Decorated Knight's dam the headline act as December Mare Sale begins

Buyers never know what they might find at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, the company's end-of-season finale which begins its four-day run on Monday, with sessions starting at 9.30am.

The back cover of this year's catalogue features four stars of the season - Iridessa, Quorto, Stradivarius and Teppal - with all of their dams having passed through the famous acorns.

The most expensive was Volume, a daughter of Mount Nelson who placed in both the Epsom and Irish Oaks, and whose first runner is National Stakes hero Quorto, a likely candidate for next year's Classics.

She was bought by John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin for 700,000gns in 2014, one of the top ten prices that year.

Next comes the Bering mare Private Life, bought by owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen for 70,000gns through Blandford Bloodstock in 2006, and who conjured up Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million scorer Stradivarius.

The remaining two mares were out-and-out bargains, with Crispin de Moubray securing Jummana - dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Teppal - for 17,000gns in 2006, and Senta's Dream - the dam of Fillies' Mile winner Iridessa - a snip at 14,000gns for BBA Ireland on behalf of Whisperview Trading in 2013.

This year's sale also appears to contain opportunity aplenty, with New England Stud to offer Pearling (), who is carrying a full sibling to her three-time Group 1-winning son Decorated Knight, a sire at the Irish National Stud.

Her Galileo filly foal topped last week's sale when Blue Diamond Stud's Imad Al Sagar stretched to 1.7 million guineas to take full ownership of her.

Peter Collier's Premier Consignment also has quite a decision to make whether to offer the Singspiel mare Musically (2003), whose No Nay Never colt foal sold for 110,000gns on Saturday.

Among a trio of wildcard entries is Signora Cabello () who gave owners Zen Racing a windfall when bought into by Phoenix Thoroughbreds after her win in the Queen Mary Stakes, before the Camacho filly annexed the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin on her next start.

European Sales Management consign the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes winner Off Limits (1871), who will be followed into the ring by Group 3 winner and Prix Saint-Alary second Vue Fantastique (1872).

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High-class sprint filly Raven's Lady (1915) heads up the first ever Taylor Made draft in Europe, while also of particular interest is last year’s Queen Mary winner Heartache (1897).

Beautiful Morning (1927) has a rather unique selling point as a Group 3-winning Galileo mare out of George Washington's only offspring Date With Destiny, who was Listed-placed in her own right.

Billesdon Bess () is also likely to attract her share of attention as a Listed-winning half-sister to this year’s 1,000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook.

Weighing in

Oisin Murphy, who partnered this season's Horse of the Year Roaring Lion, will offer his mare Montjess (1711) in foal to Aclaim on Tuesday morning.

The eight-year-old daughter of Montjeu, who is consigned by Becky Marsh's Trinity Park Stud, is a half-sister to Covert Love, who landed the Irish Oaks-Prix de l'Opera double in 2015.

Other covering sires represented include Dubawi, Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, Lope De Vega, Sea The Stars, Shamardal, Siyouni and flying freshman pair Kingman and No Nay Never.

Last year saw the European auction record broken in some style when Nunthorpe Stakes and Prix de l'Abbaye heroine Marsha went the way of MV Magnier for 6m gns.

Total receipts also leapt by 53 per cent to 68.3m gns, with a record average of 101,208gns and lofty median of 25,000gns.

Edmond Mahony, chairman of Tattersalls, said: "The 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 sale is always an unmissable event for breeders from throughout the world and we are looking forward to another truly international renewal."

TOP FIVE FILLIES/MARES SOLD AT TATTERSALLS

Name, pedigree, buyer, price, year

Marsha, 4yo b f, Acclamation-Marlinka (Marju), MV Magnier, 6m gns, 2017

Immortal Verse, 5yo b m, Pivotal-Side Of Paradise (Sadler's Wells), BBA Ireland, 4.7m gns, 2013,

Magical Romance,4yo b f, Barathea-Shouk (Shirley Heights), London Thoroughbred Services, 4.6m gns, 2006

Just The Judge, 4yo b/br f, Lawman-Faraday Light (Rainbow Quest), Qatar Racing & China Horse Club, 4.5m gns, 2014

Dancing Rain, 5yo ch m, Danehill Dancer-Rain Flower (Indian Ridge), John Ferguson Bloodstock, 4m gns, 2013