"[It was a] scarcely believable day's trading in which the European record for turnover at a single session was left looking like loose change - the new mark is 21,060,500gns, a remarkable total, up 47% on the same day 12 months ago (albeit an extra 44 horses were offered). One Tattersalls' auctioneer summed up events when he said, "I've never known a sale like it", and, while yesterday's session offered the best horses in the catalogue, an average of just under 100,000gns tells its own story." European Bloodstock News

'Buoyancy' and 'money' have to be two words synonomous with any description of the current bloodstock markets - sort of makes me wish I had an economics background so I could do some side analysis of world political trends and money markets so I could wave a wand and suggest how the thoroughbred industry will continue to fare in the next few years. Alas economics and I never got on particularly well at school so I will need to leave that crystal ball gazing to one of the experts.

However you look at it though, the Tattersalls results off the back of the Keeneland breeding sale results suggest only one thing - the mood is good. The Tattersalls press release says it all:

"The Tattersalls December Sales concluded with 227 fillies and mares selling for 1,728,000 guineas at an average of 7,612 guineas and a median of 5,500 guineas which pushed turnover for the four day December Mare Sale to an astonishing 46,525,800 guineas, 46% up on last year's total for the 901 lots sold, and 20% higher than the previous record sale in 2003. The average rose 21% to 51,638 guineas whilst the median rose 16% to 22,000 guineas. The turnover for the two week long December Sale, encompassing yearlings, foals and breeding stock realised a record 74,156,000 guineas, up 40% on last year's sale and 17% on the record 2003 sale.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented: "Coming into the December Sale we had already enjoyed an exceptional year, but nothing prepared us for the frenzied demand for the breeding stock which has rounded off 2005 in such spectacular fashion. We were confident that we had a good solid catalogue, although perhaps a little short of being a truly vintage one, but the level of trade this week has been truly astounding.

"The strong yearling and foal sales clearly engendered huge confidence in the buyers, but the key to the pre-eminence of the Tattersalls December Sale is its ability to attract a global buyer base like no other sale. The sheer number of people at Park Paddocks this week has been phenomenal and the demand, both domestic and international, has been unrelenting."

Australian and NZ buyers included Kieran Moore, John Foote, Paul Moroney, Damon Gabbedy, Bruce Perry and Ric Wylie.