Record-Breaking Part II Closes Phenomenal September Yearling Sale

The record-breaking achievements of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale continued apace in today’s Part II section – the sale’s record top price was broken three times in the one-day session, with new best-ever figures set for the average and median prices.

The demand seen in Part I sale did not let up in the Part II, and with the competition just as fierce in the ring, it ensured that the day’s aggregate of €1,871,800 was an increase of 51 per cent on 2024’s figure and the best since 2017, when almost 100 additional lots were catalogued.

The new Part II record average price of €14,074 and the median of €10,000, are improvements of 112 per cent and 150 per cent on last year’s figures.

The clearance rate maintained the outstanding figure seen throughout the week and finished off at a record breaking 92 per cent.

A filly by leading first-season sire Starman became the first-ever yearling to sell for six-figures in the Part II sale when the fetching €105,000, bought as a breeze-up prospect by Jim McCartan and Willie Browne of J B Bloodstock.

“We saw her a couple of days ago and she was our pick of the Starmans,” said McCartan of the filly from the family of the two-time Group 1 winner Twilight Son. “We wanted to buy one by the sire, he looks like he could be an exceptional stallion. She is a lovely athletic and strong individual and could be one for the Craven Sale. We have bought three this week, it has been an expensive sale!”

“This is the best result we’ve had in the ring,” said breeder Barry Judge of Mayo Farm Stud. We sold a Space Blues filly here yesterday [Lot 428] for €45,000 and we’ve had good results in the past, but this is the first time we’ve had a six-figure sale.

“We bought the mare Bella Caelia for 7,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale, she’s by Showcasing and from a really fast family so I thought she’d make a nice broodmare.

A filly by Showcasing was the first to break the top-price record when selling for €85,000 to Simon Venner of Petches Farm, who signed as Baileys Horse Feeds (Lot 521).

The February-born filly was bred by Juddmonte out of the good race filly Lucky Kristale, a dual Group 2 winner and the dam of three winners, including a Group 2-placed runner in France.

“We had Gleam Of Light [third dam] and we bred Pikaboo [second dam] and we were very keen when we saw a filly from the family come back into the market, we’ve come just for her,” said Venner. “It was more than I thought we’d have to pay, but she is nice. She goes to Charlie Johnston – he saw her yesterday and liked her, too.”

She was sold by The Castlebridge Consignment and Patrick Diamond said: “She’s physically really strong and was prepped fantastically, she comes from one of the greatest nurseries that has ever been and it’s a privilege to be entrusted with selling these horse for Juddmonte.

“Footfall has been incredible all the way through the sale. We have been tracking our stats and this year has the highest number of views and shows we’ve done here, it’s the busiest September Yearling Sale we can remember and this morning was incredibly busy, too.”

Tally-Ho Stud had to go to €65,000 to buy a colt by Ten Sovereigns (Lot 625) consigned by the Irish National Stud.

Out of the eight-time winner Chitra (Sea The Moon), he is a half-brother to the juvenile Awraad (Awtaad), who won in April and finished second in the Listed Ripon Champion Two Years Old Trophy in August.

At the conclusion of Part II of the September Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins commented:

“Today’s sale has sealed what has been a phenomenal week here at Tattersalls Ireland. The exceptional trade for Part I, has continued into Part II, and for the first time we have sold a six-figure lot in this section, alongside remarkable growth in both the average and median. The sensational trade witnessed earlier in the week left purchasers with outstanding orders to fill, and that momentum has driven today’s strong results.

We have seen an abundance of Part II graduates from last year’s edition win strong maidens this season, and buyers competed ferociously for horses today. It has been particularly encouraging to welcome new faces solely for Part II, with purchasers arriving in their droves last night and this morning, from Poland, Scandinavia, and Italy, underlining once again the international dimension to this sale and particularly this section.

We were still basking in the glory of the past two days, and today’s trade was outstanding with huge progression on last year’s figures despite a significantly reduced catalogue.

The final Flat sale of 2025 will be the Sapphire Sale, taking place on its new date of 16th December. Tattersalls Ireland has enjoyed an incredible year across our Flat sales calendar, with records broken at both the Breeze Up Sale in May and the historic September Yearling Sale this week. With this momentum behind us, we are confident of delivering again at the Sapphire Sale. Entries remain open for foals, yearlings, and broodmares at an entry fee of €295, giving vendors an excellent opportunity to sell at a competitive entry level.”