Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior joined the Newmarket, England-based auction house in 2012 as part of the bloodstock sales department. Since then, he has steadily risen to prominence. Prior served as head of sales at Tattersalls' Cheltenham location. He has also served on the board of Tattersalls Ireland since 2021. Prior was appointed to his current role in November 2025, a move that took effect in January.
As Tattersalls prepares for its biggest auction of the year—the October Yearling Sale—Prior shared his thoughts with BloodHorse on proceedings, which begin Oct. 6.
BloodHorse: You obviously go to sales across the world, and you're paying attention to what different sales companies do. What is it that you're looking for? What are you focused on when you're visiting other sales?
Matthew Prior: Obviously when we're attending the other sales in Europe, these are horses that you may have previously seen that, for one reason or another, may have gone elsewhere. So I think it's really important to follow up and see the stock, but it's also a great opportunity to see clients with a view to your own sale as well. I take a view that you're always learning, and whether you go racing or you're going to the sales, you're often taking something away in terms of understanding the market. It's hard to assess a sale from afar. I think you only really understand it when you're there in person. It's not just about seeing the numbers but also seeing the strength of the trade with your boots are on the ground, which is why I think it's important we're represented in some capacity.
BH: The upcoming October yearling sale is one of, if not, the top yearling sales in the world. What do you believe makes it stand out from its competitors?
MP: I suppose at Tattlesalls we're proud of being the world's oldest and Europe's leading bloodstock auction house, and I think that sets us apart from our peers in Europe. Over the years Tattersalls has become synonymous with quality. The October Yearling Sale really is a gateway to the cream of the European yearling crop. You've got the very best stud farms, breeders, consignors coming here from the likes of Britain and Ireland, but also France and Germany, and we've also got sires represented from the likes of America and Japan, and so there really is some outstanding stock on offer. And for this we are hugely grateful.
Leading on from that, I suppose it's a success-driven sport, and it comes down to what the horses have then gone on to achieve on the racecourse. In that respect, there's no other European yearling sale that can match its record in terms of performers on the on the racecourse. You only have to look at the results this year, with the likes of the champion Ombudsman, Derby winner Christmas Day, and Venetian Sun all flying the flag at the group 1 level. Ultimately, that's the best advertisement you can have for any sale.
BH: There's been a growing presence, especially in recent years, of American buyers coming over to Tattersalls for the yearling sale. Last year, you had the most American buyers and the second-most money spent by Americans. Why is this sale becoming more appealing to American buyers?
MP: One of the big changes we've seen in America is the growing importance of the turf program. Obviously, dirt racing will always be hugely important, but the turf represents an increasing share of the program, and I think that's naturally created a greater demand for those European-bred horses. The very best of those can be found at Tattersalls, so naturally people want to come to Park Paddocks and unearth the next one. You only have to look at the success Chad Brown has had buying here, along with Mike and Mary Ryan with the likes of Newspaperofrecord, Program Trading, among many others. Liz Crow, of course, bought Aunt Pearl here as well. Thankfully plenty of others have followed and have looked to repeat that formula. I think that's how these things build. Success gives people the confidence to come here to discover the next turf star.
BH: It's not just American buyers that have their numbers growing at Tattersalls, but also the American stallions. No Nay Never has been a staple in Europe, and he continues to have appeal. There are others like Sioux Nation and Kameko, who both stand over there, and they routinely have offspring in sales at Tattersalls. But this year, for example, Justify has nine yearlings in Book 1, which is the most that he's ever had, and you also have Corniche , who's a first-crop sire with a yearling in Book 1. Are you seeing a growing appetite for the offspring of American-bred sires, or is this more of a fad rather than a trend?
MP: No, I think there's some excellent turf sires sort of emerging in the American market, and we're seeing them increasingly then represented in the sire index here. That only adds to the depth and the variety of the sale, which is what buyers have come to expect when they come to the likes of Book 1. Justify's record in Europe speaks for itself through the likes of City of Troy and Ruling Court; his classic record and strike rate is extraordinary. With that in mind, we've actively sought out those yearlings by him this year, and I would anticipate there'd be a huge demand, particularly from buyers who haven't had the opportunity to source them before, given that the majority have probably traditionally been offered in the American market. I think the Scat Daddy line in general has been hugely influential. Sioux Nation has had another breakout year and continues to go from strength to strength, while No Nay Never, who has consistently produced top-class racehorses, and his record at Royal Ascot is probably second to none.
BH: What about American mares? Ace Stud last year purchased Puca at Fasig-Tipton in November, and you're going to have the first foal out of Caravel, by Frankel , in the sales ring (at the yearling sale). Where do American mares fit in the European marketplace?
MP: I think the racing is so international now, and with the turf program only growing in stature and importance in America, more and more European-bred horses and even European-trained horses, are being targeted at those big races and purses. The value placed on that form is only getting stronger as well. You highlighted the Tweenhills-consigned Frankel colt out of Caravel, and he's a great example of that. He's the first foal out of a multiple grade 1-winning mare who danced every dance at the highest level on the turf in America, and he's by one of the best stallions in the world, and in the eyes of many, probably the greatest turf racehorse of modern times. He's a proper individual as well, and I'd expect him to be hugely popular amongst many others.
BH: Carrying on from that same theme, you have the influx of buyers from abroad, and we're seeing a greater diversification of bloodlines. What does that say about the global nature of the Thoroughbred industry?
MP: Even in my 14 years at Tattersalls, social media has only made the racing world much more closely connected. Race replays from across the globe are available within seconds, and I think it's really raised the profile of those elite international racing meetings, and made the world feel that much smaller. Whether it's Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, York, Breeders' Cup, Dubai World Cup, the Spring Carnival in Australia, or the Japan Cup, these are now all really important staging posts throughout the year, which we all follow, whether as racing professionals or enthusiasts. They provide a global platform for the very best of those horses and from that you get the internationalization of the bloodlines as well. I was thinking about this earlier, and I think Romantic Warrior is probably a great example of this. He was a graduate of the October Yearling Sale, bred by Corduff Stud, who went on to become a champion in Hong Kong and a multiple group 1 winner with victories in Hong Kong, Dubai, Australia, and Japan, and obviously very closely touched off in Saudi Arabia as well. I don't think there was a more widely campaigned horse of recent times, and he earned in excess of £28 million in prize money. To me, he represents how international racing has become with the very best horses now able to compete at the highest-level across the globe.
BH: After the four books of the yearling sale are completed over 11 days, you barely get a chance to catch your breath before the December yearling, foal, and mare sales—which begin in November—is there a sense that these three sales bring about the crescendo of everything Tattersalls has been working on all year?
MP: Yes, I mean the autumn of our season is particularly important to the company. The October Yearling Sale is, in fairness, the culmination of months of year-round effort from the whole team. Inspections start after the Guineas in May, and then the sale is promoted by our team and our overseas representatives throughout the summer. We take great pride in this particular sale and welcoming a global audience from Book 1 to Book 4. We then quickly move on to the Autumn Horses In Training Sale, which is fairly unique; it's the world's largest sale of its kind and unique in its makeup. Off the back of that we roll quickly into the December Foal Sale and the December Mare Sale, which once again features the Sceptre Sessions, entries for which look to be hugely exciting. It's a really busy time. It's hugely exciting, and we're just really looking forward to getting going now.
