Images courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
>> Day 2 grossed $18,239,500 from 270 lots sold, compared to $11,614,000 last year from 230 lots sold. The average was up $24,526 to $89,409, the median rose $5117 to $70,000 and the clearance rate dropped from 86 per cent to 81 per cent.
>>Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu was determined to secure a son of Deep Field and he realised his wish when he paid $380,000 for Lot 398 offered by Torryburn Stud.
>> Andrew Noblet will move to his new training quarters at Ballarat next month and he’ll be taking Newhaven Park’s Nicconi colt, Lot 377, with him after signing the bill of sale for $370,000.
>> Agent George Moore couldn’t resist a son of Hinchinbrook, Lot 328, and went over budget to claim the colt offered by Yarraman Park Stud for $360,000.
>> Hong Kong Jockey Club recognises the quality on offer to make a cameo appearance and secured its target colt, Lot 449, a Deep Field youngster offered by Goodwood Farm for $260,000.
Yiu wins bidding war
Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu was locked in a bidding duel at the Riverside Stables with McEvoy Mitchell Racing for the son of Deep Field and was determined to go all the way to land the colt for $380,000.
Lot 398 - Deep Field x Raheights (colt)
“There haven’t been many in Hong Kong, but they have gone well at trials and are very popular here in Australia,” Yiu said.
“I thought he would roughly be $400,000. He’s a lovely individual and I really wanted one nice yearling by Deep Field.
"He’s a lovely individual and I really wanted one nice yearling by Deep Field. " - Ricky Yiu
“I’ll leave him here for 12 months or so. It depends how well he does before we decide when to bring him to Hong Kong.”
Ricky Yiu (right) signs for Lot 398
The colt is a son of Raheights (Rahy {USA}), who was successful on four occasions, who has produced the G3 PB Bell S. winner Diddums (Snitzel) and the multiple winner and black type performer Brettan (Commands).
The dam is a half-sister to the Listed York Rockingham S. winner Bannock (Ire) (Bertolini {USA}) while the pedigree also features the former Canadian Horse of the Year and G1 Keeneland First Lady S. winner Never Retreat (USA) (Smart Strike {USA}).
Pleasing results
Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said the sale continued to gain momentum with trade again buoyant on day two.
“If you look at those horses selling above $100,000, for example, there has been 137 make $100,000 or more after selling 540 lots, compared to 107 last year. That’s just showing that it’s easier to sell those better types even if they are more expensive at the moment,” he said.
Mark Webster
“We sold two lots for $300,000 or more on Sunday and there were six today, so there was a bit more depth at the top. We have mopped up a lot of those passed in horses from yesterday and overall we’re clearing 81 per cent and it was at 78 per cent yesterday.
“It’s generally been positive. Most of them will have a draft and they will sell something really well and they will come to terms with the fact that they may have a yearling where the stallion’s not fashionable.
“At the time we select these horses we don’t know if some stallions are going to come into favour, out of favour or stay as they are, so that just happens with every sale. Most of them are pragmatic and that it is swings and roundabouts.
“With a sale that is averaging just under $90,000 and clearing 81 per cent through the ring with a day to go, we are in pretty good shape." - Mark Webster
“With a sale that is averaging just under $90,000 and clearing 81 per cent through the ring with a day to go, we are in pretty good shape. To put it into perspective, this is our third cut of yearlings. It is not Easter, it is not Premier and it is averaging just under $90,000.
“It was only seven years ago that the Classic Sale it was averaging $30,000. It shows the strength of the industry and the market and we have diversified the buyers coming to this sale in particular.”
Quality addition
Andrew Noblet is a man on the move in more ways than one and his new stable at Ballarat will include a high-priced youngster by Nicconi.
Noblet, who will shift from Caulfield to Ballarat next month, went to $370,000 for Lot 377 presented by Newhaven Park.
Lot 377 - Nicconi x Poison Ivy (colt)
“I’ve bought him for some long-time stable clients. I trained his half-sister and had a big opinion of her, but unfortunately she died late last year,” Noblet said.
The Nicconi colt and his sibling Indigo Lass (High Chaparral {Ire}), who won two of her four starts before her premature passing, are out of Poison Ivy (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), also the dam of the Listed Hill Smith S. winner Lotion (Good Journey {USA}).
“This colt is a beautiful athletic horse. The filly was quite sleight, but he’s all quality,” Noblet said. “That was my last bid so it ended well.”
