Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At a Glance
>> The strength at the top-end of the market propelled a higher sale average than last year at $429,804, compared to $422,445
>> A mismatch of expectations between vendors and buyers saw the clearance rate drop to 56.7 per cent, down from 93 per cent last year. The rate should improve over the weekend as passed in horses are sold.
>> The median was very similar to last year at $275,000
>> The overall sale gross was $21.92 million, down $1.3 million on last year, with fewer horses sold (50 to 55) despite a much bigger catalogue
>> Group 1 winner In Her Time, unable to sell for $40,000 as a yearling at the Classic Sale, topped the sale at $2 million to Newgate
>> Group 1 winners Samaready (More Than Ready {USA}) and Booker (Written Tycoon) sold for $1.8 million and $1.6 million respectively to a Coolmore mares' syndicate and will go to Justify
>> Japan's Katsumi Yoshida paid $1.4 million for G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) and $800,000 for Group 2 winner Noire (Foxwedge)
Time called for Newgate
Group 1 winning mare In Her Time topped the Inglis Chairman's Sale, with Newgate yet to decide which stallion she will visits after paying $2 million for the daughter of Time Thief.
Recently retired from the track, she was offered as Lot 42 by Yarraman Park Stud on behalf of her owners, breeder Peter Brown and Orbis Bloodstock. She sailed through the million-dollar barrier and the spirited bidding continued right up until Newgate Managing Director Henry Field, bidding from the Riverside complex, won out.
While Field didn't comment in detail on the purchase, he did indicate that a potential stallion for her will be decided at a later date.
In Her Time when racing
Her brilliant racetrack career featured nine wins from 27 starts. Six of those wins were at stakes level including the G1 Galaxy and G1 Black Caviar Lightning, while she was placed in another five Group 1 sprints.
Her page has been enhanced further in the past year by The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, who is out of a half-sister to her dam, Hell It's Hot (Zeditave).
"All the people associated with his horse have done a wonderful job and wow, she's been quite a ride, what a great mare," Brown said after the Sale.
"We couldn't sell her as a yearling and I bought her out of the Denise Cobcroft Breeding Trust because no-one else would buy her. I always liked her in the paddock and gee whiz, she has been a good horse ever since we put a saddle on her."
In Her Time
The result was also a vindication for Yarraman Park, which was the leading vendor for the Sale with $3.06 million across four lots, and prepared In Her Time.
“We thought she would make around $1.5 million -$1.6 million, so $2 million exceeded expectations. She really is lovely," Yarraman Park Director Arthur Mitchell said.
"She is medium-sized and she didn’t look to have any wear and tear, even though she is a seven-year-old rising eight - she is very sound. She has a beautiful nature, with a lovely head and is a beautifully balanced mare who moves well.”
"She has a beautiful nature, with a lovely head and is a beautifully balanced mare who moves well.” - Arthur Mitchell
Newgate proved the biggest buyer overall, purchasing eight mares in total and spending $4.355 million.
As well as In Her Time, it paid $675,000 for another mare just off the track in Group 1 winner Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge), who will head to its first-season stallion Brutal.
Volpe Veloce was another secured by Newgate
Other mares purchased for Brutal were Sprightly Lass (Snitzel), the dual stakes-winning mare offered in foal to Pierro, who was purchased for $400,000, the Group 3 winner Royal Fashion (Snitzel), in foal to American Pharoah (USA) and bought for $320,000, and Decorah (NZ) (Pins), in foal to Russian Revolution, and picked up for $210,000 .
Newgate also purchased Diddles (Snitzel) to go to Tassort and Centafaith (Keep The Faith) and Windradyne (GB) (Sepoy) to go to Cosmic Force.
Coolmore snaps up Samaready for Justify
It was another dual Group 1 winning mare, Samaready, who would end up the second most expensive lot on the night, fetching $1.8 million when Coolmore Australia's Principal Tom Magnier won out in a three-way dual.
Entered as a supplementary lot by Vinery Stud, Samaready is in foal to Snitzel with what will be a full sibling to R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic and Group 3 winner Exhilarates, her only foal to the track.
On the racecourse, Samaready won the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Moir S., while she was also a half-sister to Group 2 winner Night War (General Nediym). Group 1 winners County Tyrone (Danewin) and Almalad (Al Maher) also feature on the page.
Samaready
She is the latest high-profile mare purchased by Coolmore as part of a mares' syndicate to go to its US Triple Crown winner Justify, who stands his second season in Australia in 2020.
"There are obviously people who are very keen to get involved with him, so we have bought a lot of nice mares last year and we are trying to do the same this year," Magnier said.
"He's getting the best chance at stud by getting the best mares and so we are going to keep trying to get the best mares for him."
"He's getting the best chance at stud by getting the best mares." - Tom Magnier
Magnier said Samaready very much fitted the mould.
"A mare like her, she ticks every box. She's a great racemare, she's a great physical, she's got the pedigree and she is proven. She's ideal and when you put her to a champion like Justify, hopefully the result will be exciting," he said.
Booker also headed to Justify
Coolmore also held sway through a tense dual to secure G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Booker for $1.6 million and she too is destined to go to Justify.
