THE Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale has become known as perhaps the most progressive of the yearling sales, as its growing honour roll has attracted new buyers, which has been key to improved statistics during recent years.
A varied buying bench, featuring notable numbers from Italy and Eastern Europe, is another key characteristic of the sale, which has not suffered the same challenges as British sales following Brexit. That has been a factor in attracting British vendors to the Co Meath venue, with Jamie Railton and Whatton Manor Stud among the consignors next week.
Thankfully, despite the sale’s rise, the affordability that attracted so many buyers in the beginning remains the case today. The sale’s most recent Group 1 winner, Caballo De Mar, who has two top-flight wins to his name, cost €33,000, while the three listed winners to emerge from the 2025 sale cost €4,000 (Armor Supreme), €23,000 (Belisa Bay) and €45,000 (Bint Archange).
The precocious trio lead me to another claim to fame for the September Yearling Sale, which is that it is currently the joint leading source of individual two-year-old winners with Tattersalls Book 2, at 86 winners each.
Given the premium that precocity can command, it’s important to note that the 2025 September Yearling Sale produced an average price of €42,635 and median of €37,000 - both record figures for the sale. Book 2 yearlings, meanwhile, produced an average of 107,496gns and median of 76,000gns.
Both sales are equal in terms of blacktype juveniles too, each responsible for five group or listed performers, with Tattersalls Ireland’s tally led by Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Final Objective. Baroda Stud sold the Gimcrack runner-up on behalf of breeders Justin Carthy and Richie Galway, bringing €55,000 from Mick and Sarah Murphy’s Longways Stables, who dually made a profit on their breeze-up pinhook.
One place behind Final Objective in the Gimcrack Stakes was Hell Of A Spin, who previously finished third in the Molecomb Stakes. Corduff Stud sold the Naval Crown colt to Tally-Ho Stud for €65,000 12 months ago and offer his full-sister next week.
Tally-Ho themselves sold Adaay Of Scarlett at last year’s sale, and SackvilleDonald and Manor House Stables’ €110,000 buy has gone on to finish second in the Coventry Stakes, July Stakes and Richmond Stakes.
Opportunities
Star Of State was another September Yearling to go close in a Group 2, having been beaten half a length in the Lowther Stakes and went one better in Sunday’s valuable Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes. Rabbah Bloodstock bought the State Of Rest filly from Mountarmstrong Stud for €85,000.
All horses catalogued at the September Yearling Sale are eligible for the €250,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes that is held at the Curragh on Irish Champions Festival weekend in September 2027. The vendor of the winning horse will receive an Overlander R240 horsebox for one year.
September Yearling Sale graduates of all ages have been faring well in stakes races, winning 18 listed races, which is equal to the Arqana August Sale. Book 1 is the only sale with a higher count at 26.
These statistics also include graduates of Part II of the September Yearling Sale, all of whom are eligible for the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes. Belisa Bay has been the sale’s flagbearer this season, having won her last four starts, the most recent coming at listed level.
Bred by Eileen Farrelly, the daughter of Bayside Boy was sold by Annaca Bloodstock to Henry Spiller of Westfield Bloodstock and Henri Devin for €23,000. The listed-winning juvenile has been entered in next month’s Arqana Arc Sale.
Twelve months ago, Part 2 produced record highs across the board, with the average price improving to €14,074 and median rising to €10,000. Those strong results have attracted a larger catalogue next week, jumping from 165 to 220 lots, with consignors including Airlie Stud, Ballyphilip Stud, Baroda Stud, Croom House Stud, Lodge Park Stud, Rathbarry Stud, The Castlebridge Consignment and Yeomanstown Stud.
Strongest-ever catalogue
When the catalogues were unveiled, Tattersalls Ireland described it as their ‘strongest-ever’ line-up, with CEO Simon Kerins commenting: “The September Yearling Sale has experienced exponential growth in recent years, which has resulted in unprecedented demand for places in this year’s catalogue.
“Our sales are underpinned by our vendors, who are now choosing the September Yearling Sale as a first option for their yearlings, and this is reflected in the catalogue which is unquestionably the strongest ever produced for this sale.
“A strong catalogue leads to a better quality of graduate representing the sale on the racecourse, and our two-year-olds this season got off to a phenomenal start, and we have juveniles winning on the domestic front, across Europe and beyond.
