Day 3 turnover up 32%, average price up 33% The third and final day of the Deauville October Yearling Sale returned even better results than the two previous sessions, with remarkable increases across the board. The aggregate for the 124 horses sold was €3,050,500 (including private sales), up 32% from 2008, and the average followed the exact same trend, hiking up 33% at €23,520.

The clearance rate of 68% was strictly identical to last year. Foreign buyers were still on attendance for this third session and French-based buyers had plenty of orders yet to fill, resulting in fierce competition on a majority of yearlings.

Highlights of Wednesday’s session

• Lot 348, a daughter of the successful young stallion Whipper from Haras de Saint-Pair, was knocked down to Horse France for €125,000. She is out of the black type mare Hasanat, already a black-type producer as the dam of Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial (L.) runner-up Takrice.

• Lot 351, a filly by Kingsalsa consigned by Haras de la Haie Neuve realised €80,000 on a bid from French trainer Joel Boisnard.

• Lot 363, the first foal out of the tough-as-nails INDIAN MAIDEN, the winner of 15 races including the Gr.3 Prix de Meautry, fetched €75,000 from Paul Nataf. This Mr Greeley colt was offered from Haras de Saint-Pair, who had a very successful sale.

• Lot 491, a colt from the coveted first crop of Hurricane Run consigned by Haras d’Omméel for the stallion’s breeder Gestüt Ammerland, was snapped up for €70,000 by John Hammond, who trained Hurricane Run’s sire Montjeu.

Overall turnover is second best ever The cumulated turnover for the three-day sale is a highly satisfactory €8,793,500 (private sales not included), the second best ever for the October Yearling Sale and up 5% on 2008. The growth is even more significant for the average price, which at €25,637 is up 10%, while the clearance rate has remained stable at 71%.

General manager Olivier Delloye stated after the hammer had fallen for the final lot: “The buyers’ list shows a very healthy market, with over 145 individual investors signing the docket and many of them acting on behalf of several clients. It means that the buying bench at this sale was as broad and diversified as ever, including some high profile overseas investors who have not always made the trip to Deauville for this session. It is also encouraging to see that breeders of commercially attractive yearlings that have not reached their full potential in August have a very valuable alternative in the October sale. Indeed, none of the well-bred, well-made individuals that were offered this week slipped through the net and several vendors were even positively surprised with what they got for these youngsters”.