Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

At A Glance

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Coolmore's Tom Magnier paid the top price of $1.5 million for a colt by Not A Single Doubt.

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Spendthrift Australia struck late on to secure a quality colt by Written Tycoon for $1.2 million.

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Newhaven Park celebrated a $1.05 million result with a grey son of Snitzel purchased by Kitchwin Hills.

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The Sale continued to perform above market expectation, with the average at $255,142, up from $250,221 at the same stage last year.

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The clearance rate has sat at 88 per cent for most of the week and remains at that mark.

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The median is steady at $180,000, the same level it was at in 2020.

Magnier beats Fung/Phoenix partnership to quality colt

Coolmore's Tom Magnier beat the Tony Fung Investments/Phoenix Thoroughbreds partnership in a spirited bidding war to secure Lot 811, the colt by Not A Single Doubt offered by Sledmere Stud for $1.5 million.

The Fung/Phoenix partnership has made no secret of their desire for colts by the now pensioned Arrowfield Stud stallion this week, buying seven of his sons this week, but Coolmore won the day on this occasion, with Magnier getting the last bid in.

The colt, which was bred by Rifa Mustang, is out of Soleil Brulant (I Am Invincible), the unraced half-sister to Harlem River (Fastnet Rock), who won a Listed 2-year-old race in the Coolmore colours.

“It’s a great family, he’s a great individual and he comes from one of the top farms in Sledmere. Their yearlings just look incredible and Royston and Treen (Murphy) are great breeders and we’ve bought horses there before with a deal of success, so we will go back to the well again and hopefully we get a bit of luck" Magnier said.

“James Bester, I and the whole team really liked this colt, so he will go to Chris (Waller) and hopefully we will have a runner here in the race next year."

The second dam is a half-sister to three stakes winners, as well as the dams of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, now a Coolmore stallion, and multiple Group 1 winner In Her Time (Time Thief).

“It is a family we know very well. Yes Yes Yes got great support this season and a lot is going to happen in that family, it’s getting bigger and bigger. We’re fortunate that we’ve got a really great bunch of investors, and great friends in this horse," Magnier said.

“We are in the game of trying to make stallions and they (Coolmore-bought lots) were popular horses, so as I say, we’re racing him with a great bunch of people trying to find the next stallion."

Soleil Brulant was purchased by Rifa Mustang for $180,000 as a yearling at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, and while she never raced, she was added to their broodmare band with this her first foal. She has since missed to Rubick and went to Yes Yes Yes last year.

"It's always nerve wracking when you get a good colt like that. We have loved him from day one. He is by far the best horse I have ever brought to this Sale," Sledmere Stud's Royston Murphy said.

"You have good expectations of horses but it has been a hard sale to read. Some horses you think you might get a little overs and you don’t. Others, you think they are about the price and you get overs.

"He was a horse that everyone loved. You could not help but love him. He was just one of those horses. But to have an auction like that, with a bit of theatre. It was exciting and people were on and they were off."

It was the second time in 12 months Sledmere Stud has sold a seven-figure lot to Coolmore, having fetched $1.8 million for a Snitzel colt at the Easter Sale last year.

"It's a great result for Rifa Mustang, who have been with us for a good few years now. They have about 20 mares. It's great for them to entrust us with these horses and to get a result like that is great," Murphy said.

"You know that when Coolmore get a horse they are going to get absolutely every chance. They take time with their horses and they do the right thing with their horses. For us that is important. We love to see these horses come to the right place. It gives those mares chances going forward.

"I'm delighted Tom and the team were able to get him. They got a good one off us last year and it was great to see them get another one."

Demand for Not A Single Doubt continues

Not A Single Doubt remains the leading sire on average for the Sale, on $619,375 across 16 lots, clear of I Am Invincible on $535,122 (41). I Am Invincible is the highest-grossing stallion of the Sale to date on $21.94 million, clear of Snitzel on $18.17 million (39 sales).

The colt takes Magnier's spend for the week to $4.905 million across five lots, including three of the top four sold.

While the Fung/Phoenix partnership was thwarted on this occasion, they are still the leading buyers of the Sale, having purchased 15 horses for a total of $10.375 million, including Lot 768, another Not A Single Doubt colt for $340,000, and Lot 828, a colt by Fastnet Rock, for $650,000.

Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, whose top lot on Friday was the $800,000 it paid for Lot 866, a colt by I Am Invincible out of Tahni Dancer (Sebring) from Rosemont Stud, remain the most prolific buyer having built their numbers to 32 for the Sale, spending a combined $9.495 million. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, in conjunction with Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds, have picked up 23 for a total of $7.39 million.

Colt's destiny Written for Spendthrift

Spendthrift Australia has enjoyed considerable recent success with recent G2 Schillaci S. winner Dirty Work, a son of Written Tycoon, and is looking to repeat the dose with Lot 869, a colt offered by Emirates Park from the Medaglia D'Oro (USA) mare Taqaseem, the half-sister to Group 1 winner Sense Of Occasion (Street Sense {USA}).

Having paid $1.2 million for the penultimate lot of the fourth day, Spendthrift Australia Garry Cuddy was rapt to have secured the colt.

"I think we have had a very high opinion of this horse since the first time we laid eyes in him. As Emirates will tell you, we’ve been back every day to look at him. He's really well presented by them and we are really happy to have him join the team," he said.

"When a stallion works for you, with the success we have had with Dirty Work, and a horse walks out and he has similar attributes to that horse, you have to take him seriously. In this market he has obviously made his money, but we are very happy to have him.

"The Written Tycoons aren’t your typical jump-and-run early 2-year-old types. We will slot him into the system, take our time with him and as they always do, the horse will tell us what he wants to do and we will go along with him for the ride."

It was the second seven-figure lot of the week for Emirates Park, who sold Lot 612, a colt by Not A Single Doubt, for $1.8 million on Thursday.

"He was a very popular colt from Not A Single Doubt’s family. He’s an exceptional-moving colt. We came into the Sale thinking he was going to sell well, but to get another million-dollar colt and be on top of averages was just outstanding," Emirates Park General Manager, Bryan Carlson, said.

“You couldn’t ask for a better international farm than Spendthrift, so for Emirates to work with Spendthrift and we have just asked if we can stay in. We look forward to the future with him.”

The dam, Taqaseem, since missed to Rubick and last year visited Pride Of Dubai.

Emirates Park leads all vendors on average on $596,667 with five yearlings sold, while Silverdale has also had an excellent Sale, averaging $535,000. Arrowfield Stud retains its lead as leading vendor on aggregate with $13.42 million for 42 sold, ahead of Coolmore Stud, with 41 sold to date for $11.435 million.

Hawkes get their fill of Tycoons

Hawkes Racing was underbidder on the Written Tycoon colt, but will most likely end up training him. It had already secured another of the now Arrowfield Stud-based stallion's sons, paying $750,000 for Lot 739 from the draft of Woodside Stud, out of the imported mare Salamati (Dubawi {Ire}).

"We had a little bloke called Ole Kirk have a little trial this morning and I think we all know he's the best colt in the country thus far as far as the spring goes, there's a little bit to go in the autumn. He wasn't exactly like Ole Kirk this bloke, but he wasn't dissimilar either," Wayne Hawkes said.

"We have had a good run, with Dirty Work, and a nice filly that won on Oaks Day called Written Beauty. He's flying at the moment, Written Tycoon, and I'm very lucky with my family to have three quality horses in the Sydney stable at the moment.

"This colt looks like a 2-year-old that will probably furnish into a 3-year-old. We all want him to do what Ole Kirk did, winning a stakes race at two and go on at three."

It was a record result for Written Tycoon's former base at Woodside Park, with CEO James Price pleased with the outcome.

"We saved the best until last. We’ve been here for two weeks and brought four lovely horses up here," Price said.

"We thought that he was a beautiful physical that they look for in the Sale. Sharp, balanced, obviously by one of the best stallions in the country. He had a reserve of below 500 and to make 750, we’re absolutely delighted. It's a record for Woodside Park Stud. The whole team are very excited, us here and those back on the farm as well."

Grey Snitzel snapped up by Kitchwin Hills

The third million-dollar lot of the day, Lot 852, a Snitzel colt out of stakes-placed Supara (Domesday), from the draft of Newhaven Park, went to a partnership led by Kitchwin Hills for $1.05 million.

The spectacular grey handled the moment perfectly, demonstrating his impeccable temperament in the ring as several bidders fought for the right to take him home.

