The sales company has undertaken significant discussion with the New South Wales Government, and in consultation with vendors and buyers, has opted to push back from its original date of October 12.

It sees the Ready2Race Sale retain its position as the first of the Australasian breeze-up sales season, with the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale to be held on November 8 and 9 and the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale to follow at Karaka on November 19 and 20.

Inglis’ Managing Director Mark Webster said the change in dates made sense given the levels of public vaccination in New South Wales were expected to edge towards the crucial threshold of 70 per cent by mid-October, which would allow some restrictions to be lifted.

“We have been in regular conversation with Deputy Premier John Barilaro, his department and NSW Health officials the past couple of months regarding this Sale and the continuity of our business operations to keep our industry on foot, but rest assured all activities are being conducted with the health and safety of our clients and staff as our paramount priority," Webster said.

“Thoroughbred racing has continued throughout this pandemic and it’s important that sales like this one continue to supply horses to support race fields, syndicators and training stables into the future.

“With the NSW Government set to ease restrictions once the double vaccinated population reaches 70 per cent by mid-October, we believe that the new date will allow us to maximise the number of buyers in attendance at the Sale."

The New South Wales Government confirmed its roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions recently, with the 70 per cent double vaccinated milestone to enable public events, with mandates in place around density and mask wearing.

On current projections, New South Wales is expected to reach 70 per cent of the adult population being fully vaccinated by October 14, with 80 per cent expected to be achieved by October 27.

As things stood on Tuesday, 78.76 per cent have had their first vaccination, and 46.48 per cent have been double vaccinated.

Inglis has confirmed it will be guided by public health directions surrounding vaccination status of attendees at the Sale.

“Regardless, the Sale will be held as a COVID-safe event with the backing and support of the NSW Government and we can’t wait to have people back on the grounds at Riverside for what will be one of the first events in Greater Sydney to be held post lockdown," Webster said.

Catalogue highly anticipated

The 185-strong Inglis Ready2Race catalogue was released last month, with the sales company claiming it as one of the strongest-ever breeze-up catalogues.

"I think primarily the strength of the catalogue comes from the calibre of people which have presented horses for the Sale. We work with a broad spectrum of very competitive horse people, who are experts in talent spotting and development of elite athletes," Inglis’ General Manager of Bloodstock Sales and Marketing, Sebastian Hutch, said at the time.

"We have got a very strong group of vendors for the Sale and I think that's exciting for people who are looking to buy."

There are 2-year-olds on offer from all of Australia's leading stallions, such as I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Exceed And Excel, Capitalist, Fastnet Rock, Pierro, Written Tycoon and Zoustar as well as first-season stallions such as Russian Revolution, Merchant Navy, Almanzor (Fr), Hellbent, Invader, Pariah, Highland Reel (Ire), Caravaggio (USA), Churchill (Ire) and Impending.

There are 66 2-year-olds in the catalogue which cost $50,000 or more as weanlings or yearlings, with 15 horses out of stakes-winning mares and 14 siblings to stakes winners.

The first breeze-up session took place at Seymour last Friday, with a colt by Russian Revolution out of Fiery Jest (Testa Rossa), offered by Valiant Stud, recording the fastest breeze-up time of 10.22s.

The next sessions will take place at Eagle Farm on Wednesday and Hawkesbury on Friday, while Cambridge will host New Zealand-based 2-year-olds on Monday, September 20.

The final breeze up session will now be held on Friday, October 22 at a venue to be confirmed in coming weeks.

The Sale has produced graduates such as dual Group 1 winner Nettoyer (Sebring), Group 2 winners Allibor (All Too Hard) and Lightsaber (Zoustar), multiple stakes winner Trumbull (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Group 2 winning-Hong Kong sprinter Wishful Thinker (I Am Invincible).

