The British Flat racing season on turf extends from March to November, while racing on all-weather surfaces takes place throughout the year. Jump racing has its main season between October and April, but also holds Summer Jumping outside of these months.

Most Flat horses begin their careers as two year olds who have been bought at the previous year’s autumn yearling sales. Jumpers on the other hand come from three main sources, some are bred specifically for jumping (store horse), some come from already having raced on the Flat and some are bought from Point to Points.

Buying a racehorse from the Bloodstock Sales

There’s an old saying that the quickest way to get a small fortune from a racehorse is to start with a large one, however last year’s British turf season witnessed numerous winners on the racecourse contradicting this adage.

Dual Group (Gr.) 1 winner and 2006 Vodafone Derby hero Sir Percy, along with Dutch Art (leading two year old and back to back Gr.1 winner), were purchased from the Tattersalls October Yearling, Part 2 and the Doncaster Bloodstock St Leger Yearling Sale respectively for just 16,000gns. During their racing careers to date, their combined earnings amount to nearly £1.4 million.

Tattersalls in Newmarket and South Yorkshire based Doncaster Bloodstock Sales (DBS) are the leading bloodstock auctioneers in Britain. Thoroughbreds are sold at public auction in Guineas (gns), one guinea equals £1.05. Traditionally horses were sold in this currency and the five pence from every guinea was taken by the Auctioneer as commission.

The Yearlings Sales is where un-raced horses that are one year of age are sold through the ring, and are bought on their pedigree (family lineage) and conformation (the horse’s actual physical make-up). The demand and economic climate will also affect the price an individual will fetch.

Battle commences with buyers from all corners converging to Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sale in late August followed by the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Part 1 and 2 generally in early October. Over the past couple of years, yearling prices have reached record heights.
 

However, although the bloodstock market is currently experiencing a boom, it should be remembered that some bargains can still be found at the sales. Group winning performers such as Steenberg, Benbaun, Caldra, Dixieland, Milk it Mick, Gilded, Fayr Jag, Pivotal Point and Welsh Emperor were sold through the ring for 15,000gns or less from either the DBS St Leger or the Tattersalls October Yearling Part 1 and 2 sales.

“Ready to run” racehorses are available at the Spring Breeze-Up Sales (un-raced two-year old sales), which are becoming an increasingly popular source of successful equines. Speciosa, the 2006 Stan James 1,000 Guineas winner, was purchased from the DBS breeze-up sale for 30,000gns, and Hamoody, produced from the Tattersalls breeze-ups, landed the Gr.2 Sterling Insurance Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in the same year. In December DBS also host an annual breeze-up sale for jumpers.

The jumping fraternity converge on the South Yorkshire based auctioneer, DBS, in May each year for the marathon five day Spring Sales, where recent Cheltenham Festival winners Noland, Voy Por Ustedes, You’re Special and Hot Weld have all graduated from.

Summer sprinting sensation, Les Arcs, who reverted from hurdles to win two of the most coveted speed prizes in Britain, the Gr.1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and the Gr.1 Darley July Cup, was sold through the ring at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale.

A Horses in Training Sales is where horses are sold that have raced or been in training at some point but may not have actually run under rules. Mudawin, this years Totesport Ebor Handicap hero, is included on the DBS roll of honour and was sold at their Lincoln Handicap Horses in training sale. Inglis Drever, winner of the inaugural BHB Order or Merit and Ladbrokes World Hurdle victor at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival was also a purchase from the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale.

Most prospective buyers enlist the help of a bloodstock agent, who will accompany them to the auction. A bloodstock agent will normally charge about 5% of the purchase price of the horse for their services and in return they will inspect the horse(s) and provide their professional opinion as to whether the horse has the potential to perform at the required level. Often a bloodstock agent will have inspected all the lots on offer at any one sale, which can take some time and concentration, at the 2006 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Part 1 there were 652 lots!

For night life, you will be sure to bump into some of the big players in one of Newmarket or Doncaster’s many illustrious watering holes or in any of the sales bars. The Yard (Newmarket) or the St Leger Hotel (Doncaster) are lively haunts, or various sales folk converge on The Fountain restaurant in Newmarket late on into the evening chatting about the days sales toppers whilst mastering their chopstick technique.

The Bloodstock Sales is a spectacle in itself, whether you are paying a visit to witness the bidding duals between the mights of the global bloodstock market or possibly searching yourself for something special to carry your racing silks down the finishing straight, buying a racehorse at the Sales can be tense, nerve wracking but never dull!

Useful websites for further information on the bloodstock sales are:
The essential on-line destination for racehorse ownership - www.welcometoracehorseownership.co.uk
Tattersalls - www.tattersalls.com
Doncaster Bloodstock Sales - www.dbsauctions.com

Federation of Bloodstock Agents - www.bloodstock-agencies.com