With Donny, BBAG, Arqana 1 all been and gone, the story seems to be one of 25% is reductions in price but a reasonable maintenance of the clearing rate.
Still lots to go with Tatts Ireland,Goffs and the Tatts Newmarket yearling sales up next. Then we will see the picture clearly.
The absence of some of the big buyers, the dispersals by some notable owners, the concern over the viability of some racecourses without customers and the loss of levy are all very concerning for the breeder.
LCSF presented an Iffraaj and a Ribchester filly at Donny but didn’t sell either. From an economic perspective ,it is just as well that the balance of the N19 crop had been very successfully sold as foals. The Iffraaj goes to Mark Johnston who kindly asked if he could train her (she is out of a full sister to his successful Nayef Road). The Ribchester-who we didn’t prep up to our usual standards for a number of reasons- will go to Karl Burke.
We plan to send our nicest stock to the foal sales again and Jamie Railton will present a Starspangled banner colt, an Unfortunately colt, a Wootton Bassett filly and a Night of Thunder filly.
Meanwhile we all remain deprived of our liberty by governments who have ,in their collective panic, dug themselves a hole from which they cannot escape (we will look back askance at allowing this to happen to ourselves). We deserve better, yet it is we who have elected them! Unfortunately , they have been tested for leadership and have failed us all while amassing considerably enhanced controls over our every breath! For many ,the economic, social and cultural consequences will be devastating.
Covid 19 is not going away and neither is it the evil lottery once suspected. We have to learn to live with it as we do with Norovirus and Influenza. The sooner our leaders act to dispel the fear they have instilled across the population and get us all back to the normal way of life, that has been honed over thousands of years ,the better. Forget “new normals”-the old normal is tried and tested.
Not everyone will agree with this but it is important that it is said and can be debated with other views in an open and transparent way.