The COVID-19 pandemic has dictated the on-line only nature of business at the Riverside Stables on April 5-6 with an auditorium bereft of buyers, but Sledmere’s Royston Murphy and wife Catriona are up for the challenge and one they are looking forward too.
In such testing times, the industry bands together and Sledmere has held out a helping hand for the sale to South Australian nursery Mill Park Stud.
“We’re all in the same boat and while it’s not ideal, we’ve just got to try and do what we can do. We all understand it’s going to be difficult to shift some of the horses, but the circumstances are what they are and we’ll just get on with it,” Royston Murphy said.
Last year's $1.1 million lot sold by Sledmere Stud
The quality on offer at Inglis Easter remains the constant with any number of future stakes winners to be on offer.
“At the end of the day, these are still horses that will more than likely next year be running around in all the Group races and their value isn’t going to change too much from here to then,” Murphy said. “Even if we don’t sell them all at this sale we still own the assets.”
Brothers in farms
In a show of camaraderie common within the industry, Sledmere is doing its bit to support a fellow vendor with four Mill Park youngsters arriving on Thursday morning.
“What we’ve done is reach out to Chris Watson. Mill Park has been good clients of ours for years and we foal mares down for them,” Murphy said.
“I heard that Chris’ horses were on their way up from Adelaide to the sales and I rang him to suggest if he wanted to bring them here and we could help out and showcase them.
“I heard that Chris’ horses were on their way up from Adelaide to the sales and I rang him to suggest if he wanted to bring them here and we could help out and showcase them. " - Royston Murphy
“We are still doing lots of the parades on the farm and we can get them in front of a few people. As per usual, Mill Park always present lovely horses and these four are very nice types.
“They look super and it will be good to get them in front of a few people and hopefully it helps them out.”
Gallery: Mill Park Stud's draft will be showcased at Sledmere Stud
They are Lot 83, an I Am Invincible filly from Group 3 winner Molto Bene (Royal Academy {USA}); Lot 111, a half-brother by Capitalist to G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Booker (Written Tycoon); Lot 308, an I Am Invincible colt from Listed winner Affable (Husson {Arg}) and Lot 490, an I Am Invincible filly out of Hussy By Choice (Husson {USA}) also a black type winner.
Murphy said Sledmere was more than happy to fit in around all interested parties leading up to the sale.
“Anybody that has been here already is welcome to come back and we’ve pretty much got an open house from here until the sale, anytime from 7am.
“Anybody that has been here already is welcome to come back and we’ve pretty much got an open house from here until the sale, anytime from 7am.” – Royston Murphy
“These horses take a long time to get to this point and this is a draft we are super excited about. This year we’ve definitely got the pedigrees and the types to match.
“The feedback we’ve been getting from all the people that have come is that our draft is right up there with any others. We’ve obviously all been dealt a blow, but they are very nice horses and people can still bid and buy.”
Gallery: Sledmere Stud's fillies on offer
The quality of the Sledmere consignment has been reflected in the pre-sale viewings to date.
“It’s been solid every day and we’re nearly doing two or three parades each day and every few hours someone’s trying to fit in another parade. It’s probably the first time we’ve ever had second look parades on the farm,” Murphy said.
“There are a lot of people out there working hard for those that can’t get to the sale and to the farms to see the horses. There’s major agents been through so I’d recommend anybody to give them a call if they are interested in any horses.”
Sledmere will present 12 of the best at Inglis Easter – seven colts and five fillies.
“The Snitzel colt is out of First Seal is a first foal out of a super mare and he catches everybody’s eye, he’s a beauty,” Murphy said.
Gallery: Sledmere Stud's colts on offer
He is Lot 447 and First Seal (Fastnet Rock) won the G1 Flight S. and four Group 2 events as well as multiple Group 1 placings.
“There is a brother to Snitty Kitty, she was one of the fastest daughters of Snitzel to race, and there’s a half-brother to Invincibella by new-season sire Extreme Choice and the Exceed And Excel out of Ocean Of Tears is a beautiful filly,” Murphy said.
Lot 17 is Snitty Kitty’s sibling with their dam Lassiter’s Cat (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) while Lot 303 is the half-brother to G1 Tattersalls’ Tiara winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible). The daughter of Exceed And Excel, a half-sister to Group 3 winner No More Tears (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), is Lot 116.
Sledmere sold a colt by Snitzel out of Ocean Of Tears (NZ) (Minardi {USA}) 12 months ago for $1.1 million and as Pioneer River he is already a winner and stakes placed.
Gallery: Sledmere Stud's colts on offer
‘We’re lucky enough to also have a Pierro and he’s flying and we’re excited to have a lovely, physical type by him,” Murphy said.
Lot 436 is the Pierro colt from Fashion Rocks (Dehere {USA}), whose three foals to race have all been successful and the family of the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Wonderful World (Agnes World {USA}).
“It could be a tough sale, but we’ll get through it and we’ve had a bit of success at Easter. Out of last year, Fixated is stakes placed and Pioneer River and another Snitzel in Cultural Amnesia won very well in town the other day and looks like he’ll go on to a stakes race,” Murphy said.
“At the end of the day they are only horses. The main thing is that we all stay safe and get through this and bounce right back.”
