A Pivotal filly was knocked down to Cheveley Park’s Chris Richardson for 140,000 guineas to top Day 2 of the Tattersalls Foal Sale on Thursday.  The filly is from the stakes performed mare Mystery Ocean (Dr Fong) and is a three-quarter sister to the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Penkenna Princess.

It was Cheveley Park Stud’s first December Foal Sale purchase in six years.  “She’s a very nice filly and we are very pleased to be able to support Pivotal,” Richardson said.  “The pedigree has already worked well with Pivotal through Penkenna Princess.”

Richardson is certainly an enthusiast for the family, having purchased the filly’s Acclamation half-sister at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 85,000 guineas.

The Cape Cross colt out of the Mark Of Esteem mare Honorine was next best at 120,000 guineas when knocked down to Gill Richardson on behalf of Jon and Julia Aisbitt.  He is a half-brother to this year’s G2 Royal Lodge placegetter Treasure Beach.

The Aisbitts have their horses with Mick Channon and this is the third year that they have bought a prospective racehorse as a foal.  “We lost count of the number of times we came to a yearling sale only to fail to get the horse,” Aisbitt said.  “So we decided to buy our racehorses as foals.”

Group 1 winning sire Tamayuz had his first crop foal from Alzao mare Frond sell for 110,000 guineas to Shadwell Estates.  She is a sister to the Listed winners Nashmiah and Streets Ahead.

“This filly has a great attitude, she is a very positive filly,” Shadwell agent Angus Gold said.  “It is nice to support your own stallions but you’ve got to like the stock too!”

The strong trade seen on Day 1 of the Tattersalls Foal Sale continued into the second session which saw an increase in the standard of pedigree and prices paid.  Trade on Day 2 closed with 184 lots selling for 4.53 million guineas.  The average of 24,626 guineas represented am marginal fall on the corresponding session in 2009 but the clearance was an impressive 83%.

1,000 guineas = AUD 1,687