With Caulfield to close as a training centre in 2023, Noblet decided to relocate ahead of time and his new quarters at Ballarat will comprise of 30 boxes and half a-dozen day yards.
“I’m really happy and looking forward to getting set up there,” he said.
Hot on Hinchinbrook
Outstanding sprinter Beat The Clock has been a flagship performer in Hong Kong for Hinchinbrook and a son of the late stallion won George Moore over, with the bloodstock agent going to $360,000 to land the colt.
Agent George Moore had to exceed his budget to secure Hinchinbrook’s son, Lot 328, out of Yarraman Park Stud’s draft, but was happy to continue his pursuit of the colt on behalf of a Hong Kong client.
George Moore
“Hinchinbrook goes so well in Hong Kong – Beat The Clock is a superstar sprinter – so it was an easy sell. The colt is out of an older mare, but he’s a good mover and we’re looking forward to see what he can do.
“I thought he’d go for between $250,000 and $300,000, but there were a lot of people on him. I had $350,000 so it was a little over, but a happy result.”
Lot 328 - Hinchinbrook x Morinda (colt)
The youngster is a son of Morinda (Desert King {Ire}), who has left seven winners including the stakes performers Prix Du Sang (Red Ransom {USA}) and Happy Hippy (Hussonet {USA}).
It is also the family of the G1 Randwick Guineas winner Kementari (Lonhro) and the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Sterling City (Nadeem).
“My client may race him here first, we’ll wait and see what happens there. I saw the colt three times and he just grew on me,” said Moore, son of champion Hong Kong trainer John.
Star in Moore’s eyes
Later in the day, Moore went to $300,000 for a flashy chestnut colt by Starcraft, Lot 471, who was offered by KBL Thoroughbreds.
He is out of the multiple winner Sky Rubi (Testa Rossa) and a pedigree page that includes the multiple Group 1 winners Gurner’s Lane (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Purple (Commands) and Foxwood (NZ) (Centaine).
“There are only two other chestnut horses which this horse is reminding me of,” Moore said. “He had the same exact walk, the same exact temperament and the same good drive behind. Able Friend was one of them and Aethero is the other one. They are exactly the same.
“I said to Dad, ‘we’ve just got to buy him.’ Walking around he was very imposing and that is the sort of horse that we like.
“Last time we let a Starcraft go to Hong Kong, it turned out to be a Class 1 horse and this one gave me an even better feeling. I am really excited about the horse, so we would have gone to $500,000. Right now I own him with Dad.”
Lot 471 - Starcraft (NZ) x Sky Rubi (colt)
Harron strikes
Agent James Harron wasn’t to be denied in his chase of a Capitalist colt, Lot 369, and signed for the Newgate Farm-offered youngster at $340,000.
“He’s the first foal of a good race mare and just loved his attitude. He handled the sales beautifully and was full of quality. He looks very precocious and I’m very pleased to get him,” he said.
Lot 369 - Capitalist x Pearl Congenial (colt)
The colt is a son of the two-time winner and stakes performer Pearl Congenial (Gio Ponti {USA}), who hails from the family of the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}) and the dual Listed winner Wild Planet (Animal Kingdom {USA}).
“I thought he would be around the $300,000 mark and you always have to go one or two more for the best colts. He’s got a lovely profile,” Harron said.
“It’s been very solid here and I felt sorry for Inglis with the conditions. They have done a great job, it’s a very healthy market.”
James Harron
Harron purchased Capitalist’s son for his colt’s syndicate, which will also include Lot 11, a son of Extreme Choice bought for $160,000 on Sunday and also a Newgate offering.
“He’s also out of a good race mare and I’m a big fan of Extreme Choice,” he said.
The colt’s mother is Ben’s Duchess (USA) (Munnings {USA}), winner of the G3 Santa Anita LA Woman S. and under the third dam is the G1 Hollywood Derby winner Vergennes (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}).
HKJC swoops
The standard and depth of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale has caught the attention of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Its representative, Craig Rounsefell, was in attendance at the Riverside Stables and was successful in claiming the colt he had come for, a son of Deep Field offered by Goodwood Farm and purchased for $260,000.
Craig Rounsefell (right)
“The quality of the catalogue in recent years has continued to rise and it is a Sale we have to look at,” he said.
“We will be active at Melbourne and Easter after getting blown out of the water at Magic Millions. We picked up four in New Zealand and two at Magic Millions.”
“This was the only colt that made it through to our final list here. He has a lot of improvement in him and was one of the most athletic colts we have seen this year.”
