It was all part of the plan, said James Ferguson after the sale. Maybe not to eclipse the previous Sale record of $625,000 set last year with the Capitalist colt now known as Capital Theatre, but certainly to make some serious profit from the progeny of the star sire bred on their farm.
The record-breaking Extreme Choice colt sold as Lot 100 on Sunday was purchased at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $220,000 from the Kenmore Lodge draft in conjunction with Bevan Smith Bloodstock.
Lot 100 - Extreme Choice x Murtle Turtle (colt) as a weanling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The plan was to buy the best Extreme Choice weanling we could get hold of,’’ said Ferguson.
“Mum (Georgie) did the shortlist and I remember I was still at home, then when I got there off the farm she said there’s only one that I want to buy and that was him,’’ Ferguson said. “She told me she knew that in the first two strides of seeing him.’’
Extreme confidence in sire
There is very little black type on the page and the best of that sits with dam Murtle Turtle (Murtajill). She was a 2-year-old winner and placed at Group 3 level. The plan was based on type and unwavering confidence in the stallion.
“To pull off the plan, it’s not just a matter of rocking up to the Sale. Mistakes have gone into this, to be able to pull off a plan. It takes experience and learning and getting better and better each year to be able to stand here today and that’s why it’s so rewarding,’’ he said.
“To pull off the plan, it’s not just a matter of rocking up to the Sale. Mistakes have gone into this, to be able to pull off a plan. It takes experience and learning and getting better and better each year to be able to stand here today and that’s why it’s so rewarding.’’ - James Ferguson
“I remember as a kid, probably 15 years ago now, we sold a horse for $170,000 and that topped the Sale,’’ said Ferguson. “Inglis have taken this Sale to another level and that was reflected in the first 10 lots of the Sale. There were a lot of horses making over $100,000 and they’ve got the people here that have done the groundwork and are driving this Sale going forward.’’
Dad earns plenty of praise
Ferguson praised his father, Andrew, for his ability to pick stallions and said he and brother, Jock, had been fortunate to be able to learn off of him.
“Dad looks at the industry a lot differently to other people. He always had belief in the stallion and sort of most people would doubt that he could make it because he only had 30 in his first crop,’’ said Ferguson.
Jock, Andrew and James Ferguson | Image courtesy of Bell River Thoroughbreds
“But he’s sort of proven that numbers are irrelevant for a stallion and Dad backed his judgement, Jock and I did the research and did the groundwork to be able to do it.’’
More of a limited Choice to come
That groundwork has culminated in the Bell River Thoroughbreds Extreme Choice plan, a group of up to nine by the star sire to roll out over three years of sales. Already, the plan has returned a total $555,000 profit on Sunday at Inglis Classic and a $330,000 sale at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for a filly from Show A Heart mare Heart Of Tier, selling to Gall Bloodstock.
Lot 100 - Extreme Choice x Murtle Turtle (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Four Extreme Choice yearlings out of Bell River will go to sale this year, four next year and they have a mare in foal to the son of Not A Single Doubt and Extremely (Hussonet {USA}).
“We tried him with a couple of mares, two that we’re selling later this year,’’ said Ferguson.
Ferguson said what Extreme Choice was doing was phenomenal and was proving wrong the widespread thoughts in the industry that stallions have to have numbers on the ground.
“He (Extreme Choice) got 30 in his first crop and has a Group 1-winning Golden Slipper winner that’s going to go to stud.’’ - James Ferguson
“He got 30 in his first crop and has a Group 1-winning Golden Slipper winner that’s going to go to stud,’’ Ferguson said. “He’s got another colt that’s probably going to go to stud. He’s got the filly that’s probably going to be champion 3-year-old filly at the end of the season if all goes well with her.
“They’re a limited commodity and that was part of our plan. We’re lucky enough that we bred him and we’re still able to be a part of that journey in some way, shape or form.’’
