Tattersalls December Foal Sale Concludes with Strong Final Session

Media Release - Saturday November 27

The Tattersalls December Foal Sale concluded with a strong fourth and final session that saw nine lots realise 50,000 guineas or more, headlined by Alvediston Stud’s EXPERT EYE colt at 80,000 guineas. There were increases in aggregate and average pushing turnover for the sale past 31 million guineas.

Foley Buys Expert Eye Colt for 80,000 Guineas

The top price on the fourth and final day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale was 80,000 guineas to the bid of Joe Foley for the EXPERT EYE colt out of the OASIS DREAM mare RESPONDEZ. The January born colt was consigned by Paul and Sara Thorman’s Trickledown Stud on behalf of Alvediston Stud and purchased on behalf of Steve Parkin’s Clipper Logistics.  

"He was bred by the Wardalls, very good breeders," said Foley. "We have supported the sire well in his first years, we have got some very nice yearlings to go into training by him. We are a fan of the sire, he was a very good racehorse from a very good sire line." 

The colt is from the second crop of Juddmonte Farm’s Breeders’ Cup Mile winner EXPERT EYE, whilst his dam RESPONDEZ was bred by Juddmonte and is a sibling to the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes winner PROHIBIT as well as the Listed winners EMERGENCY and PRIOR WARNING. 

"He is a lovely well-developed foal, he looks like Prohibit, freakishly like him. Oasis Dream mares are very good, I like his pedigree, I have seen all the foals out of the mare over the years and he is the best one out of her. Let's hope he can prove that on the track. I was keen to buy one by Expert Eye this week, and he was my pick."

Chairman’s Statement

Advertisement

At the conclusion of the 2021 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“The highest priced foal sold in Europe since 2002, fourteen of the fifteen highest priced foals sold in Europe this year, turnover in excess of 30 million guineas and a clearance rate bettered only twice this century are all impressive statistics reinforcing the status of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale as the premier sale of its kind in Europe.

“The obvious highlight of the past four days was the spectacular sale of the Swinburn family’s outstanding DUBAWI colt out of their wonderful mare MADONNA DELL’ORTO for 1.8 million guineas; the highest price for a foal in Europe and North America this year, but the real feature of the 2021 renewal of Europe’s premier foal sale has been the unrelenting British and Irish demand from start to finish.

“Strong yearling sales drive the foal trade and the significant rises in all the key indicators this week reflect the extraordinary strength of the market throughout the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and also pay tribute to the endeavours of the pinhookers who have worked tirelessly all week. Owners looking for quality foals to race in the future have also made a major contribution to a successful sale, but as ever during the December Foal Sale, Park Paddocks has primarily been the domain of the British and Irish pinhookers, joined by many of their counterparts from throughout Europe. 

“The sustained demand at all levels has been notable and the record number of foals selling for 50,000 guineas or more has demonstrated a depth to the market which is encouraging as we turn our attention to a quality renewal of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which begins on Monday and showcases the finest breeding stock to be found in Europe."

Tattersalls Release

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 28
Here is the full list of 33 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding to Win - 2025 G1 Memsie Stakes
The big guns step out and spring is on in earnest when the Memsie (1400m WFA) rolls around and what a cracking field we have in 2025 for the first G1 of the Southern spring with 11 runners and 10 are G1 winners!
Via Sistina Honoured at NSW Horse of the Year
One of the greatest seasons of all time has secured Via Sistina the TAB NSW Champion Horse of the Year award. The Chris Waller-trained mare was recognised at Racing’s Night of Champions for her outstanding performance in 2024/2025 which included equalling Winx’s record of seven Group 1s in a single season.
Ruling Court Dies of Laminitis
Hugely talented Justify colt Ruling Court has been a headline horse since May last year when Godolphin paid €2.3million for him at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale and he is back in the headlines overnight with the tragic news of his euthanasia due to laminitis.
Stars on Show at Caulfield Spring Opener
The 2025 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival officially bursts out of the gates this Saturday with the Stow Storage Caulfield Spring Opener, headlined by the first Group 1 of the season, the $750,000 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes.
Damask Rose Looking to Kickstart Te Akau Melbourne Spring
Te Akau Racing are building a strong record in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m), and they will look to continue that at Caulfield on Saturday when Damask Rose takes her place in this year’s edition.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 29
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Plan for Kiwi Sprinter Niance
Six-year-old mare Niance will kick off a new campaign when she lines up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on Saturday week.
Tara Talks Racing – Stallion Parades, Old Legends and a Weekend Tip
We’re back in podcast land as the spring unfolds with plenty to talk about following our recent run of visits to the stallion parades, so what stallions did we like?
Vale, Naturale
On our recent trip to Victoria for the stallion parades we had the pleasure of staying at Gilgai Farm where we met the lovely Naturale, the unraced sister to Black Caviar, who had a difficult life and achieved fame and fortune as the dam of champion sire Ole Kirk.