Offered by Yarran Thoroughbreds on behalf of her owners Barrie and Midge Griffiths, who paid $230,000 for her from Mill Park Stud's draft at the 2016 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, she was the first lot of the session to break through the million-dollar mark.
Booker was purchased for $1.6 million
The daughter of Written Tycoon looked to be sold on several occasions, but Coolmore held its nerve and Magnier won the day.
"Booker is one of the best speed mares we have seen in Australia in recent times and physically we all rated her extremely highly. She is a stunning mare," Magnier said.
"The first Justify foals in the Northern Hemisphere are absolutely outstanding, so the initial plan is for her to visit him this year."
Booker when winning the G1 Oakleigh Plate
Booker's full brother Banquo, a one-time $600,000 yearling, is also a stakes winner, while their dam Noondie (Flying Spur), sold for $600,000 at last year's Inglis Chairman's Sale. Magnier was also the buyer of Booker's three-quarter-brother by Capitalist at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, paying $380,000 for him.
The $1.6 million result was a significant one for the Griffiths, who celebrated with John and Rachel Doherty from Yarran Thoroughbreds.
"We are very pleased that she has gone to a good stud." - Barrie Griffiths
"She's was a wonderful yearling, quite an outstanding type and we are very pleased that she has gone to a good stud," Barrie Griffiths said.
"We are all pretty excited here. We were just hoping that she would go to a good home and have a future with a new stud. She's had a great racing career and Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra did a great job with her on the track and we are hoping now she can enjoy her life as a mum."
Yoshida strikes to secure Youngstar and Noire
Japan's Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, struck twice to secure top-quality mares, including $1.4 million for G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar, who was offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge.
It what was an intriguing battle for the final million-dollar lot of the night, the second bid shot straight to $1 million before Yoshida, bidding online, and another bidder on the phone, settled down to fight it out for Youngstar and the High Chaparral (Ire) mare is now set to head overseas.
Not only is she a million-dollar earner, a Group 1 winner and twice Group 1 placed, she is also the older three-quarter sister to another Group 1 winning filly in Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), while another half-sister, Baggy Green (Galileo {Ire}), is the dam of recent G1 All Aged S. winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}.
"We were absolutely delighted and it's been a wonderful journey for us," part-owner Arthur Inglis said. "It's been an absolute privilege to have been associated with her. She's just a wonderful thoroughbred and she's a beautiful animal and she will be a great addition to any broodmare band."
Group 2 winner and recent Group 1 placegetter Noire (Foxwedge) was also secured by Yoshida, who paid $800,000 for the mare formerly owned by Star Thoroughbreds and offered by Glenesk Thoroughbreds.
Noire
From a family which includes stakes-winners Global Quest (More Than Ready {USA}), Timbourina (Timber Country {USA}), Media (Gilded Time {USA}) and Cardinal Virtue (Elusive Quality {USA}), she was a $135,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase who earned nearly $700,000 with seven wins across 33 starts.
While Newgate, Magnier and Yoshida dominated as buyers, the combination of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and Sheamus Mills Bloodstock spent $1.87 million across four mares, including $750,000 for Samara Dancer (NZ) (Hinchinbrook), in foal to Trapeze Artist, and $620,000 for the Group 3 winner Lubiton (Snitzel), who is in foal to I Am Invincible. Both mares will go to I Am Invincible this year.
Webster hails successful Sale in tough times
Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said given the broader economic uncertainty and the fact the Chairman's Sale had to be conducted in a non-traditional virtual format, the results were a great success.
"To have achieved the results that we have had, with no horses on the grounds and no buyers here, it’s very satisfying to have a sale where we have sold four for over a million and we have had competition from around the world," he said.
Despite an empty auditorium Mark Webster hailed the sale a success | Image courtesy of Inglis
"This Sale is a boutique, elite sale like others around the world and I think we have demonstrated you can sell these types of elite mares in this environment regardless of what happening around the world.
"For a sale to average $435,000 in a global health crisis and in what is becoming an economic crisis is quite startling."
Webster said the challenges around the clearance rate were to be expected in a breeding sales environment where there is less pressure to sell stock as there would be in a yearling sale.
"The breeders can hold onto these horses, whereas when they have a yearling they generally want to move them on and let somebody else take over the racing costs and education. In this case, the breeders don’t have the compulsion to have to do that," he said.
Fundamentalist fell just shy of her $1 million reserve
The two mares to pass in at a high price were Sword Of Light (New Approach {Ire}), who was offered by Hesket Bloodstock, but fell $100,000 short of her $1 million reserve, and Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt), who went to $875,000, when offered to dissolve a partnership, but was unable to get sold through the ring, with her reserve again at $1 million.
Webster expects the clearance rate to lift over the weekend as deals are reached to sell those mares who got very close to their reserves.
"I have no doubt over this weekend, we are going to sell quite a few of those passed in horses. All of our team are working Saturday and Sunday because we have got that Broodmare Sale coming up, they are going to be here and taking calls and I wouldn't be surprised to see that the clearance rate is over 70 per cent by Monday, which would be a really healthy result," he said.
