The declines continued on Friday as Book 3 of the Tattersalls October yearling sale came to a close in Newmarket, England.

Friday’s session saw 100 of 160 yearlings offered as sold for $1,006,445 (600,200 guineas), a decline of 25.3% compared with $1,346,175 (802,800 guineas) in sales during last year’s comparable session. Average fell 29.2% from $14,023 (8,363 guineas) to $10,064 (6,002 guineas) while median declined 16% from $8,384 (5,000 guineas) to $7,043 (4,200 guineas).

Marco Botti secured the session’s highest price, going to $83,843 (50,000 guineas) for a bay Invincible Spirit colt from the consignment of Gazeley Stud, agent. The colt is out of the Grand Lodge mare Gracious and listed stakes winner Paradise Isle a is notable family member.

Total sales, average, and median for Book 3 all declined compared with last year. This year’s Book 3 sale saw 294 horses sold for $4,095,706 (2,442,500 guineas), a decline of 13.2% when 271 horses sold brought in $4,720,835 (2,815,300 guineas) compared with last year. Average fell 20% to $13,931 (8,308 guineas) and median fell 16.4% to $9,810 (5,850 guineas).

“Newmarket remains the focal point of European racing and breeding and the most pleasing aspect of the 2009 Tattersalls October yearling sale is that those involved in the industry can move on to the forthcoming 2009 sales with renewed optimism,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahoney. “Stiff challenges remain and it would be wrong to pretend that everything is now rosy, but at the same time the past two weeks have demonstrated an enduring global appetite for the sport of racing which has been a pleasure to see.”