Kitchwin Hills' Stud Manager Mick Malone said the Snitzel colt had long been admired by his syndicate of buyers.

“He is a beautiful horse. He’s a lovely, lovely colt and he is going to (be raced) by a group of guys to spread a bit of risk, so to speak. The minute I saw him, I loved him and we’ve had a bit of luck with the Snitzels. He just had that shape and that look and that Domesday cross, we know it works. He is from a really good farm," he said.

Gerald Ryan, who trained the sire as well as his multiple Group-winning sire son Trapeze Artist and many other successful progeny of Snitzel, will assume training duties with the colt.

“Gerald will be training and he was part of the whole things and he was on the team and there’s no better man than Gerald when he picks up a Snitzel," Malone said.

Malone said the colt's laconic demeanour was a significant part of his appeal.

“Temperament is so important, so if they can keep walking around here (the parade ring) like they did the first time, it’s a big tick. He just rolled out every time. I don’t know if you saw him out the back here but nothing fazed it. With that sort of money, you’ve just got to hope you’re on the right one," he said.

Newhaven Park's John Kelly said it was a massive result for the farm, which had bred the dam from stakes-placed Unabated (Encosta De Lago).

"It’s really thrilling for our farm and everything. We bred and raced the mother and then to breed him and come here and get that money for a horse is always very exciting," he said.

"I don't think when you put a horse in the ring, you think they are going to break the million. You think they are going to sell well. You just hope they are going to sell really well and he did that. We are thrilled that he is going to Gerald Ryan, and it’s just a great result.

"It’s just such a great reward for all the people at Newhaven that put in so much. We have sold a few. We have had a bit of luck up here, selling the odd horse for a bit of money. It’s a difficult thing to do."

Supara produced a Written Tycoon filly last year before visiting Capitalist.

Strong finish sets scene for final day of Book 1

Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch was delighted with how the day ended up, with a series of strong sales inside the final hour.

"It was great end to the day, wasn't it? From my perspective, I thought it would be an achievement to hold average and hold clearance rate today, and we've done that." he said.

"We raised the bar higher at the start of the week and it’s continued all the way through. To have the depth in the market late today and eclipse last year's Book 1 gross by a significant margin so far is a thrill, when you consider we have got tomorrow night to go.

"I'm really thrilled for Emirates Park, they have bought two outstanding colts to the Sale, and for them to not only sell them, but lead the averages as vendors is a fantastic result, given the fact they haven't sold under their own name for quite a while."

Harron continues to spend

James Harron continued to add to his collection for the Sale, picking up Lot 772, a colt by Snitzel out of Sewreel (NZ) (Savabeel) from the Arrowfield Stud draft for $800,000, taking his spending to $5.275 million across seven lots.

"I saw him back at the farm in on-farm inspections and I really loved the colt the whole way since. He had great shape, really good depth of girth, lovely and wide through his hind legs. He had a lovely big hip on him. I'm really pleased to get him. Given the market conditions, I thought he was a fair price," Harron said.

The colt's dam was a Listed winner in New Zealand and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Fabric (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), from the family of Group 1 winner Lachlan River (NZ) (Desert King {Ire}).

Gai gets top filly

The top-priced filly of the day went to Waterhouse, Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, who paid $750,000 for Lot 705, for a filly by Not A Single Doubt out of Rhodamine (Success Express {USA}) from the draft of Silverdale Farm.

"At the moment I think she’s the Golden Slipper-Magic Millions winner. She just took our attention from the moment we saw her on the farm up in the Highlands of New South Wales," Waterhouse said.

“She’s been on elevated ground, she’s got lovely scope and size and she’s just gone ahead since we saw her. We kept finding we were going back to her. A group of guys have come together on her. They want to race her, they want to have fun and they certainly have it with her."

The filly was initially purchased by Suman Hedge Bloodstock and Grand Bloodstock for $230,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale last July.

Day 5 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the final session of Book 1, begins at 6pm (AEST) on Saturday.

Top lots

Top buyers

Top vendors by aggregate

Top vendors by average (3 or more sold)

Top sires by aggregate

Top sires by average (3 or more sold)

Prior has structured his jockey management business so his clients don’t meet head-to-head too often, but with Glen Boss to ride Away Game and Ryan Maloney aboard Isotope, the $2 million feature race will have extra interest.