Sheamus steps up for Redoute's relation

Sheamus Mills has been no stranger to Keeneland over the years and while bidding from half a world away is a different experience, with a bit of help from a trusted judge, he secured the filly by Violence (USA) out of one of the best families in the Australian Studbook, Hip 190 from Glen Hill Farm, for US$200,000 (AU$272,000).

The filly's dam, Taste Of Heaven (Encosta De Lago) is the final foal from blue hen Shantha's Choice (Canny Lad), making her a sister to Group 1 winner and sire Manhattan Rain and Listed winner Echoes Of Heaven, a three-quarter sister to Swettenham Stud stallion Rubick and a half-sister to Champion stallion Redoute's Choice and Group 1 winner Platinum Scissors.

The filly was offered on behalf of her breeders LNJ Foxwoods and Craig Bernick. Taste Of Heaven, who was sold for $1.6 million to Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) through the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale in May, has produced the G3 Maple Leaf S. winner Heavenly Curlin (USA) (Curlin {USA}), who is sold for US$625,000 (AU$850,000) to Justin Casse at this Sale three yeas ago.

It wasn't until a couple of days ago that Mills, who keeps a close eye on sales across the world, was convinced he should make a play for a filly whose pedigree gives her considerable residual value in this part of the world.

"Looking through the catalogue, there were six or seven yearlings with an Australian connection this year, which was a bit more than usual. She was one that stood out on pedigree," he told TDN AusNZ.

"I had a mate look at her, got her vetted and everything, and we decided to have a go at her. My contact over there, Jared Hughes, and he has a good eye for what works in Australia and what I like.

"The hard thing I find with photos and videos and the like is just knowing that they aren't just well-shot videos and that can be the case. I would always prefer that someone I know gives me a nod."

Mills has also had experience purchasing the progeny of Violence, the Grade 1-winning son of Medaglia D'Oro (USA), who stands at Hill 'N' Dale Farm, before having purchased Fairway Lady (USA) as a broodmare at Keeneland in 2018.

"I don’t think we made a lot of money when we sold her on the Gold Coast, but I thought she was an absolutely smashing type, and she has since had an outstanding foal, which doesn't surprise me," he said.

"That's what grabbed my attention with her. I'm a big Medaglia D'Oro fan, I think he's done an outstanding job out here. I particularly like his fillies."

Price is right for War Front filly

Mills' filly will head to Australia to the stables of Mick Price, and will be joined by Hip 46, a War Front (USA) filly who was consigned by Four Stars Sales and sold for US$275,000 (AU$374,000).

She is the second War Front yearling that Price has purchased in the United States this year after he secured a colt for US$250,000 (AU$340,00) at the recent Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

Price's international buying strategy is being spearheaded by co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr, who is casting the net far and wide for possible stable acquisitions.

This filly boasts a star international pedigree, being out of G3 Ballyogan S, winner Liscanna (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}). That mare has already produced two Group 1 winners by War Front in Brave Anna (USA), who won a G1 Cheveley Park S., and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf S. winner Hit A Bomb (USA). Both of those horses were trained by Aidan O'Brien.

"I had no idea Mick had bought his one until I bought mine this morning," Mills said. "It works out well because they can partner up now on the way back. It appears Mick has given Michael Kent Jnr a bit of free rein to buy over there.

"I feel the American market is under-utilised. I have had a lot of luck there over the years buying mares and breeding yearlings out of American mares. "

Allen comes out on top for Echo Zulu sister

Northshore Bloodstock's Alan Quartucci, acting on behalf of owner Joe Allen, was the first to sign a seven-figure ticket at the Sale as he went to US$1.4 million (AU$1.904 million) to secure Hip 43, an American Pharoah (USA) half-sister to leading juvenile filly Echo Zulu (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}).

The May 8 foal was consigned to the Sale by Bill Betz's Betz Thoroughbreds and bred on an apparent foal share by Betz, J. Betz, Burns, CHNNHK, CoCo Equine, Ramsby and Ashford Stud.

