Buoyant renewal arrests plunge in this year's clearance rates

A carefully managed and buoyant renewal of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales arrested the plunge in clearance rates in this year's auction season.

The trend so far this year has been increased catalogue sizes to cater for a larger foal crop of 2015, but demand from buyers failing to keep pace. That has led to a steep increase in unsold yearlings.

At the end of the Goffs Sportsman's Sale last month we reported that, despite a 28 per cent increase in yearlings going under the hammer at all British and Irish auctions this year, the proportion of those who had changed hands had dropped dramatically from 88 per cent to 79 per cent. At that point, there were 528 horses who had failed to find a new home – more than double the number in 2015.