“This was the only colt we had on our list here... He was one of the most athletic horses I’ve seen this year. " - Craig Rounsefell
The Boomer Bloodstock principal said he was delighted to have secured the colt for $260,000.
“He’s out of a very fast Sydney Stakes mare and Deep Field is one of the young up and coming sires we like.”
“We think we found some value and had a little petrol left in the tank.”
Lot 449 - Deep Field x She's A Stalker (colt)
The colt, offered as Lot 449, is out of She’s A Stalker (Ferocity), who won three times up to 1200 metres and was stakes placed.
“He’ll head to Ascot Farm in New Zealand. Bruce Harvey will break him in and do his early education before he goes to Hong Kong for the ISG Sale,” Rounsefell said.
Value purchase
Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith considered himself to be well ahead of the game after having the final say at $210,000 for a daughter of I Am Invincible, Lot 311, from Kitchwin Hills’ draft.
“I thought she would make $300,000 so very pleased with that. I thought she was one of the best fillies on the complex, I really like her,” Smith said. “This our home turf so we try and get a few here.”
"I thought she was one of the best fillies on the complex, I really like her." - Matthew Smith
Smith bought the filly on spec, but didn’t expect to have any trouble finding owners.
“I’d say the I Am Invincibles would average over $200,000 and we’ve got quite a few clients who like to race fillies so I’ll be having a chat to them,” he said.
The I Am Invincible youngster is out of Miss Beauty World (God’s Own), who is a half-sister to the dual Group 3 winners Lite’N In My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}) and Hi World (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Lot 311 - I Am Invincible x Miss Beauty World (filly)
“We having a really good season, both with the imports and the locals so we just have to keep that all going,” Smith said.
Dual Group 1 winner Fierce Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has been a flagship performer and finished a bold second when resuming last weekend in the G1 CF Orr S. at Caulfield.
“I think he’ll probably run next in the G1 Chipping Norton S. and see if he can get back to winning form,” Smith said.
Top Lots
| 398 | Colt | Deep Field | Raheights | Torryburn Stud, Torryburn | R Yiu HONG KONG | $380,000 |
| 377 | Colt | Nicconi | Poison Ivy | Newhaven Park, Boorowa | Andrew Noblet Racing Pty Ltd VIC | $370,000 |
| 328 | Colt | Hinchinbrook | Morinda | Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | George Moore Bloodstock HONG KONG | $360,000 |
| 256 | Filly | I Am Invincible | Limbo Down (NZ) | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | Star Thoroughbreds / Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) NSW | $350,000 |
| 369 | Colt | Capitalist | Pearl Congenial | Newgate Farm, Aberdeen | James Harron Bloodstock NSW | $340,000 |
| 471 | Colt | Starcraft (NZ) | Sky Rubi | KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld | George Moore Bloodstock HONG KONG | $340,000 |
| 155 | Colt | Deep Field | Fragrant Storm | Fairview Park Stud, Grose Wold | China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock / Starlight Racing NSW | $320,000 |
| 451 | Colt | Not A Single Doubt | She's Our Choice | Bell River Thoroughbreds, Glen William | Ciaron Maher Racing / Suman Hedge Bloodstock VIC | $300,000 |
| 445 | Colt | Extreme Choice | Set to Skelter | Bell River Thoroughbreds, Glen William | Dream Thoroughbreds / Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA) / Bluegrass Bloodstock (FBAA) / Anthony Freedman Racing VIC | $280,000 |
| 447 | Colt | Deep Field | She Chose Me | Newhaven Park, Boorowa | McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) VIC | $260,000 |
Top Buyers (by aggregate)
| Star Thoroughbreds / Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) | NSW | 6 | $1,320,000 | $220,000 | $350,000 | $195,000 |
| Matthew Smith Racing / John Foote Bloodstock | NSW | 7 | $825,000 | $117,857 | $210,000 | $120,000 |
| George Moore Bloodstock | HONG KONG | 2 | $700,000 | $350,000 | $360,000 | $350,000 |
| McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) | VIC | 4 | $650,000 | $162,500 | $260,000 | $155,000 |
| Nat McCall Racing Pty Ltd | QLD | 7 | $643,000 | $91,857 | $180,000 | $70,000 |
| Triple Crown Syndications | NSW | 6 | $610,000 | $101,667 | $180,000 | $95,000 |
| Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) | NSW | 5 | $570,000 | $114,000 | $200,000 | $80,000 |
| John Foote Bloodstock | HONG KONG | 6 | $543,000 | $90,500 | $160,000 | $100,000 |
| A Cummings | NSW | 4 | $500,000 | $125,000 | $150,000 | $125,000 |
| James Harron Bloodstock | NSW | 2 | $500,000 | $250,000 | $340,000 | $250,000 |
Top Vendors (by aggregate)
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 18 | $2,067,500 | $114,861 | $360,000 | $80,000 |
| Newgate Farm, Aberdeen | 20 | $1,851,000 | $92,550 | $340,000 | $62,500 |
| Newhaven Park, Boorowa | 17 | $1,735,000 | $102,059 | $370,000 | $80,000 |
| Arrowfield Stud, Scone | 15 | $1,685,000 | $112,333 | $210,000 | $100,000 |
| Sledmere Stud, Scone | 22 | $1,624,000 | $73,818 | $180,000 | $62,500 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley | 23 | $1,511,000 | $65,696 | $150,000 | $60,000 |
| Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi | 17 | $1,485,000 | $87,353 | $220,000 | $70,000 |
| Lime Country Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Burradoo | 13 | $1,420,000 | $109,231 | $200,000 | $100,000 |
| Bell River Thoroughbreds, Glen William | 6 | $1,165,000 | $194,167 | $300,000 | $225,000 |
| Fairview Park Stud, Grose Wold | 11 | $1,150,000 | $104,545 | $320,000 | $80,000 |
Top Vendors (by average 3 or more)
| Bell River Thoroughbreds, Glen William | 6 | $194,167 | $1,165,000 | $300,000 | $225,000 |
| Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | 3 | $170,667 | $512,000 | $350,000 | $150,000 |
| KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld | 4 | $168,750 | $675,000 | $340,000 | $142,500 |
| Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | 6 | $156,667 | $940,000 | $210,000 | $150,000 |
| Torryburn Stud, Torryburn | 7 | $137,857 | $965,000 | $380,000 | $70,000 |
| Highgrove Stud, Darling Downs, Qld | 3 | $121,667 | $365,000 | $180,000 | $105,000 |
| Goodwood Farm, Murrurundi | 4 | $115,000 | $460,000 | $260,000 | $75,000 |
| Milburn Creek, Wildes Meadow | 3 | $115,000 | $345,000 | $150,000 | $100,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 18 | $114,861 | $2,067,500 | $360,000 | $80,000 |
| Arrowfield Stud, Scone | 15 | $112,333 | $1,685,000 | $210,000 | $100,000 |
Top Sires (by aggregate)
| Deep Field | 16 | $2,350,000 | $146,875 | $380,000 | $120,000 |
| Capitalist | 20 | $2,084,000 | $104,200 | $340,000 | $95,000 |
| Hinchinbrook | 13 | $2,025,000 | $155,769 | $360,000 | $140,000 |
| Shalaa (Ire) | 8 | $1,130,000 | $141,250 | $220,000 | $145,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 8 | $1,090,000 | $136,250 | $210,000 | $142,500 |
| Dundeel (NZ) | 10 | $1,090,000 | $109,000 | $210,000 | $90,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 7 | $1,060,000 | $151,429 | $280,000 | $160,000 |
| Rubick | 15 | $1,044,000 | $69,600 | $160,000 | $60,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 5 | $1,020,000 | $204,000 | $350,000 | $200,000 |
| Nicconi | 10 | $1,018,000 | $101,800 | $370,000 | $80,000 |
Top Sires (by average 3 or more)
| Not A Single Doubt | 3 | $208,333 | $625,000 | $300,000 | $210,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 5 | $204,000 | $1,020,000 | $350,000 | $200,000 |
| Hinchinbrook | 13 | $155,769 | $2,025,000 | $360,000 | $140,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 7 | $151,429 | $1,060,000 | $280,000 | $160,000 |
| American Pharoah (USA) | 5 | $151,000 | $755,000 | $250,000 | $160,000 |
| Deep Field | 16 | $146,875 | $2,350,000 | $380,000 | $120,000 |
| Shalaa (Ire) | 8 | $141,250 | $1,130,000 | $220,000 | $145,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 8 | $136,250 | $1,090,000 | $210,000 | $142,500 |
| Pierro | 5 | $132,000 | $660,000 | $210,000 | $100,000 |
| Hallowed Crown | 4 | $118,750 | $475,000 | $165,000 | $117,500 |
