Sarah Fanning: Unforgettable day at the sales for breeder who scooped almost £400,000
It has been an unforgettable year for Yorkshire girl Sarah Fanning who is forging a name for herself amongst the top ranks of the bloodstock world.
Sarah, who runs a small yard near Bedale prepping and consigning yearlings for clients, sent out the top-priced lot at the Premier Yearling Sales in Doncaster last month when the filly by Havana Grey she had produced for The Knox family, sold for an astounding £240,000 to agent Mark McStay for an American purchaser.
If celebrations had not already started in the Fanning camp, they soon were to, when, just an hour later, Sarah sold a second well-related filly for a new owner from Devon, for a respectable £130,000. It had turned into a day she would never forget.
Fanning set up her bloodstock business in 2019 alongside husband Joe, a freelance jockey with 2900 winners and a Royal Ascot Gold Cup to his name.
“I must give him some credit," Sarah laughs. “He’s up at 5am every day mucking out before he goes racing. He’s probably never worked as hard.”
The pair acquired the yard at Finghall five years ago so her passion for yearlings and sales prep could become a reality. She admits to being her happiest when at the sales.
"Selling horses is an emotional rollercoaster, but I love it.”
The 43-year-old has an impressive CV which includes working for Racing Welfare, York Racecourse, Mark Johnston, Darley Stud, and 10 years at Oaks Farm Stables in Malton for the highly successful consignor Mark Dwyer.
I first met her as Mark’s efficient assistant when I helped them out at the sales for a few seasons. Sarah’s happy nature, gentle kindly manner and firm, reliable approach made her the ideal working partner on those long hectic weeks.
“I take great pride in my horses looking well,” she explains. “It’s my father’s influence, on the farm he had everything looking as good as it could, be it the sheep or crops.”
The filly’s owner breeders Jeremy and Muriel Knox and son Josh are farmers from near Northallerton and have been involved with Sarah since 2022.
“We’re very small breeders with just five mares,” explained Josh. “Her last five generations have been in our family.
"My late grandparents, Ken and Pat Knox bought Miss Mercy (great-great-grand-dam) and started breeding from her. We have been doing this for 30 years and this is our biggest result.”
As any small breeder will appreciate, financial sacrifice, long hard hours and plenty of disappointments become the norm.
“…So this feels like a victory for small breeders,” Muriel added after her yearling topped the sale. “I think we might make some home improvements to make the winter easier now.”
Sarah is looking for new owners to build on her success. Results that have merely confirmed what many of us already knew, her ability to produce the best. This won’t be the last you hear of Sarah Fanning.