Written by Bren O'Brien
Each day of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, TDN AusNZ will find a 'value buy', where an opportunity has been spotted - even in this hot sale market.
Pippie crew snap up Vinnie filly
Buying a horse for $400,000 is not often considered a value proposition, but when that horse is an I Am Invincible filly with strong residual potential, then that pricetag can rightly be considered a canny piece of shopping.
Trainer Chris Meagher and Heran Racing had terrific success with multiple Group 1 winner Pippie (Written Tycoon). They paid $60,000 for her has a yearling, before she won $1.2 million on the track and then sold for $1.8 million through the Inglis Chairman's Sale after her stellar racing career.
Chris Meagher | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
They know the value of a filly with a burgeoning resume, be that on the track or on the pedigree page, and that was part of the thinking behind them going to $400,000 for Lot 299, the I Am Invincible filly from the draft of Fernrigg Farm.
"She's a lovely filly, she sells herself, being by Vinnie obviously helps, but she obviously covers all the bases," Meagher told TDN AusNZ.
"The owner likes his breeding, so that was the main purpose and the Vinnie factor goes a long way."
"The owner likes his breeding, so that was the main purpose and the Vinnie factor goes a long way." - Chris Meagher
Fillies by I Am Invincible, who is currently leading the race to be crowned Australia's Champion Sire for the first time, have averaged $476,111 this year prior to this Sale with a median of $410,000, so the $400,000 is at a discount to that.
That discount is even higher when you factor in that Lot 299 is out of the stakes-performed Not A Single Doubt mare Unequivocal.
She was third in the R. Listed Inglis Classic on debut and at her second start defeated subsequent Group 1 winners Delectation (Shamardal {USA}) and Peggy Jean (Myboycharlie {Ire}) at her next start.
Unequivocal when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
All in all, she would win three races for Noel Mayfield-Smith before being sold for $160,000 to Dartbrook Downs in 2018, then for $460,000 to Fernrigg Farm the following year.
Her first foal, the I Am Invincible filly Maroon Magic, was secured for $250,000 to The Racing League at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is now in the stables of Toby and Trent Edmonds.
Lot 299 is her second foal, with Fernrigg looking to capitalise on the emerging nick with Not A Single Doubt mares which has produced the three-time winner Key Largo.
Lot 299 - I Am Invincible x Unequivocal (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
While there is precocity on both sides of the page, Meagher said he won't be tempted to go too early with the filly.
"We generally take a bit of time with them. We generally let them tell us. I certainly think she will be more forward than later, but we will look forward to seeing what we can do with her," he said.
"We generally take a bit of time with them. We generally let them tell us. I certainly think she (Lot 299) will be more forward than later." - Chris Meagher
As well as her pedigree and her shape, Meagher was also impressed by the way the filly handled herself throughout inspections and heading into the ring.
"I only got here Saturday, but we looked at her over the last three days and the owner was very keen on getting her. We were the underbidder on a few yesterday, so we are certainly more than pleased to get a filly of that calibre," he said.
"I was watching her out the back parade ring and she was certainly well-behaved. She's got a brain which helps. She's got everything we were looking for and everything you need when you pay that kind of money."
It was quite a battle to secure the filly, with Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster pushing Meagher, who combined by Heran Racing and MB Bloodstock, right the way up.
"The owners had Pippie, so they've got some pocket money left from that," he said. "They are not afraid to spend a little bit."
Pippie when racing | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
