A SIMPLY extraordinary edition of the Tattersalls July Sale ended with a post-racing final session last Friday. The 2022 sale recorded unprecedented figures for all the key measures, with the sale turnover exceeding 16 million guineas for the first time. The average and median figures were also records.

The third and final day of the sale saw continued strength and depth to trade, and yet another impressive clearance rate of 96%. The top lot on the final day came in the evening session, the wildcard entry Crystal Estrella, consigned by Sir Michael Stoute’s Freemason Lodge Stables, selling for 275,000gns to Team Valor International, bidding on the telephone with Tattersalls’ Jason Singh.

Team Valor’s Barry Irwin said: “I like her pedigree; she looks as though she is a big good-looking filly who will improve this year and especially next year. She has a half-brother who won four in a row, including two listed races in Australia. He could possibly win a group race and that will help a little bit. I am going to send her back to Sir Michael and think about what I want to do. It is hard to find fillies like her and I am happy to have her.”

Crystal Estrella broke her maiden impressively at Goodwood for Sir Evelyn de Rothschild on her most recent start. The daughter of Iffraaj is a half-sister to listed winner Crystal Pegasus and out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Crystal Ocean, Grade 1 winner Hillstar and Group 2 winner Crystal Capella.

Salvator Mundi

The lightly raced Galileo colt Salvator Mundi provided a late highlight when bloodstock agent Will Douglass, standing with champion Qatari trainer Jassim Ghazali, saw off a persistent online bidder to secure the three-year-old for 205,000gns.

Douglass commented: “He is a nice horse and very progressive. I like buying from Mr Gosden because the horses are well-bred and well-produced; they are respected and there is a lot left in the tank. I bought a few last year and they have gone all over the world and won. This horse will go straight to Qatar. We waited all day for him.”

Offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, Salvator Mundi has run six times for the Gosdens and owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen, winning his last two starts. A half-brother to the listed winner and group-placed Chartreuse, he is out of the group-placed King’s Best mare Bufera, a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Johnny Barnes and Albisola, as well as to the dam of the Group 1 winners Ectot and Most Improved.

Mahony comments

At the sale’s conclusion Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “Records across the board are always welcome and the 2022 Tattersalls July Sale has achieved unprecedented figures for all the key indicators. The turnover has exceeded 16 million guineas for the first time, an average price in excess of 30,000gns is also a first for this fixture, while the median of 15,000gns is another sale record, and a clear indication of a sale which has shown extraordinary strength and depth from start to finish.

“The top price of 540,000gns is also a July Sale record, but perhaps the most important statistic is the clearance rate which, for the fourth consecutive year, was more than 90%, and on day 2 was a truly extraordinary 99%. Demand at all levels of the market has been typically international, with buyers from every continent in the world all contributing to trade. Particularly notable has been the strong Australian contingent headed by Zhang Yuesheng’s Yulong Investments.”