Juddmonte Farms' son of Invincible Spirit and eleven in foal to Coolmore's son of Scat Daddy.

There are a number of dispersals contained within the catalogue, including a draft comprised of Bobby Flay's European stock, which looks sure to pique the interest of many buyers.

The eight-strong team will be consigned by Baroda and Colbinstown Studs, and includes the stakes-performed Montjeu mare Auld Alliance, offered in foal to Frankel; Group 3 winner Banzari, in foal to Fastnet Rock, and Pattern scorer Albisola, in foal to Lope De Vega.

Another dispersal is that of Susan and the late Kevin Mercer's Usk Valley Farm in Wales. The draft of ten includes the Dubai Destination mare Welsh Angel, already the dam of Group 3 performer Scarlet Dragon and offered in foal to Showcasing; and the Cape Cross mare London Welsh, whose first foal is the Listed winner Wick Powell. London Welsh will be offered in foal to Night Of Thunder.

Three mares in foal to leading sire Dubawi are cataloguedCredit: Darley

The largest consignment comes from The Castlebridge Consignment with a team of 61, narrowly ahead of the 59-strong consignment from Godolphin.

The highly anticipated annual dispersal from Juddmonte Farms numbers 39, while Cheveley Park Stud, Hascombe and Valiant Stud, Lanwades Stud, Meon Valley Stud, Newsells Park Stud, the Royal Studs and Shadwell Stud are all well represented alongside consignors Jamie Railton and Voute Sales, whose teams number 43 and 37 respectively.

Top-class race fillies and mares on offer include the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes winner Off Limits, who will be consigned by European Sales Management alongside Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Vue Fantastique.

The Group 2-winning sprinter Raven's Lady looks sure to attract plenty of admirers along with last year's Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes winner Heartache and Group 3 winners Luminate and Beautiful Morning.

Among the Listed-winning fillies is Billesdon Bess, a half-sister to this year's 1,000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook.

Edmond Mahony, chairman of Tattersalls, said: "The Tattersalls December Sale has been Europe's premier breeding stock sale for more than a century, and we have a catalogue of quality fillies and mares with coverings by stallions who are arguably the best in the world at the moment.

"The December Sale is always an unmissable event for thoroughbred breeders from throughout the world and we are looking forward to another truly international renewal."

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