With the return to a one-day format 12 months ago proving an unmitigated success, Tattersalls marketing director Jason Singh has expressed his quiet optimism that the Somerville Yearling Sale can pick up where it left off when the 2026 edition takes place at Park Paddocks on Wednesday, whilst confirming that chairman Edmond Mahony is set to return to his auctioneering role for the Somerville and at “major Tattersalls sales for the rest of the year”.The sight of Mahony back at the rostrum will no doubt be a welcome sight to many as he and his colleagues preside over a 286-strong catalogue of yearlings with some pretty big shoes to fill.Following a dip when the Somerville was held over two days in 2024, it's fair to say that the decision to return to a single day of selling last year was rewarded in no uncertain terms, with a joint record top price, a record number of six-figure lots and a new benchmark for the average – as well as a clearance rate of 90% – featuring among the headline figures.“We probably got a little bit too big the year before,” Singh explained on the eve of this year's sale. “That was the feedback that we got from vendors and purchasers, so we thought it made sense to contract that slightly. Obviously, it being a one-day sale does put a bit more pressure on numbers and getting everything done within the day. But it obviously had a positive effect and we're hoping that we can improve on that this year.”He added, “Good horses come out of this sale every year which is the most important thing. Buyers need to know that they can come here and not only buy a horse that can be a winner and a good winner, but also one that can actually be a Group-class winner, if not a Group 1 winner. It's important to have both of those things and we're running an advert at the moment showing that we've had 42 Group- or Listed-placed horses come out of this sale in the last three years. It's a big number that and a good indication of the quality that you can come and buy here.”The poster boy for this year's sale is undoubtedly the Michael O'Callaghan-trained Celeron, who was bought from the Barton Stud draft for just 20,000gns by Antonio Da Silva 12 months ago. The son of Mohaather became one of the 42 in July when he ran out an emphatic three-length winner of the G2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh.Synonymous with precocious-looking yearlings, the Somerville also delivered in that regard at the first opportunity on British soil when 68,000gns purchase A Bear Affair (Kodi Bear) won the Brocklesby at Doncaster, the first two-year-old race of the season on these shores. He was last seen finishing fifth in the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes at Newmarket's July Course, which this year offered total prize-money of £317,105. All yearlings catalogued in the Somerville are eligible for that contest, as well as the £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.“We sell a lot of horses to syndicates who really want a nice day out with the potential of a big prize pot at the end of it,” said Singh. “The winner of the Somerville race, the Kennet Valley horse [Night In Vegas, who was bought for 60,000gns at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale], is a perfect example of that. Those guys are thrilled.”For all of the joy experienced by the owners of Night In Vegas, it had previously been apparent – after star filly Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) won the Harry's Half Million By Goffs at York – that sales races are not universally popular, with the view being held by some that they divert potential runners away from Pattern events which often produce small fields.Singh, however, is adamant that such races are worth their weight in gold, certainly to many of those buyers likely to be in action at Park Paddocks on Wednesday.“There are a couple of things to remember here,” Singh continued. “One is that there is no obligation to enter your horse. If they're not for you, you don't have to be a part of them. But what we find is that lots of people do want to enter and, at the end of the day, this money is going into the pockets of owners.“The other thing to remember is that these prize pools are guaranteed by the sales companies. People think that we're not contributing anything, but we're contributing significant sums towards those races, as well as guaranteeing the funds. The Somerville race a couple of weeks ago, which was guaranteed for £200,000, was run for £317,000 because it was overfunded, which is a massive amount of money. And the October Auction Stakes looks like it's also going to be run for a £300,000+ figure.“So, for what is a relatively small entry fee, owners have the opportunity to run for some really good prize-money.”Another horse who went in search of a bumper payday in the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes was the eventual ninth-place finisher, Mojito Madness, the winner of a Redcar maiden on his previous start, having been purchased for 16,000gns at this sale last year.The son of Kodiac was offered on that occasion by Raheendaw Farm, the burgeoning operation in Co. Carlow helmed by Leah Burgess and Stephen Keogh and quickly establishing itself as one to follow with its select drafts at the Somerville.“This will be the third year in a row that we've brought a horse here and the two previous to this are both two-year-old maiden winners,” Burgess pointed out. “So, we've one back here again. We love following the horses and that's the main thing – getting horses sold that go on to win for their new connections.”Having only set out on their own in 2023, Burgess and Keogh have already enjoyed some notable results, both in the sales ring and on the racecourse.“We set up three years ago and started pinhooking maybe five years ago,” said Keogh. “We sold our first couple of horses under Tom Whelan and Church View Stables. Then, around three years ago, we sold our first horse in Doncaster, a Sands Of Mali filly [French Sand] who ended up being quite good and was rated 91.“We also made a nice profit on the second horse we sold, a Shaman filly [later named Vlhova]. But we've got a bit of a buzz out of selling them all, really, as long as they go to a good home and make a bit of profit.”Burgess added, “We've been pinhooking small numbers every year. It is daunting. It's big money and it's no joke, but it's exciting and it's ever-changing. And everybody is very helpful. Daunting probably is bang on the word but, once you can get into it, I don't think anybody would refuse a question if you had one. People are very helpful.”This year, the team at Raheendaw Farm return to Park Paddocks with lot 32, a New Bay filly out of the Listed Tipperary Stakes runner-up Misty Ayr (Kodi Bear). A €25,000 purchase from last year's Goffs November Foal Sale, can this filly keep up their 100% strike-rate when it comes to selling two-year-old winners at the Somerville?“We're very happy with her. We took a chance and she's been good and active since we got here,” said Burgess, with Keogh nodding in agreement.“Hopefully, we can get another winner on the board for next year,” he added. “The dam was rated 94 and it's a fast, speedy mating. She'll go down alright, hopefully, and the footfall is very good. If you bring the right horse, you're going to sell it.”That final sentiment was echoed by Singh who, having been on the ground for the past three days, reported that he had been encouraged by what he'd seen ahead of the Somerville, which gets underway at 10am on Wednesday.“There has been plenty of time for people to be able to look at what is just under 300 yearlings,” he concluded. “There's a good bunch of horses here and there seems to be plenty of buyers, with a few people from overseas as well. We never like to be overconfident going into a sale, but the popular horses always sell well. We're hopeful that there will be decent trade.”The post ‘If You Bring The Right Horse, You’re Going To Sell It’ – Somerville Set to Build on Record-Breaking 2025 Edition appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.