Adding an extra layer of intrigue will be another Prior client, Nash Rawiller on $101 shot Kavak (Deep Field).

The Magic Millions 2YO Classic will also see Prior's two high-profile clients, Boss and Rawiller, clash aboard their respective rides Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) and Baby Wong (Press Statement).

Prior, who previously worked as the long-time racing manager of Chris Waller, launched his Prior Management Group around 18 months ago, and has since expanded his stable of jockey clients to five.

"When I finished with Chris Waller, it coincided with Nash returning from Hong Kong and Glen Boss returning from Singapore. They were initially the guys I was looking after," Prior told TDN AusNZ from the Magic Millions sales complex this week.

"I had always had an ambition to work in the sports management space. I was very fortunate to be taking on two world-class riders at the beginning. From there, we had good success, better than we could have imagined at the beginning.

"We came through a good spring carnival and then Campbell Rawiller came on board. Obviously he is Nash's son, and Nash and he asked me to take him on. At the same time, Ryan Maloney approached me from Brisbane and Michael Walker from Melbourne. I was doing Brad Rawiller, but he has since moved to Perth."

Gallery: Prior Management Group's riders

Prior wants to offer much more than just an agency by which riders can secure rides. His vision is to provide a full service offering to his clients that allows them to focus on what they do best.

"The idea was to build a team of high-quality riders, guys who had compatible relationships and people I can work with," he said.

"My idea around getting into this was to look to evolve the way jockeys are managed and try to offer a full service for them, in line with what managers offer in other sports. I want to almost have that level of being a concierge for my riders. We look to take away all the mundane tasks, that they don't have to worry about, so they can focus on their riding."

The modern jockey working lifestyle has evolved to become a seven-day-a-week pursuit in recent years and Prior said it was the role of a good manager to take away as much stress as possible from their clients.

"Nowadays, people are so busy with their riding, whether it be trials, racing or trackwork. I want to try and take as much work off them as I can, and let them do what they are best at and what they enjoy doing," he said.

"It’s a big trust thing. You really have to trust that communication to keep foundations around it. I'm very fortunate that the guys I represent are very decent, good people and they have placed their trust in me to run their careers. You can't take a privilege like that lightly."

The Boss Man

Boss has made a substantial impression since returning from Singapore in mid-2019. Despite being 51, he remains at the top of his game and in 2020 won five Group 1 races, the Newmarket H. and Darley Sprint Classic on Bivouac (Exceed And Excel), the Cox Plate on Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the Australian Oaks on Colette (Hallowed Crown) and the Sydney Cup on Etah James (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}).

Working with Boss has given Prior a real insight into what makes him such an elite performer on the big stages of racing.

"Everyone knows Bossy is a star but until I had the opportunity to work closely with him, I don’t think I really understood how much mental preparation goes into accounting for the pressure they have to absorb when riding on the big stage," he said.

"He is probably better at it than anyone. He's the ultimate professional in the way he prepares for racing. On the big stage, he absorbs and handles that pressure better than most. That's why he has been able to convert in big high-pressure races."

Boss has rides in eight of the nine races at the Gold Coast on Saturday, picking up the ride on Ranch Hand in the 2-year-old after his initial ride Fake Love (I Am Invincible) was scratched. The 2YO Classic is one of only a few major Australian races that Boss hasn't won and Prior said that only gives him more motivation to succeed.

"He feeds off the adrenaline that gives him. You look at him this week, he gets into the zone. He's not backward in coming forward in the way he promotes himself and that helps him get in the zone," he said.

"I think ultimately, his horses feed off that. More times than not, he's in the right place and converts. You see it any great sports people, be they Johnathan Thurston, Alfie Langer, Andrew Johns or Darren Lockyer, they put themselves in the position to get that clutch moment when it presents to them."

Nash cut from a different cloth

Rawiller is a very different personality from Boss, but he too has made a significant impact since returning from Hong Kong, winning three Group 1 races in 2020. The Metropolitan on Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the George Ryder S. on Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock) and Canterbury S. on The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}).

The 46-year-old has not lost any of his hunger and also has eight rides on Saturday. He is also looking win the 2YO Classic for the first time.

'When Nash retuned to Sydney. I think people, in some ways, had forgotten how dominant he was before he went to Hong Kong. He was Australia's best rider. He was the premier rider in Sydney, as a horseman and riding talent. I still to this day think it would be hard to find anyone better in Australia," he said.