Top lots
| 42 | Mare | In Her Time | Time Thief | Hell It's Hot | NA | Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | Newgate Bloodstock NSW | $2,000,000 |
| 73 | Mare(+) | Samaready | More Than Ready (USA) | Samar | Snitzel | Vinery Stud, Scone | T Magnier NSW | $1,800,000 |
| 31 | Mare | Booker | Written Tycoon | Noondie | NA | Yarran Thoroughbreds, Seymour, Vic | T Magnier NSW | $1,600,000 |
| 78 | Mare | Youngstar | High Chaparral (IRE) | Starspangled (IRE) | NA | Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone | K Yoshida JAPAN | $1,400,000 |
| 55 | Mare | Noire | Foxwedge | Valadon | NA | Glenesk Thoroughbreds, Mount Vincent | K Yoshida JAPAN | $800,000 |
| 8 | Mare(+) | Samara Dancer (NZ) | Hinchinbrook | Ennerdale (GB) | Trapeze Artist | Widden Stud, Widden Valley | Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) / Longwood Thoroughbred Farm VIC | $750,000 |
| 26 | Mare(+) | Adrift (NZ) | Zabeel (NZ) | Stray (NZ) | Merchant Navy | Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone | Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) NSW | $700,000 |
| 87 | Mare | Volpe Veloce | Foxwedge | Bardego | NA | Volpe Veloce Partnership, Matamata, NZ | Newgate Bloodstock NSW | $675,000 |
| 48 | Mare(+) | Lubiton | Snitzel | Rosa Stellata (NZ) | I Am Invincible | Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) / Longwood Thoroughbred Farm VIC | $620,000 |
| 86 | Mare(+) | Happy Hannah | More Than Ready (USA) | Absolute Joy (NZ) | Zoustar | Strawberry Hill Stud, Mt White | Hof | $560,000 |
Top vendor by aggregate
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 4 | $3,060,000 | $765,000 | $2,000,000 | $455,000 |
| Glenesk Thoroughbreds, Mount Vincent | 10 | $2,860,000 | $286,000 | $800,000 | $235,000 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone | 2 | $2,075,000 | $1,037,500 | $1,800,000 | $1,037,500 |
| Yarran Thoroughbreds, Seymour, Vic | 1 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone | 1 | $1,400,000 | $1,400,000 | $1,400,000 | $1,400,000 |
| Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone | 3 | $1,315,000 | $438,333 | $700,000 | $340,000 |
| Newgate Consignment, Aberdeen | 5 | $1,090,000 | $218,000 | $275,000 | $250,000 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley | 2 | $980,000 | $490,000 | $750,000 | $490,000 |
| Baystone Farm, Gnarwarre, Vic | 3 | $975,000 | $325,000 | $400,000 | $300,000 |
| Luskin Park Stud, Luskintyre (Unreserved Dispersal) | 3 | $910,000 | $303,333 | $400,000 | $280,000 |
Top vendor by average
| Vinery Stud, Scone | 2 | $1,037,500 | $2,075,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,037,500 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 4 | $765,000 | $3,060,000 | $2,000,000 | $455,000 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley | 2 | $490,000 | $980,000 | $750,000 | $490,000 |
| Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone | 3 | $438,333 | $1,315,000 | $700,000 | $340,000 |
| Strawberry Hill Stud, Mt White | 2 | $430,000 | $860,000 | $560,000 | $430,000 |
| Baystone Farm, Gnarwarre, Vic | 3 | $325,000 | $975,000 | $400,000 | $300,000 |
| Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains | 2 | $312,500 | $625,000 | $375,000 | $312,500 |
| Luskin Park Stud, Luskintyre (Unreserved Dispersal) | 3 | $303,333 | $910,000 | $400,000 | $280,000 |
| Glenesk Thoroughbreds, Mount Vincent | 10 | $286,000 | $2,860,000 | $800,000 | $235,000 |
| Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford | 3 | $236,667 | $710,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 |
Top buyers
| Newgate Bloodstock | NSW | 8 | $4,355,000 | $544,375 | $2,000,000 | $310,000 |
| T Magnier | NSW | 2 | $3,400,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,700,000 |
| K Yoshida | JAPAN | 2 | $2,200,000 | $1,100,000 | $1,400,000 | $1,100,000 |
| Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) / Longwood Thoroughbred Farm | VIC | 3 | $1,600,000 | $533,333 | $750,000 | $620,000 |
| James Bester Bloodstock | NSW | 2 | $755,000 | $377,500 | $380,000 | $377,500 |
| Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) | NSW | 1 | $700,000 | $700,000 | $700,000 | $700,000 |
| Hall of Fame Bloodstock Pty Ltd | Queensland | 1 | $560,000 | $560,000 | $560,000 | $560,000 |
| Fernrigg Farm Pty Ltd | NSW | 1 | $550,000 | $550,000 | $550,000 | $550,000 |
| Lustre Lodge / Greenhaven / Astute Bloodstock | NSW | 2 | $550,000 | $275,000 | $300,000 | $275,000 |
| Trapeze Artist Syndicate | NSW | 2 | $510,000 | $255,000 | $280,000 | $255,000 |
