The concluding sale of 2018, the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale finished with an impressive 14 horses making £100,000 or more compared to 12 in 2017 together with a top price of £295,000.
The overall aggregate was £3,565,500 with the total for the Horses in Training section producing a figure of £3,343,500 ( 4%) with a clearance rate of 85%. The median was £70,000 and the average was £95,529. The National Hunt Breeze Up section produced an aggregate of £219,000 at an average of £36,500 and a median of £30,000.
Headlining the sale was Chantry House. A winner at Tattersalls for handler Cian Hughes, this impressive son of Yeats stood out from the get-go. There was plenty of competition for the four -year-old, who was eventually knocked down to Michael Hyde for £295,000 (Lot 45).
Dundrum Wood (Lot 41) gave a very taking performance when winning the four-year-old Maiden at Rathcannon for handler Sam Curling. The good-looking son of Flemensfirth finished third on his debut at Dromahane last Spring and made a nice step forward to break his maiden by three-lengths at just the second time of asking.
This progressive performance was noted by agent Aiden Murphy and his son, trainer Olly Murphy who signed for the gelding at a price of £270,000.
Batt O'Connell's Truckers Pass was only beaten a head in the four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk.The Kalanisi gelding, who showed a decent performance will now head to trainer Paul Nicholls after being knocked down to him and agent Tom Malone for £175,000 (Lot 42).
Virginia Considine's attractive son of Sholokhov, Shishkin, made an eye-catching debut at Inch back in March when placed 3rdon his debut and followed this up with an eight-length win in a four-year-old Maiden at Lingstown. This impressive performance caught the attention of agent Anthony Bromley who secured the gelding under Highflyer Bloodstock for £170,000 (Lot 19).
Carry On The Magic lost very little in defeat on his debut in the four-year-old Maiden at Corbeagh House for Jonathan Fogarty. Agent Tom Malone and trainer Paul Nicholls were impressed by this performance and secured the four-year-old by Jeremy for £160,000 (Lot 27).
The National Hunt Breeze Up section was headlined by Lot 58, Brown Island Stables' son of Milan. The three-year-old who was purchased just four months ago at the August NH Sale for €35,000, was sold to Ryan Mahon and Anthony Honeyball for £75,000.
At the conclusion of the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale, Director of Horses in Training Sales Richard Pugh commented;
"At this sale five years ago, One For Arthur and Tiger Roll, within 15 lots of each other, were sold at this very venue. They both went on to write themselves into history by winning the Grand National. It is horses like this that has established this sales venue as the leading source of high class NH performers.
"Ahead of this week's sale, we were quietly confident that we had assembled a strong catalogue of horses and tonight's trade has reinforced this confidence. Producing an average of just under £100,000 in the horse in training section and to sell 14 horses for £100,000 or more proves that there is continued demand for this calibre of horse.
"As we close on 2018 with the Cheltenham December Sale, we would like to extend a thank you to our clients and look forward returning to this venue in 2019 with the Cheltenham February Sale."
