Written by Paul Vettise
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott were in the thick of the buying action during the virtual Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and they also complemented that with success on the track on Wednesday.
Waterhouse was busy bidding from home to restock the stable with young talent for next season and Tulloch Lodge also produced the 2-year-old Formentera (I Am Invincible) to win the TAB Venue Mode Plate at Warwick Farm.
“I think Arthur Inglis and his team have done a remarkable job in extremely trying times and they weren’t sure which way to go, but very smartly chose this format,” Waterhouse said.
“The horses are being sold and it’s all about selling the horses because the stud fees have got to be paid, it’s getting Peter to pay Paul and it’s that sort of environment and the way business works.
“I’m not saying it’s the way to go in the future, who knows, but a lot of business takes place around the sale ring. It’s like the stock exchange – it’s a moving, throbbing place.”
Gallery: A selection of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's purchases
Waterhouse was active on both days with her three purchases during the opening session a Dundeel (NZ) colt, Lot 24, bought out of B2B Thoroughbreds’ draft for $300,000 and colts by Sebring, Lot 187, and Vancouver, Lot 225, from Bhima Thoroughbreds for $250,000 and $160,000 respectively.
On day two, Waterhouse secured a son of Hinchinbrook, Lot 287, for $300,000 from the draft of Aquis Farm, a Deep Impact (Jpn), Lot 300, colt offered by Segenhoe Stud for $260,000 and Widden Stud’s Snitzel filly, Lot 391, for $450,000.
She later signed at $220,000 for Lot 436, a Pierro filly offered by Sledmere Stud and Lot 480, a Snitzel colt from Vinery Stud's draft.
“We did all our work before the sale and broke up the inspections between Adrian, myself and Claudia Miller,” Waterhouse said. “We had orders for everything and have gone very carefully, in these tricky times one has to be careful.”
“We had orders for everything and have gone very carefully, in these tricky times one has to be careful.” – Gai Waterhouse
Meanwhile, at Warwick Farm there was cause for stable celebration when Formentera recorded his breakthrough success in the TAB Venue Mode Plate.
Formentera was sold through Aquis Farm’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $520,000 and breeder Emirates Park has remained in a sizeable ownership syndicate that also includes Glenlogan Park and Waterhouse’s daughter Kate.
Formentera as a yearling
The colt is a son of the unraced Eimhis (Al Samer) and is the first winner for the mare, who has subsequently produced a yearling filly to Capitalist, a colt by Sebring and served last season by Santos.
Eimhis is a half-sister to County Tyrone (Danewin), winner at Group 1 level of the Metropolitan H., the Sydney Cup and the Queensland Derby, and the dam of the two-time Group 1 winner Samaready (More Than Ready {USA}).
She has subsequently produced the G3 Quizette S. and Magic Millions Classic 2YO winner Exhilarates (Snitzel) and the family of the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner Almalad (Al Maher).
Formentera broke well from a wide barrier to sit outside the leader and rider Tim Clark let him have his head at the top of the straight and the juvenile surged clear.
“He’s always showed nice ability and we always felt that 1400 metres to 1600 metres would be his go. I was always confident I was on the strongest horse,” Clark said.
“It was a matter of whether I had enough speed to get as far forward as I did, and once there I knew he’d be too tough for them. He’ll make a really nice horse once he gets over 1400 to a mile.”
“I was always confident I was on the strongest horse.” - Tim Clark
Formentera has proved a relatively quick learner and was fourth on debut before finishing third at Warwick Farm before his successful return visit on Wednesday.
“He’s starting to figure it out and putting it together. The ability has always been there, he’s just taken a couple of runs and he’s there now,” Clark said.
Formentera was out on his own 300 metres from home and held a good gallop to have 1l on Rousseau (So You Think {NZ}) and Shivani (Sebring) finished on for third after being shuffled back near the turn.
Shivani is raced by breeder Kia Ora Stud who sold a half-sister by I Am Invincible, Lot 275, for $575,000 to Commendable Bloodstock during the second session of the virtual Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
