Five potential headline makers among the December Mare Sale lots

Breeders and buyers will make the trip to Tattersalls for the December Mare Sale with some sense of relief following a year of coronavirus and lockdowns but remarkably decent trade in the circumstances. This year's auction is restricted to professionals, but there is plenty of quality on offer for bloodstock fans to enjoy from afar. The four-day sale starts at 9.30am on Monday and here we pick out five of the potential showstoppers

Blue Illusion (Lot 1279)
6yo b m Dubawi - Blue Bunting (Dynaformer)
Consigned by Godolphin

Blue Illusion is one of the most regally-bred lots at the Mare Sale, being by Darley supersire Dubawi - responsible for the top two at the December Foal Sale last week - and out of 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks heroine Blue Bunting.

Having produced a Teofilo filly last year and a filly by Farhh this term, the six-year-old is now in foal to promising first-season stallion Territories, the sire of Group 3 winner and Prix Marcel Boussac third Rougir plus Italian Listed scorer Fulgentia. There is every reason to believe the best is yet to come.

Rekindling (1504)
6yo b h High Chaparral - Sitara (Salse)
Consigned by Carriganog Racing

Subsequent Ballyhane recruit Sands Of Mali was sold for 600,000gns here last year and another intriguing stallion prospect in Rekindling heads to Park Paddocks from Joseph O'Brien's yard.

Rekindling: winner of the 2017 Melbourne Cup and intriguing lot at TattersallsCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The son of High Chaparral's career highlight came when landing the 2017 Melbourne Cup, seeing off Johannes Vermeer in a pulsating finish, although he also proved a high-class performer in Ireland when winning the Curragh Cup and Ballysax Stakes.

Rekindling certainly has the pedigree to back up his race record, being a brother to Chester Vase winner and Irish Derby second Golden Sword, plus a relation to Criterium de Saint-Cloud runner-up Sydney Opera House. He could be a valuable recruit to the National Hunt ranks.

Dulkashe (1605)
11yo br m Pivotal - Saik (Riverman)
Consigned by Miltown Park Stud

Pivotal's exploits as a broodmare sire are well documented and his daughters will be in typically high demand at Tattersalls this week, with Dulkashe among them.

A winner on the track for Luca Cumani, the 11-year-old is better known as the dam of the much-missed 2019 Coronation Cup winner Defoe, also winner of the Hardwicke and Jockey Club Stakes for Roger Varian.

Covered by Churchill earlier this year, Dulkashe has a yearling filly by first-season sire Shalaa, so there is the promise of further page updates.

Beach Frolic (1731)
9yo ch m Nayef - Night Frolic (Night Shift)
Consigned by Highclere Stud

Beach Frolic's paddock value took a significant hike following the Group 1-winning exploits of Palace Pier. The son of the in-demand Kingman struck in the St James's Palace and Prix Jacques le Marois in an explosive three-year-old campaign this year, and is set to race on in 2021.

The daughter of Nayef's stock was also in demand at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, when her Highland Reel colt realised 320,000gns to McCalmont Bloodstock. It has been confirmed the yearling will be trained by John Gosden.

Palace Pier: top-class three-year-old this season and the best progeny of Beach Frolic to dateCredit: Edward Whitaker

Currently carrying to Darley's exciting young sire Blue Point, Beach Frolic has already proven herself a high-class producer and should command a suitably high price.

Kurious (1737)
4yo b f Kuroshio - Easy To Imagine (Cozzene)
Consigned by Whitsbury Manor Stud

High-class sprint mares unsurprisingly attract plenty of attention and Whitsbury Manor's charge will hold plenty of appeal as she heads into the Park Paddocks sale ring.

Something of a Sandown specialist - she struck in the Listed Scurry Stakes and Group 3 Coral Charge at the Esher track for trainer Henry Candy last year - Kurious is also very well-related, being a half-sister to Nunthorpe winner Alpha Delphini plus Prix de l'Abbaye hero Tangerine Trees.

The four-year-old is out of the prolific producer Easy To Imagine, an unraced daughter of Breeders' Cup Mile winner and top American sire Cozzene.

Take a look at the December Mare catalogue

Tattersalls December Mare Sale factfile

Where Tattersalls, Newmarket

When Four-day sale starts on Monday, with all sessions from 9.30am

Last year's stats From 812 offered lots, 668 sold for turnover of 57,790,900gns (down five per cent), an average of 86,513gns (up 3.7 per cent) and a median of 27,000gns (up 31.7 per cent)

Notable graduates Lucky Clio (sold by Fenpark Stables to Brian Grassick Bloodstock for 17,000gns in 2007), Scarlett Rose (sold by New England Stud to John Walsh Bloodstock for 50,000gns in 2006); Shastye (sold by Kiltinan Stud to John Warren for 625,000gns in 2005)

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