February Sale brings the curtain up on Tattersalls' auction year

Tattersalls holds its first auction of 2019 on Thursday, with the two-day February Sale beginning at 11.30am. Friday's session starts at 10am.

This year's catalogue boasts 464 lots, comprised of 176 fillies in and out-of-training, 41 broodmares, 174 colts and geldings in and out-of-training, 53 yearlings and 20 two-year-olds.

Among the headline entries are the 36 lots due to be offered by Godolphin, with a mixture of form horses and breeding prospects headed by Atty Persse (lot 375), who became Frankel's first Royal Ascot winner when landing the 2017 King George V Stakes, the Listed-winning Ambassadorial (315) and the smart Graffiti Master (389).

View full Tattersalls February Sale catalogue

The February Sale has been a fine source of broodmare prospects, with the likes of Green Room, dam of last year's Oaks heroine Forever Together, having passed through the Park Paddocks ring in previous years.

Among the eye-catching breeding prospects due to come under the hammer this year are the useful Snazzy (159), a daughter of Kodiac from the family of Cassandra Go and Rhododendron consigned by Highclere Stud, and Ellery Lane (163), a Group 3 performer by Holy Roman Emperor offered by Baroda and Colbinstown Studs.

The proven producers on offer include Kalandara (69) – the dam of Group 3 winner Luminate, who sold to John Warren and Gary Haddon for 900,000gns in December – carrying to Lope De Vega, and Art of Dance (68), a well-bred daughter of Medicean in foal to No Nay Never.

On the catalogue, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: "The Tattersalls February Sale goes from strength to strength and this year's catalogue has plenty of quality.

"The dam of last year's Oaks winner Forever Together is a fine example of the outstanding quality to be found at the Tattersalls February Sale and there is no shortage of high-class breeding stock in this year's catalogue, as well as horses in training, two-year-olds and yearlings to appeal to the usual diverse mix of domestic and international buyers who have made the Tattersalls February Sale Europe's premier midwinter fixture."

Last year's February Sale saw records tumble when Willie John sold to Roger Varian on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid for 1,900,000gns to become the highest-priced colt in training sold at a European public auction.

His sale contributed to an aggregate of 8,037,150gns, a figure that was up 40 per cent year-on-year. The average at last year's sale stood at 26,880gns - up 58 per cent on the 2017 figure - while the median was 7,000gns, down from 8,000gns 12 months previously.

The sale also plays host to the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stallion Parade, which precedes selling on Thursday with an 11am start time. The parade features ten stallions: Ardad, Harbour Law, Havana Grey, Lancaster Bomber, Massaat, Master Carpenter, Rajasinghe, Time Test, Unfortunately and Washington DC.

Following the parade, those ten sires will be available to view in the Right and Left yards, where they will be joined by Cockney Rebel, Equiano, Gregorian and Pearl Secret.

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