Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
Buyers from Australia and New Zealand are expected to play significant roles in the upcoming Tattersalls July Sale at Newmarket, as the global market continues its resurgence off the back of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While current travel restrictions make it difficult for Australasian buyers to be physically present at the three-day Sale which runs from July 7 to July 9, the opportunity to source horses from some of the world's greatest families, be they fillies and mares for breeding purposes, or horses-in-training, is set to be hard to resist.
The COVID-19 pandemic environment has seen buyers look to find new solutions to sourcing thoroughbreds from overseas sales and as a result confidence in online bidding platforms has soared as they utilise locally based agents and increasingly detailed information and media supplied by vendors in order to secure stock.
That evolution of the online sales environment, combined with the quality of the 853-lot July Sale catalogue, released last week, gives Tattersalls every confidence that Australian and New Zealand buyers will be actively looking to secure thoroughbreds.
"It is a strong Tattersalls July catalogue, absolutely no doubt about that, and as with so many Tattersalls sales of this nature, it has plenty to appeal to buyers from all over the world," Tattersalls Marketing Director, Jimmy George, said.
"It is a strong Tattersalls July catalogue, absolutely no doubt about that, and as with so many Tattersalls sales of this nature, it has plenty to appeal to buyers from all over the world." - Jimmy George
"One of the unique features of so many of our sales is the consistent support from so many of the world’s leading owner/breeders and we have nearly 200 lots in this year’s July Sale from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell alone."
The Australian thoroughbred industry has weathered the COVID-19 era very well, as evidenced by the success of the sales season, which has seen a record $774 million spent at public auction across yearlings, weanlings, race fillies and broodmares so far in 2021.
The record level of the local market not only gives confidence to investors, but is also likely to see some buyers look to overseas options as a more cost-effective way to invest. George said buyers from this part of the world are also very comfortable with the concept of bidding remotely.
Jimmy George | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
"Typically we would expect buyers from around 30 different countries to be active at the Tattersalls July Sale and the global appetite for quality stock has been encouraging in recent months, especially when taken in the context of the global pandemic," he said.
"Worldwide travel restrictions are still hampering a return to full normality, but Australian and New Zealand buyers have made good use of the Tattersalls Live Internet Bidding platform and telephone bidding as well as using their contacts over here, so we would be confident of widespread participation."
Strong record buoys buyer confidence
Backing that up, according to George, is the strong record of success achieved by those Australian and New Zealand buyers who have invested in the Northern Hemisphere sales in recent years.
"The Tattersalls July Sale has been a happy hunting ground for Australian buyers for a long while and the current strength of their market suggests that Australian owners and breeders will be looking for value for money as well as the usual quality they have come to expect from our sales," he said.
"The fact that so many of the leading owner/breeders have significant consignments in the July Sale will not be lost on the buyers. The Sale offers breeders access to an abundance of the best international families as well as numerous smart young horses in training that could go on to perform at the highest level in Australia."
"The Sale offers breeders access to an abundance of the best international families as well as numerous smart young horses in training that could go on to perform at the highest level in Australia." - Jimmy George
While history tells us that Australasian buyers aren’t necessarily parochial in how they shop from sales like the Tattersalls July Sale, there are a host of breeding prospects that should immediately take the eye.
"There are a handful of fillies and mares with obvious Australian appeal, for instance Godolphin's 3-year-old Shamardal filly Tropical Cyclone (Lot 672) who is out of a Street Cry half-sister to the dam of top stallion Pierro," George said.
"The 4-year-old mare Maid's Cap (Helmet) (Lot 122) is a half-sister to G1 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (GB) and in foal to Cracksman."
Cross Counter (GB)
Pedigrees too good to resist
The recent Group 1 successes of the Yulong Investments-owned filly Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) in Australia provided great examples of the opportunities on offer for international investors.
"I think the real appeal of the July Sale is the opportunity to buy into top class international families which are not readily available in Australia and New Zealand. Take Harlech, the dam of Zhang Yuesheng’s superstar filly Hungry Heart who was bought for Mr Zhang by Sheamus Mills at the 2016 July Sale for only 60,000 gns (AU$115,290)," he said.
"She is by one of the best broodmare sires in the Northern Hemisphere, Pivotal, who has never shuttled, so Pivotal fillies are very hard to come by in Australia, but readily available at Tattersalls either in our July and August Sales or later in the year at the December Breeding Stock Sale.
"There are seven Pivotal fillies or mares in this year's July Sale and the top European broodmare sires Dansili, Dubawi, Galileo, Montjeu, Oasis Dream and Shamardal are all well represented as are the likes of Exceed And Excel, Elusive Quality, Fastnet Rock, More Than Ready and Redoute’s Choice who are all amongst the best proven broodmare sires in Australia."
Graduates back up opportunities on offer
There is also the broader success of Tattersalls graduates on the track in Australia in the last few years as proof of the value of investing in that market. Those successes are highlighted by dual Group 1 winner and now Widden Stud stallion Russian Camelot (Ire), and rising star and G1 Doomben Cup winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).
"The best advertisements for any sales are found on the racecourse and Tattersalls has had a great run in Australia in recent years, whether it be horses bought as yearlings, horses in training or out of mares bought here," George said.
"Russian Camelot, who was bought at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for only 120,000 gns (AU$230,692) really caught the imagination with his two Group 1 wins last year and I’m sure a successful career at stud now awaits.
Russian Camelot (Ire) | Standing at Widden Stud Victoria
"John Foote bought G1 Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars at the October Yearling Sale for only 110,000 gns (AU$210,552) and although he is not trained in Australia, 200,000 gns (AU$384,487) purchase Addeybb is another pretty decent advertisement for Europe’s premier yearling sale.
"The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is understandably attracting more and more interest from Australian buyers, but the Autumn Horses in Training Sale also continues to churn out Group 1 winners on a regular basis with Annabel Neasham’s Zaaki, who was bought at last year’s Autumn Horses in Training Sale, being the latest headliner.
"This sort of consistent success gives us plenty of ammunition when looking to entice buyers from Australia and we also have the invaluable assistance of Jenny McAlpine, our long time representative, who is a huge asset.
"The racecourse results confirm that Tattersalls has market-leading sales in every category, and while the Australian market is so strong we can also offer real value for money - the perfect combination."