"He's got the innate ability to get horses to lift underneath him. His consistency, aggression and competitiveness makes him a different beast all together."

Maloney back for Guineas redemption

Maloney had his biggest-ever day on the racetrack on this day last year when he guided Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) to victory in the 3YO Guineas, only for the horse to lose the race later on after a positive swab.

Alligator Blood would later give Maloney his first Group 1 win in the Australian Guineas, while the experienced hoop has since formed a strong relationship with Isotope, winning the Listed Mode Plate and the Listed Gold Edition Plate ahead of her tilt at the 3YO Guineas on Saturday.

"He's incredibly underrated as a rider. His strike rate in Queensland is around 30 per cent and that is in the same realm of someone like Willie Pike," he said.

"He's an understated type of guy, but an extremely talented rider. We are now seeing him getting the opportunities in good races that he deserves, and he's another that has shown he can handle the pressure moments.

"I think he will only continue to get those opportunities, irrespective of whether he was in Melbourne and Sydney. He could match it in any jockeys room anywhere in Australia. He's such a talent and very underrated."

Pushing the profile

While the success of his current crop of clients speaks for itself, Prior has looked to help push their profile on social media as well, knowing the audience is out there to consume content on those platforms.

"I have been trying to professionalise everything that we're doing together. When I first started doing this, I didn't think it was a good idea to look at promoting myself as part of that. I was a relative newbie to that space, and you've got to back it up," he said.

"I think now with each of them having their foothold in their respective jurisdictions and competing at the highest level. We wanted to up the ante and promote their achievements.

"It seems that racing's participation on social media, as opposed to traditional media formats, has become bigger and bigger every year. We can get into that space and promote the people that are riding for us, which then flows into promoting the broader public. We all have a duty to promote our sport to ensure it's longevity."

Another method of promotion that Prior has worked on with Boss is through ambassadorships.

"Glen's an ambassador for Maserati Australia and that's the first Australian ambassador for them in any form. To give a global brand and luxury car brand like that an inside into racing, it’s important. It’s our duty to create new paths for new brands and new people to have an interest in the sport," he said.

Getting the recognition they deserve

Prior's long-term aim is to give jockeys the opportunity to develop the same level of profile as Australia's other leading athletes.

"You’d like to see them put in the realm of other high-profile athletes in Australia, because they deserve that. They train hard and they are at the same level as a lot of those guys," he said.

"From a commercial and corporate perspective, they probably aren't recognised at that level. That's why it's important to push them into that space. That's what I am trying to do in my management business."

Prior is unlikely to expand his management base to many more jockeys in the coming 12 months but does see a longer-term opportunity to move into management of other athletes as well.

"I think it’s important not to have too many conflicts of interest in the independent jurisdictions you are working in. That's why the balance at the moment, seems right across the states," he said.

"From where we have started, I have got ambitions to grow in other sports and other areas in time. I've done my apprenticeship in that space and that’s where we have started in at the moment. The benefit of this game, is that you can work through a network of contacts in many lines of business."

The 6-year-old, Spring Heat, will be taking aim for the second time at the G1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph after suffering an interrupted passage in the race 12 months ago before powering home late for third.

The mare has also traditionally been given plenty of time to get over her races, but will be produced on Saturday off the back of her sixth placing at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day in the G1 Railway.

“We don’t often train mares this old because they are generally in the breeding barn. It’s taken us a little by surprise how much she has taken to come up this season,” said Andrew Scott, who prepares Spring Heat with Lance O’Sullivan.

“If anything, we think she has continued to improve with every run. We’re not saying she has improved a great deal out of the Railway, but she hasn’t taken a backward step.”

Spring Heat, whose sister was sold by Sledmere Stud to trainer Kelly Schweida for $380,000 during Wednesday’s session at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, didn’t have all favours in the Railway from an awkward gate and was held up in traffic twice in the closing 600 metres.

“The way the race was run didn’t set it up for horses that were beyond midfield and that’s horse racing, that’s the way it can go, but her performance pleased us,” Scott said.

“She’s had a great last 10 days and this is the first time she has backed up in her life. We’ve always kept her races spaced, but for no particular reason.

“She seems to have come through the Railway the best of any of the races she’s had and that’s a sign of maturity.”