“She looks like a real runner,” Quartucci said. “She has a fantastic pedigree that's still going forward every day. The filly who won in Saratoga was amazing. She was the whole package, I think.”

Quartucci said the filly would likely end up in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

A US$300,000 (AU$408,000) purchase here 12 months ago, Echo Zulu was turned over to Steve Asmussen by L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds and won the G1 Spinaway S. on September 5 and looms the likely favourite for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at this stage.

Hip 43's dam Letgomyecho (USA) (Menifee {USA}) has also produced G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. winner Echo Town (USA), now a member of Coolmore's stallion roster, and Grade 3 winner J Boys Echo (USA).

“She is a lovely filly,” Betz said of Hip 43 last week. “She has strength, balance, good movement and temperament. She also has pedigree. Obviously, the mother was a Graded stakes winner and produced Graded stakes horses, including Echo Town, who won the Jerkens last year at Saratoga. So, now with Echo Zulu, it's a pretty nice package.”

Allen and Quartucci struck again later in the day for an US$850,000 (AU$1.156 million) Candy Ride (Arg) colt (Hip 181) from the super deep female family of top-level winners Verrazano (USA) and Chic Shirine (USA).

Winchell wins battle for Into Mischief colt

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Ron Winchell went toe-to-toe with the Courtlandt Farm team late in the session to land Hip 177, a son of leading sire Into Mischief (USA), for US$1.35 million (AU$1.836 million). The bay was consigned by his breeder, Greg Goodman's Mt. Brilliant Farm.

The colt is the first out of Superioritycomplex (Ire) (Hard Spun {USA}), while his third dam is G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Hellenic (USA) (Darshaan {USA}), who in turn produced the great Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}).

“Into Mischief is great,” said Goodman. “We bought the mare in Europe, in England, at Tattersalls a few years ago. We just love the family–we also bought her sister (Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire})) at the same time because it was a dispersal.”

As for Hip 177, Goodman said, “He has always been outstanding. He's always done everything right. A calm horse, smart, we're really happy with him and we're really happy Mr. Winchell got him and that he's going to a good home.”

Winchell also picked up a US$700,000 (AU$952,000) Into Mischief colt (Hip 116) earlier in the session and a US$150,000 (AU$204,000) son of American Pharoah (Hip 183) a few hips after signing for 177.

“(Hip 177's) probably an Into Mischief who doesn't look like an Into Mischief, and I've had Into Mischiefs that look like Into Mischiefs and I can't seem to find the winner's circle with them, so I figured I would go a different direction,” Winchell quipped. “I knew he may be expensive, but you always hope for a little less.”

Uncle Mo filly heads to Courtlandt

Courtlandt Farm's Don Adam and his farm manager Ernie Retamoza were determined to take a home Hip 89, a filly by Uncle Mo (USA), and they fought off an equally resolute Donato Lanni to take the dark bay home for US$1.1 million (AU$1.496 million).

“She's an April foal, but you can see that she's still a little high behind and see she's gonna develop still,” said Retamoza. “A real athletic, type filly, young mare, fits our program to a T. Not sure where we'll send her, but we'll get her home and break her. She acts like she's gonna be the right type of filly that we're looking for. Had to stretch, obviously, to get her, but Mr. Adam looked at her this morning and loved her, we all loved her, and we felt like she was a filly worth stretching for.”

Consigned by Paramount Sales, Hip 89 was bred by Dr. Aaron Sones and is out of Nikki's Choice (USA) (Forestry {USA}), which means she hails from the family of Canadian champion Charlie Barley (USA) (Affirmed {USA}).

“She was a beauty,” said Paramount's Pat Costello. “She didn't put a foot wrong from the day she was here and we could see with the way the vetting was going, everybody was on her. She deserved to bring the kind of money she brought because she's just stunning. She came from a client of ours and she was always nice, very much so. We were delighted with the price. It was a little bit more than we thought she would bring.”