“The statistics demonstrate that once again this season, the September Yearling Sale is one of the most prolific sales for two-year-old winners. Of course, last year’s memorable Group 1 Royal Ascot three-timer for Docklands, Cercene and Time For Sandals was a fantastic showcase for the sale, and I’ve no doubt that top-level success from this sale will become a more regular occurrence.
“The September Yearling Sale is renowned for attracting buyers from all over the world. The late summer and early autumn racing programme will see a number of Tattersalls Ireland-sponsored races around Europe, and our team and overseas agents will be present at these meetings, with the aim of expanding on the diverse buyers’ bench that it annually attracts.
“Irish Thoroughbred Marketing play an integral role in promoting the sale across international markets, and Tattersalls Ireland will again work closely with them in promoting the catalogue.”
Lot 35: Full-brother to Grade 2 winner No Nay Hudson (No Nay Never), out of a Grade 2-winning mare
Lot 44: Earthlight half-brother to this season’s Tyros Stakes winner and Group 1 National Stakes third Florida Bay
Lot 61: Space Blues half-brother to Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Green Empress and recent Grade 3 winner Amberglen
Lot 78: Full-sister to Hell Of A Spin (Naval Crown), third in the Gimcrack Stakes and Molecomb Stakes
Lot 84: Full-brother to two group horses, including Flying Childers Stakes winner Caturra
Lot 101: Native Trail half-brother to listed-winning juvenile Skyridge
Lot 141: Sea The Stars own-brother to the dam of Group 1 juvenile Green Empress
Lot 142: Supremacy half-sister to Group 3 winner and Group 1 fourth Sayidah Dariyan
Lot 169: Full-sister to listed winner and Group 3 performer Zodiac Bear (Kodi Bear)
Lot 196: Phoenix Of Spain half-brother to Group 3 winner and twice Group 1-placed One Voice
Lot 212: St Mark’s Basilica filly out of dual Group 1 winner Again, making her a half-sister to Group 1 second Delphinia
Lot 258: Sioux Nation half-sister to multiple stakes winner and Falmouth Stakes runner-up Jabaara
Lot 269: Bouttemont half-brother to Coventry Stakes victor and Group 1 performer Buratino
Lot 328: Churchill half-brother to the dam of dual stakes winner and Grade 2 performer Pandora’s Gift (Churchill)
Lot 333: Too Darn Hot three-parts brother to listed winner Duneflower, herself the dam of a stakes winner
Lot 381: Dark Angel colt out of multiple stakes winner Fort Del Oro, also the dam of Group 3 winner Fast Attack
Lot 442: Gleneagles half-sister to dual Group 1 winner A Case Of You
Lot 469: Naval Crown half-brother to Grade 1 winner La Pelosa, herself the dam of a Grade 3 winner
Lot 474: Naval Crown half-brother to three stakes horses including Prix de l’Abbaye heroine Wizz Kid
Lot 507: Good Guess three-parts brother to listed winner and Group 3 third Sindria
Lot 527: No Nay Never filly out of Nell Gwyn, a Group 3-placed full-sister to Rock Of Gibraltar
Lot 554: Awtaad filly out of a stakes-winning and Group 3-placed mare
Lot 569: Good Guess filly out of a half-sister to Queen Mary winner Maqaasid and to two dams of Group 1 winners
Lot 571: Mohaather colt out of a dual Grade 2 winner in Argentina
Lot 583: Ghaiyyath colt is a grandson of dual Group 3 winner and twice Group 1-placed Jack Naylor
Lot 596: Mayson filly out of a full-sister to Group 1 sprinter Extortionist
Lot 599: Blackbeard filly out of a full-sister to Sydney Cup victor Offer
Lot 593: Supremacy half-brother to Group 3 winner Angel’s Hideaway and Mill Reef Stakes second Perfect Angel
Lot 603: Starspangledbanner half-sister to a Grade 3 performer. Granddaughter of dual Grade 1 winner Storm Song
Lot 636: Phoenix Of Spain filly out of a half-sister to the Group 1-placed dam of Comanche Brave
Lot 658: Hurricane Lane half-sister to the multiple group-placed Tabletalk
Lot 661: Supremacy half-sister to Group/Grade 1 performers El Astronaute and Cathkin Peak
Lot 677: Calyx filly out of Group 3 winner and Group 1 third Euphrasia
Lot 699: Awtaad half-sister to Group 2 runner-up Bless Him
Lot 700: Far Above half-brother to the dam of Nunthorpe Stakes second Ain’t Nobody
Lot 757: Naval Crown half-sister to two listed winners