The number of yearlings offered may have been halved since last year, but the key figures remained largely the same at the Osarus Yearling Sale at La Teste de Buch, with the median of €10,000 slightly up on 2021 and the average of €11,467 virtually the same.
From an original catalogue of 150 yearlings, 131 were put through the ring, with 88 sold for a clearance rate of 67%, up from 63%. At the final fall of hammer, the aggregate stood at €947,500.
Few of the yearlings sold would have returned much profit on their cost of production, with the day's top price of €45,000 being set by a daughter of Intello (Ger) (lot 86), offered by Elevage de Seguegne and bought by Trotting Bloodstock, who went home with five yearlings from the sale. The grand-daughter of the listed winner Ethelinda (GB) (Indian Ridge {GB}) is a half-sister to recent winner Athelia (Fr) (Johnny Barnes {Ire}).
Irish breeze-up pinhookers Con Marnane, Mary Reynolds and Ambrose O'Mullane of Ardglas Stables, and John Bourke of Hyde Park Stud, all got involved, with Marnane signing for seven yearlings at the sale where he unearthed subsequent Group 1 winner Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis) for €20,000.
The top-class sprinter had been sold by Alain Chopard's Haras des Faunes, which was once again the sale's leading vendor with 14 sold for €163,000. Only Marseille-based trainer Christophe Escuder was busier than the Bansha House maestro and the Frenchman ended the day as the leading buyer with 10 yearlings to his name.
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