Sones experienced the biggest success of his breeding career.

“We always knew she was special, but you can never expect that,” said Sones, who founded and sold Physicians Management Group and currently serves as Director of Jackson Hole Trust. “I love Uncle Mo and knew this cross would be successful as it is the same cross as [champion] Nyquist. I'm thrilled.”

Quality Road colt to Coolmore

A colt by Quality Road (USA) attracted a final bid of US$950,000 (AU$1.292 million) from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier during Monday's first session. The bay yearling (Hip 64) is out of multiple Graded-placed Milam (USA) (Street Sense {USA}), a half-sister to champion Rushing Fall (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}).

“We liked the horse, he's very athletic,” said Magnier. “Quality Road is doing very well. And this is a very nice horse. We plan to leave him in the U.S.”

The yearling was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of his breeder, WinStar Farm. WinStar purchased Milam for US$175,000 (AU$238,000) at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

“He's done well his whole life and we are very proud of him and that Coolmore got him,” said WinStar's Elliott Walden. “We wish them nothing but the best with him.”

Walden said he saw a lot to be optimistic about heading into the two-week September Sale.

“I feel really good. I have a lot of confidence,” Walden said. “There are six racetracks running with maiden races over US$100,000 AU$136,363. It's crazy. I trained 15 years ago now and we were running for US$30,000, so it's just amazing. I think the purses have caught up with the expenses. It gives a person a chance to make money on the racetrack instead of just building equity in the horse reflow.”

“I think it should translate all the way through the Sale. Looking around here on day one, I've never seen so many people in there sitting down. So I feel very encouraged about it.”

Magnier also signed for a colt by War Front (Hip 29) for US$400,000 (AU$544,000).

Mori justifies the trip

Hideyuki Mori struck for three colts by Justify (USA) during the opening session.

The Japanese trainer warmed up by purchasing a son of the Triple Crown winner who is a half-brother to champion Classic Empire (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) (Hip 133) for US$625,000 (AU$850,000) from the Bluewater Sales consignment.

He then came back to acquire a half-brother to multiple Graded stakes winner Pretty N Cool (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) (Hip 161) for US$950,000 (AU$1.292 million) from Baccari Bloodstock. Mori wrapped up his day one by buying with a son of Justify out of Grade 1 winner Streaming (USA) (Smart Strike {USA}) (Hip 170) who was consigned by Hill 'N' Dale Sales Agency.

“I have seen a lot of the Justifys and I really like them,” Mori said through an interpreter. “They have a beautiful line and they move very well. Based on their action and physical form, I think they will probably perform quite well on the Japanese turf.”

Consignor Chris Baccari is another fan of Justify. Baccari purchased Hip 161 for US$435,000 (AU$593,180) at last year's Keeneland November Sale.

“I went out in search of the very best Justify I could possibly find, privately or at public auction,” Baccari said. “And I felt he was it. He is a great strong physical and I am a believer in the horse and I took a swing.”

Justify had 10 yearlings sell on the opening day for a total of US$4.322 million (AU$5.88 million) and an average of US$432,300 (AU$587,928).

Avengers strike

The ownership group nicknamed The Avengers was quite active as expected, acquiring four colts to be trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

One of their first big purchases of the day was an US$850,000 (AU$1.156 million) son of Into Mischief, a stallion who has already been quite good to the group headed by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables with champion Authentic (USA). Hip 53 was consigned by Taylor Made Sales on behalf of breeder Town & Country Farms.

“He will go to Bob Baffert,” said SF's Tom Ryan. “We are excited about him and I can't say enough about the horse. He looks like a nice two-turn colt. We will put him into the program and hopefully we will be talking about him this time next year.”

Donato Lanni also struck on the Avengers' behalf for Hip 8, a US$650,000 (AU$884,000) Quality Road (USA) colt out of Inspired (USA) (Unbridled's Song {USA}); a US$400,000 (AU$544,000) Into Mischief colt (Hip 114); and a US$325,000 (AU$442,000) son of Spendthrift's super sire (Hip 155).

