2011 ended in a positive manner for DBS with the NH Mare and Foal Sales achieving a lively trade throughout the day and returning a turnover of £664,000, an average of £7,323 and a median of £3,100.
The day also saw the top price for a NH foal increase from £36,000 in January 2011 to £50,000 in December 2011.
The above figures helped the DBS year to end on a positive note with the turnover increasing by 0.5% to £27,689,600 and, with fewer horses sold due to the DBS focus on quality over quantity, the average for the year increased by 8% to £14,784.
The DBS NH Mare and Foal Sales was the final act of 2011 and the day began with the Weatherbys Insurance Kenneth Oliver Memorial Foal Show Championships, where Stephen Kemble and Richard Rohan picked the foals that they felt would make the best NH racehorses in the future and, after much deliberation, they chose the following:
Colts class
First Lot 75 Presenting colt ex Kerry’s Girl consigned by Goldford Stud
Second Lot 109 Alflora colt ex Poussetiere Deux consigned Cobhall Court Stud
Third Lot 89 Kayf Tara colt ex Magalex consigned by Overbury Stud
Fourth Lot 34 Kayf Tara colt ex Celtic Native consigned by Mickley Stud
Fillies’ class
First Lot 138 Shirocco filly ex Theatre Girl consigned by Goldford Stud
Second Lot 114 Yeats filly ex Pushing Gold consigned by Clarendon Farm
Third Lot 135 Tobougg filly ex Tashkiyla consigned by Mickley Stud
Fourth Lot 110 Kayf Tara filly ex Presuming consigned by Overbury stud
The sale followed the show and Aiden Murphy returned to the source of previous success. Having bought an Alflora colt foal out of Poussetiere Deux from Cobhall Court Stud in 2003 who went on to be named Wishfull Thinking and go in to training with Phillip Hobbs for Diana Whateley, he struck again to top the sale.
The son of Alflora has since won seven races, including a Grade 1 contest at the Punchestown Festival earlier this year, and Murphy bought his own brother when the April born colt, who was again offered by Cobhall Court Stud, attracted interested from Paul Cashman, Franny Woods and Peter Moloney before Murphy had the final say at £50,000. He is unsure who will own his new purchase and will seek to find an owner in the next few weeks.
The second highest price of the day was achieved by the winner of the fillies’ class at the Weatherbys Insurance Kenneth Oliver Memorial Foal Show Championships.
Lot 138 was a Shirocco filly ex Theatre Girl who was consigned by Goldford Stud and Paul Cashman made a big play for the regally bred filly before she was bought by Richard Haggas for £35,000. She is likely to be re-offered as a store at a later date.
Lot 34 failed to find a home at an earlier NH Foal sale and was re-offered at DBS before selling to Robert Alcock for £34,000. The Kayf Tara colt ex Celtic Native was consigned by Mickley Stud and was out a Grade 1 placed mare.
The NH foal section of the sale returned an extremely satisfactory trade for the quality Lots on offer and showed an improved turnover when compared to the NH foal section of the January Sales earlier this year.
Following the conclusion of the sale and the DBS trading year 2011, DBS Managing Director Henry Beeby said:
"The decision to move our NH Foal Sale back to a pre-Christmas date has undoubtedly paid off today and we have enjoyed strong competition for the best lots from start to finish.
"The Weatherbys Insurance Kenneth Oliver Memorial Foal Show continues to act as a powerful incentive to breeders and we would just love to have more good foals to offer as we feel we are coming up with the goods when we have the best.
"2011 has been another positive year for DBS with advances at our key sales. The trade at the Premier Yearling Sales was exceptional and allowed us to post improvements in every sector headed by a modern day record price of £280,000 following another excellent year on the track from our sales graduates.
"Similarly the Breeze-Up Sales enjoyed a 10% rise in average whilst we gained huge satisfaction at the racetrack performances of our top price Red Duke.
"DBS NH Sales continue to provide a consistent and strong outlet for the best bred stores and form horses. Whether at our market leading Spring Sales at Doncaster or at the new sales at Newbury we strive to offer the very best service to the NH fraternity and have been gratified at the ongoing positivity to our call for entries and results in the sales ring.
"In between our flagship Flat and NH sales we continue with our regular service always working to the highest standards on a sale by sale basis. We are always keen to explore new ideas but remain true to the ethos that has served the Company well since we were launched by Willie Stephenson and Kenneth Oliver in 1962.
"Indeed, DBS will celebrate 50 years of business in May next year and all the team are looking forward to the future with an undimmed hunger as we will never stop trying to improve, develop and grow.
"DBS exists to provide a wide and diverse alternative to the market leader and we will work tirelessly to deliver the very best results for each and every client. Our sincere thanks to them all, whether they have bought or sold one lot or conducted millions of pounds worth of business through our sales."
