ALLAN'S FAIRYHOUSE STORY CONTINUES
Excellent low cost buys but frustration at higher levels
25th Sep 2009
Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale is a Happy Hunting Ground for Allan Bloodlines yet it was not all plain sailing in his year's renewal this week.
Successful purchases have included yearlings costing less than €10,000 and the firm was able to secure three more such buys: a colt for Allan's partnerships who ticks all the boxes as a successor to 100+ rated TITUS ALONE and FATHOM FIVE, both bought "on a budget", and two lovely fillies by ELNADIM for a new client and interesting first season sire DIAMOND GREEN for an established patron.
But filling orders at 25-35,000 euros was difficult with Allan's customary thoroughness and caution leading to a degree of frustration. A short list of only six in this category for the whole sale became four after further checks but, either through under-bidding or being "blown away" by deep pockets competing, satisfaction of these requirements was postponed to other sales.
The market is not as bad as it seems. Averages and medians plummeted but substantially due to dividing th minimum bid by three and causing actual sales at €1-3,000 that would never have happened in recent years. This is a good move, and the presence of many buyers at that level is a credit to Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, but it inevitably affects published figures negatively. Competition for the relatively few attractive lots was strong. There were four lots sold for €90 - 140,000, well above last year's high of €80,000 at this modest but always exciting sale.