A strong day's trade

Keeneland's new vice president of sales Tony Lacy was happy with the day's trading.

“The numbers may have stacked very comparably to last year, but I think there was a lot more confidence and the money was spread out over more horses. I think it's a healthier market in many ways. The energy on the grounds was very strong,” Lacy said.

“I think a lot of people got shut out today. I know there was one group of buyers, we actually sent them a bottle of bourbon because they were underbidders on 15 or 16 horses. That in itself is a very strong sign.

"When you have some higher RNA's that OK because these are people who want to race, they like their horses and that's not a sign of weakness, that's actually a sign of strength. So from a trading environment, I think it was excellent.”

Among the buy-backs was a colt by Quality Road out of Justwhistledixie (USA) (Dixie Union {USA}) consigned by Clearsky Farms who RNA'd for US$1.9 million (AU$1.58 million).

There were seven horses who failed to sell Monday who have been added to Keeneland's new RNA Reoffer program which takes place at the end of Tuesday's second session of the auction.

“That might change,” Lacy said of the number of yearlings entered into the initiative. “We had two that were entered earlier and they got sold privately. And that's exactly the way it's supposed to work. And some of these may be sold privately before the end of the session tomorrow.

"That is a mechanism to allow free trade. And if something is not done by tomorrow evening, it allows them to run back through. It's been well received by the people who are using it. I think there was a little bit of uncertainty about what it really was, but now we are at the stage of the day where you may have had one or two people who thought the market didn't treat them the way they thought it would. It allows them to come back and hopefully have a better reception tomorrow.”

The seven yearlings currently scheduled to be reoffered Tuesday evening are: Hip 6, Hip 70, Hip 72, Hip 111, Hip 179, Hip 195, and Hip 197.

At 27 years old, Harry King has seen a bit and done a bit in bloodstock. His family owns Brighthill Farm in Waikato, and he has worked in Ireland, Hong Kong, the Hunter Valley and at home in New Zealand. King has covered yearling sales, stallion barns, auction rings and the hospitality department at New Zealand Bloodstock, and his latest gig has brought him to Victoria.

Last week, Yulong Investments revealed that King had joined its team in the role of nominations and sales, working alongside Manager Troy Stephens.

“Harry comes to Yulong with fantastic credentials,” Stephens said. “His enthusiasm and drive match the ethos we strive for here at Yulong, and we’re looking forward to generating more success with Harry as part of the team.”

King arrived at Yulong eight weeks ago, and he joined a formidable number of new additions to the farm, including Champion Sire Written Tycoon and a flotilla of new broodmares plucked from the sales circuit to support him, plus international star Lucky Vega (Ire).

“The reason I came to Yulong was because of the long-term investment here and the big-time player that this farm will be in years to come,” King said. “There is massive interest here, and the investment in stallion rosters, management and broodmares is something that backs that up.”

All eyes on Victoria

King is the second-oldest son of Nick and Anne-Marie King, who established Brighthill Farm in 1996.

Growing up, stallions, mares and offspring were an everyday thing for King, and at 17 years old he was packed off to see the world. His Irish father and English mother had plenty of contacts in Europe, and there began the nomadic student of bloodstock that King became.

“At about 18, we were all sent up to Australia, England and Ireland to see the world,” he said. “I hadn’t applied for an Irish National Stud course or a Sunline Scholarship, or even a place in Flying Start, so a lot of my study was off my own back, going to different operations and learning all that I could.”

Among his tenures around the world, King spent time at Ascot Farm in Cambridge, Yarraman Park and Vinery Stud. He worked at Roundhill Stud in County Limerick, run by Bobby and Honora Donworth, as well as Baroda and Colbinstown Studs in County Kildare.