Spring Heat, the Group 3 winner of the King’s Plate and Bonecrusher S., rushed home for third in last year’s Telegraph behind Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa), both race rivals again.

“She’s going to run into a similar field to last year so one thing we know is she does the course and she does the trip,” Scott said.

“We’re confident she is there in good form and it just comes down to luck on the day. While luck wasn’t on our side last time, we’ve got to hope it falls on our shoulder this weekend.

“That’s what it comes down to in these big races, who gets the best draws and best runs and we’ve got to hope it falls our way.”

Spring Heat will be partnered by Craig Grylls and they will jump from barrier four in the feature sprint.

“The draw is definitely a big help, absolutely, it gives her a chance not to spend a penny through the first quarter of the race,” Scott said.

Hot Derby prospect

Spring Heat is raced by Hermitage Thoroughbreds, who also own stablemate Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock), an impressive last-start winner of the G2 Auckland Guineas in his first appearance since running fifth in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in the spring.

“He handled his run well on the firmest ground he’s hit because he raced through the spring on yielding ground. He’s a big colt with a great constitution and handles his racing well,” Scott said.

“It didn’t surprise us that he’d run a mile out like that, that’s his genetics, and he’s a naturally fit horse. We were very hopeful of a performance like that, but maybe not expecting it.”

Rocket Spade will now make two more appearances before the G1 New Zealand Derby on March 6.

“We’re looking to run him in an open 2000 metre race on February 3 at Te Rapa and then we’ll go to the G2 Avondale Guineas. Hopefully, he’s still going in a manner that he will race competitively in the Derby,” Scott said.

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland

Fireworks end Sale

The dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa Jnr, along with the Sam-Son broodmare dispersal which dominated much of Tuesday’s action, provided the Sale with one last round of fireworks late in the day on Thursday with a bevy of high-priced racehorse prospects.

Leading the way was Carillo (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) (Hip 1566) who sold for US$875,000 (AU$1.2 million) to bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client and is likely to join Tom Amoss’ stable.

West Point Thoroughbreds and DJ Stable teamed up to purchase Graded stakes winner Turned Aside (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) (Hip 1563) for US$725,000 (AU$933,000). That 4-year-old colt is expected to join the barn of trainer Mark Casse.

“The January Sale of 2021 went off very, very well,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “We appreciate the trust given to us by the people who had dispersals. Mr. Pompa’s racehorses sold very well, which we expected. They were well-received in the marketplace. Overall, I thought the Sale went very well.”

Over the course of four days, Keeneland sold 963 horses for a total of US$45,522,100 (AU$58.6 million). The average was US$47,271 (AU$60,855) and the median was US$15,000 (AU$19,300). Forty-four horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$257,500) or over.

During the five-day 2020 January Sale, 1050 horses sold for US$40,453,300 (AU$52 million). The average was US$38,527 (AU$49,600) and the median was US$13,000 (AU$16,700). Forty-two horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$257,500), led by the US$640,000 (AU$824,000) broodmare prospect Enaya Alrabb (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).

“The continued stability of the market is a testament to the hard work of all our sales participants, who have adjusted their operations and their expectations to meet the challenges of this unprecedented time,” Keeneland President, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Head of Sales, Shannon Arvin, said.

Held as it was in the midst of a pandemic and the ensuing travel restrictions and economic uncertainties, consignors seemed content just to be holding an auction.

“Whether we like it or not, we are still in the middle of a pandemic,” said Hunter Valley Farm’s Adrian Regan. “And to be having a horse sale, one, is fantastic and then to have a market is even better. We wouldn’t be complaining about the state of the market considering what is going on in the world.”

Hunter Valley sold the top-priced yearling of the auction and enjoyed strong Book 1 results, but Regan acknowledged demand fell off in Book 2.

Internet bidding growing

The January Sale was the third auction at which Keeneland offered buyers the chance to bid online. The innovation, originally necessitated by the pandemic, continues to gain in popularity. A total of 1258 bids were received over the internet during the four days, with 109 horses sold online for gross receipts of US$3,106,900 (AU$4 million).

“It did prove popular once again,” Arvin said of the internet bidding. “That technology is important in 2021 and beyond.”

Russell added he was looking forward to welcoming crowds back to the normally bustling Keeneland sales pavilion.

