A son of Whitsbury Manor Stud’s freshman sire SWISS SPIRIT topped proceedings on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale when selling to Castledillon Stud’s Timmy Hillman for 33,000 guineas. The first of five days of foals saw a total of 67 lots sell for 320,100 guineas at an average of 4,778 guineas and a median of 3,000 guineas. Whitsbury Manor’s son of SWISS SPIRIT, catalogued as lot 313, is out of the INTIKHAB mare LAMINKA and was bought by Hillman to pinhook. "He has been bought for resale, and for me was the stand-out foal today," said Hillman. "I have liked the Swiss Spirits and this is the second I have bought." The Hillmans enjoyed a successful yearling sale season that included two six-figure lots including 200,000 guineas for the SEPOY filly out of BURKE'S ROCK at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale. Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock bought the next two highest priced lots on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale with Matt Houldsworth buying a son of MAZAMEER for 25,000 guineas and Geoffrey Howson signing for a FINJAAN filly at 20,000 guineas. Catalogued as lot 293, the colt by MAZAMEER out of the winning GRAND LODGE mare BIG MYSTERY was knocked down to Houldsworth for 25,000 guineas on behalf of a client and for resale next year. "I went to view the stallion recently and really liked him - fell in love with him, he is a lovely horse and it is rare now to get a son of Green Desert at stud," said Houldsworth. "This colt was a stand out today and will be reoffered next year." First-crop stallion MAZAMEER, who won the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg, stands at Herringswell Manor Stud and has five lots catalogued this week. The daughter of first-crop sire FINJAAN out of the EXCEED AND EXCEL mare ALZAHRA was knocked down to Geoffrey Howson for 20,000 guineas. Catalogued as lot 251, the Jamie Railton consigned filly is from the family of the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner ATTRACTION. "She's a smart individual but what I liked most about her was her walk - she's very athletic," said Howson who indicated that she would be re-offered next year. Day 2 of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale starts at 9.30am (11.30am SA Time) on Wednesday, November 25 with 306 lots catalogued. [www.tattersalls.com]