How much is a guinea at Tattersalls?

One guinea is £1.05. Tattersalls auctions are conducted in guineas, but invoices and payments are in pounds sterling. So 100,000 guineas is £105,000.

Can an overseas buyer buy at Tattersalls?

Yes. New buyers send a New Buyer Form to Tattersalls Accounts at least 7 days before the sale, with a banker's reference sent directly by their bank. No purchases are allowed until Tattersalls confirms in writing.

Can an agent bid for me at Tattersalls?

Yes. You sign a Purchasers Authorisation, lodged with Tattersalls Accounts at least 7 days before the sale. The agent may not bid for you until Tattersalls accepts it in writing. The horse is then bought in your name.

Do I pay UK VAT if the horse is exported?

Horses exported from the UK can be zero-rated for VAT with proof of export, normally within 3 months under HMRC Notice 703. You then pay any import VAT or duty in the destination country.

When is the 2026 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale?

26 to 29 October 2026 in Newmarket, starting at 9.30am each day, according to Tattersalls.

How to buy at Tattersalls from overseas: a simple 2026 guide

By the Silk Road Bloodstock team · Updated 21 October 2026

Racehorses training on Warren Hill in Newmarket, England — Racehorses training on Warren Hill, Newmarket. Illustrative image, not a Silk Road Bloodstock horse. Photo: Richard Humphrey, CC BY-SA 2.0

Tattersalls in Newmarket is Europe's biggest bloodstock auction house. Buying there from overseas is very doable, but the paperwork must be done at least 7 days before the sale. Here is what you need, in plain English.

Upcoming Tattersalls sales

Sale	Dates (Tattersalls, subject to change)	What is sold
Autumn Horses in Training	26–29 October 2026	Horses already racing
December Yearling	23 November 2026	Yearlings
December Foal	24–28 November 2026	Foals
December Breeding Stock	30 November – 3 December 2026	Mares and fillies

1. Guineas, explained

Tattersalls auctions are conducted in guineas. One guinea is £1.05. Invoices and payments are in pounds sterling.

Hammer price	In pounds
50,000 guineas	£52,500
100,000 guineas	£105,000
250,000 guineas	£262,500

To get your own currency, convert the pound figure at the live exchange rate on the day. Tattersalls' own 5% commission is paid by the seller, not the buyer. The buyer pays a £3 per-lot contribution to Retraining of Racehorses.

2. Register as a new buyer (at least 7 days before)

Send the New Buyer Form to Tattersalls Accounts: passport or ID, addresses, how you will pay, the amount in pounds, bank details and bloodstock references.
Ask your bank to send a banker's reference directly to Tattersalls.
You cannot buy until Tattersalls confirms in writing. Deposits or other payment methods can be agreed before bidding.

3. Let an agent bid for you

Most overseas owners do not stand in the ring themselves. You sign a Purchasers Authorisation (from Tattersalls Accounts) with a payment reference, and it is lodged at least 7 days before the sale. Your agent may not bid until Tattersalls accepts it in writing. The horse is bought in your name, and you pay Tattersalls directly.

Without an accepted authorisation, the bidder and the buyer are both liable for the purchase, which is why we always lodge it first.

Buying at the Horses in Training Sale?

The forms must be in about a week before the sale. Message the team today and we will help you get registered in time. WhatsApp the team →

4. Payment

Payment is due straight after the purchase, plus VAT where it applies.
Tattersalls charges no interest if payment clears within 28 days of the last day of the sale; after that, interest is 1.5% a month.
Risk passes at the fall of the hammer, so insure the horse from that moment.
Tattersalls warns that its bank details never change in the middle of a transaction. Treat any email saying otherwise as fraud.

5. VAT when the horse is exported

A horse exported from the UK can be zero-rated for VAT with proof of export, normally within 3 months (HMRC Notice 703). You then pay any import VAT or duty in your own country.

6. Vetting and returns

Vendors lodge X-rays and scopes in the Tattersalls Repository, which only vets can view. Your vet should review them before you bid.
A pre-bid inspection needs the vendor's approval and is not the same as a full purchase examination.
Some conditions allow a horse to be returned within set time limits (for example, the 7th day for certain conditions). The rules are strict, so check them before you bid.
At the Horses in Training Sale, a wind dispute goes to a vet panel; the losing side pays £650 plus VAT.

7. Shipping the horse home

An export health certificate is applied for through the UK government (APHA) online service. The official vet receives it 7 working days before export.
EIA blood tests are usually needed within 30 days of travel.
A Pass Out from Tattersalls is needed before the horse leaves the sales ground.
Selected overseas buyers spending 10,000 guineas or more can apply for travel help under the Inward Buyers' Initiative before the sale.

Sources

This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The Tattersalls Conditions of Sale always apply. Silk Road Bloodstock is not affiliated with Tattersalls.

Want us to handle it?

We register you, review the vet files, inspect the horses, bid in your name and arrange shipping. 5% commission, agreed in writing, from US$50,000 per horse.

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