The hallowed halls of Tattersalls in Newmarket witnessed history on Tuesday, as the prestigious December Mares Sale shattered the European record for the highest-grossing single day of horse sales. The auction house roared to a monumental £60 million in turnover, setting a new benchmark for the industry.
Star Lots and Staggering Prices
The spotlight blazed on the filly Barnavara, who was catapulted to the status of the world's highest-priced filly sold this year. In a fiercely competitive bidding war, Sugar Whiskey Trading secured the prize for a breathtaking 4.8 million guineas (£5 million). This marked an astronomical return on investment, as the horse was originally purchased as a yearling for just £61,000.
Hot on her heels was the outstanding Porta Fortuna, who was snapped up by the powerhouse operation of M V Magnier for 4.5 million guineas (£4.7 million). Auctioneer John O’Kelly hailed her as “the embodiment of excellence”. Magnier's Coolmore team was highly active, adding four lots at a total cost of 11.1 million guineas.
A Day of Million-Guinea Lots
The record-breaking second day of the sale equalled another notable benchmark, with 11 lots selling for a million guineas or more. This flurry of high-value transactions fuelled the unprecedented turnover.
Other significant sales included:
- Tamfana sold to M V Magnier for 2.6 million guineas.
- Saqqara Sands sold to Stephen Hillen for M V Magnier and M Tabor for 2.1 million guineas.
- Choisya went to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 2 million guineas.
The historic day's performance propelled the sale's total, including private transactions, to 79.6 million guineas with one session remaining.
Dreams Exceeded and Final Session Ahead
An elated Jessie Harrington, trainer of Barnavara, confessed the result surpassed her wildest expectations. “Jeepers. That was more than my wildest dreams,” she said. “We sort of thought in our excitement that she might make 3m guineas. The bidding sort of stopped at 1.5m, and I was a little worried but then it went on and on and on and on. I promise you it is amazing.”
While the day's record was extraordinary, the all-time Tattersalls December Mares Sale record remains the 6 million guineas paid by Magnier for Marsha back in 2017.
The sale's statistics reflect the day's incredible strength, with the average sale price standing at 186,666 guineas and the median at 70,000 guineas. The final session of the landmark auction commenced at 9:30am on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, with a huge number of lots still up for grabs.