“While we appreciate the ability to offer internet bidding for people who can’t be here, we are looking forward to the day when we can welcome everybody back to Keeneland,” he said. “We prefer them to be here. We enjoy their company and the hustle and the bustle it provides.”

Dispersals draw crowd

Tuesday’s second session of the auction was dominated by the dispersals of Sam-Son Farm and the estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jnr. The two dispersals shared the co-top price of the auction, with Sam-Son Farm’s Danceforthecause (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) (Hip 587) selling for US$925,000 (AU$1.2 million) to Gainesway Farm and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm paying that same amount for Regal Glory (USA) (Animal Kingdom {USA}) (Hip 587) from the Pompa dispersal.

Eleven horses sold for US$500,000 (AU$644,000) or over at the January Sale and all were from the two dispersals. A total of 21 Sam-Son broodmares sold for US$6,733,000 (AU$8.67 million) and an average of US$320,619 (AU$412,550).

The Pompa dispersal, handled by Lane’s End Farm, was responsible for the top six offerings during Thursday’s final session of the Sale. Overall, 38 horses from the late owner’s dispersal grossed US$6,790,200 (AU$8.74 million) for an average of US$178,689 (AU$230,000).

“The Sam-Son and Pompa dispersals are the legacies of two wonderful operations, and they infused a lot of positive energy into the January Sale,” Arvin said. “Dispersals are always bittersweet, but we are honoured that their families and connections entrusted Keeneland to present these dispersals and showcase their excellence.”

Lane’s End Farm was the auction’s leading consignor by gross, with 78 head sold for US$8,741,200 (AU$11.25 million).

Carillo stars in two roles

It was just a week ago that Carillo (USA) won at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown and followed that effort with a star turn in the sales ring at Keeneland on Thursday, selling for a session-topping US$875,000 (AU$1.2 million) to the bid of bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle.

Carlisle declined to name the client for whom she was buying, but said the Paul Pompa homebred will now head south to the New Orleans winter base of trainer Tom Amoss.

Pompa purchased Carillo’s unraced dam Proper Mad (USA) (Bernardini {USA}), with the future Rising Star in utero, for US$185,000 (AU$238,000) at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. The yearling’s third dam is Private Status (USA) (Alydar {USA}), dam of G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Status (USA).

“For just running last week and then coming on a van from New York for 12 hours, I thought he looked pretty good,” Carlisle said of her impressions of the colt at the sales barn. “He is a good-sized colt and fit. I would expect nothing less coming from Chad. He does a great job.

“When you are shopping for a 3-year-old colt before the Derby who broke his maiden like that, they are not going to be cheap. We knew that. You always want to buy them for less when you are at a live auction, but I wasn’t entirely surprised by the price.”

Turned Aside popular

Talented turf sprinter Turned Aside (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) proved quite popular, selling for US$725,000 (AU$933,500) after a spirited round of bidding. David Ingordo signed the ticket on Hip 1563 on behalf of a partnership between West Point Thoroughbreds and D J Stable.

“What a lovely horse,” West Point’s Terry Finley said. “We are partners with D J Stable. This is the second horse that we’ve bought together. We bought a newly turned 3-year-old right before the turn of the year. They are wonderful people.

“He will go to Mark Casse. When I said to Mark that he was a beautiful horse, he said, ‘I know. I know. He beat me several times in the last year.’ We are very excited.”

Consigned by Lane’s End as part of the complete dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jnr., Turned Aside captured two of his five starts during his 2019 juvenile campaign and kicked off 2020 with a second in the Sir Cat S. at Belmont in June.

A decisive winner of the G3 Quick Call S. next out in July, the Linda Rice trainee did not seem to take to the unconventional course at Kentucky Downs, finishing fifth in the G3 Franklin-Simpson S. in September. The Pompa homebred rebounded with another good-looking score in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship S.

The Pompa dispersal consisted of 39 horses, a mix of racehorses, broodmares and yearlings, who sold with no reserves. One horse did not receive any bids, but the other 38 sold for a gross of US$6,790,200 (AU$8.74 million) for an average of US$178,689 (AU$230,000).

“Mr. Pompa’s program has been meticulously managed and it shows,” Lane’s End Sales Director Allaire Ryan said. “It is nice to see the top agents and buyers giving these horses the respect they deserve. Mr. Pompa would be pleased.”