For the last three years, King was the hospitality manager at New Zealand Bloodstock and he was additionally involved in the day-to-day running of Gavelhouse.com.

“Australia is particularly a place of excitement at the moment for a young person in this industry,” King said. “New Zealand gave us a great grounding in the types of horses that Victoria buys in particular, so just to come back to Australia and do my best for Yulong is something that means a lot to me.”

King said the buzz about Victoria’s breeding industry was a great incentive to locate to the southern state.

“Looking from across the ditch, Victoria is a very lucrative place to be breeding mares,” he said. “The investment in stud farms here, not just with Yulong but also with Widden setting up here and Swettenham is flying with Toronado, Rosemont too with Shamus Award, it will make for a very exciting five or so years coming up.”

Family business

The opportunity to work for Yulong came about in June through Benji, King’s older brother.

“I’d been looking for employment in Australia for about a year or so, and then COVID happened so that dimmed a few things,” King said. “Benji then bumped into Troy (Stephens) at the sales, as all these great stories go, and Troy was looking for someone to join him in the nominations and sales team.

"It was something that I’d had my eyes on for many years, to get back onto a stud farm and do what I know best, which is stallions and pedigrees.”

King’s timing has been very good.

This spring, Yulong has welcomed Written Tycoon to the farm, while Irish import Lucky Vega, a son of Lope De Vega (Ire), has brought a new flavour to affairs. Lucky Vega won the G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh as a 2-year-old and was Group-placed on four other occasions, and he stands his first book at $22,000 (inc GST).

Additionally, Yulong has this season launched the stallion career of Yulong Prince.

The talented South African import was a winner of six of 11 races in his homeland, including the G1 Daily News 2000, before his relocation to Australia, after which he won the G1 VRC Cantala S. He is standing his debut season at $9900 (inc GST).

Gallery of some of Yulong Stud's stallions in 2021

The arrival of these three prolific horses to Yulong has been in-hand with lofty renovations around the property, but King said it still feels like a family business to him, and he would know.

“For me coming over, Yulong really is a family-run farm,” he said. “And that’s coming from a lot of family operations behind me such as Brighthill, but also New Zealand Bloodstock with the Velas being heavily involved. Yulong is very similar. Mr Zhang’s daughter, Rachel, lives on the farm, and his son-in-law Harris helps to run the day-to-day operations of everything.”

King has been familiar with Yulong’s Chairman, Mr Yuesheng Zhang, for a number of years. Zhang was an investor in one of Brighthill’s resident stallions, Preferment (NZ).

“I was very fortunate to meet Mr Zhang in person multiple times,” King said. “What took me was his extensive knowledge of pedigrees and broodmares, and his high interest in the bloodlines that he sent to New Zealand. He’s got an absolute love for animals, and for the thoroughbred in particular.”

Imparting wisdom

Harry King’s everyday role at Yulong is back where he’s most comfortable. Admittedly, he is a pedigree tragic, something fostered and nurtured by his father growing up, and by King’s rich spread of experience through the last decade.

“Coming from a breeding background, I’ve grown up with some tremendous stallions around the farm from some fantastic bloodlines,” King said. “I remember our first stallion, Beau Zam. He was a Champion racehorse for Bart Cummings, and it was a good coup for my parents to get him to Brighthill.”

From these roots, King watered his passion for bloodlines. He became interested in nicks and crosses, and does all his homework to this day.

“I don’t think enough people look at the fourth and fifth generations of what’s happening in a bloodline,” he said. “Everyone is quick to look at the first and second generation, but I really think the good stuff happens back on the fourth, fifth and possibly sixth generations.”

King credits much of his thinking to the brilliance of breeders he has worked with.

In particular he mentions Henrietta Russell, Dowager Duchess of Bedford, who bred Tavistock (NZ), as well as a number of breeders in New Zealand and Ireland. King said he has learned about picking the best bits of bloodlines that are working around the world, and he is looking forward to imparting his wisdom at Yulong.