Cover image courtesy of Inglis
In very quick succession, the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale landed its first two million-dollar youngsters on Day 1 with Lots 90 and 91 tipping into the seven figures. Both were snatched up by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, who had a busy few minutes at lunchtime.
Lot 90 was a Snitzel colt from the Bernardini (USA) mare C’est Beau La Vie, with Magnier bidding to $1.4 million at gavel down.
Lot 91, an I Am Invincible colt from Calming Influence (Commands), made an even $1 million-dollars, which proved a roof-raising result for Ryan, selling through the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds.
Gallery: Lot 90 and 91, the first million-dollar yearlings purchased in quick succession by Tom Magnier at the Inglis Easter Sale, images courtesy of Inglis
Ryan, was ringside for the result, and he said it far exceeded anything he was expecting.
“I didn’t think he’d make a million,” Ryan said. “I thought maybe $600,000 or $700,000. He had 170-odd inspections and 16 x-ray hits, and Coolmore came back five times to look at him, Newgate four. So we knew the right people were on him.”
The best of buying
Lot 91 was the fifth foal from Calming Influence, who Ryan has owned since 2020. That year, he picked up the Commands broodmare for a proverbial song at $290,000 when she was carrying this colt by I Am Invincible.
Calming Influence | Image courtesy of Inglis
It was the Inglis Chairman’s Sale right in the early vestiges of COVID-19, when sales had jumped entirely online and a degree of nervousness gripped the bloodstock market.
“I bought her in 2020 when there was noone here at the Chairman’s Sale, and she was an online buy,” Ryan said. “Because of the pandemic, I reckon things were down a bit for that one particular season, and it’s probably what got me over the line.
“I had her inspected and everything, and when I saw her at that money, I rang up Will (Stott, at Inglis) to get a bid in, and we got her.”
“Because of the pandemic, I reckon things were down a bit for that one particular season, and it’s probably what got me over the line... when I saw her (Calming Influence) at that money, I rang up Will (Stott, at Inglis) to get a bid in, and we got her.” - Reg Ryan
Calming Influence was sold at that Sale by Yarraman Park Stud. It was the fourth time she had gone through an auction, both physical and virtual.
As a weanling, she had been sold by Rothwell Park in 2011 for $115,000 at the Magic Millions National Sale, and then she bounced to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale the following January, where she was passed in by Waylon J Stud.
After a five-time winning career on the track, which saw her run second in the G3 Dark Jewel Classic and third in the G3 Darley Crown, Calming Influence was consigned to the 2017 Inglis Chairman’s Sale by Vinery Stud. She sold to Boomer Bloodstock for $570,000 in foal to More Than Ready (USA) with her first offspring.
Since then, Calming Influence has had four foals.
Reg Ryan | Image courtesy of TBV
The More Than Ready was a colt, Call Me Legend, that was a $310,000 weanling and $370,000 Easter yearling. The mare’s second, Kamea (Sebring), sold at Easter in 2019 for $110,000.
Her subsequent foals have each been by I Am Invincible, the latest of which (before Tuesday) sold at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Consigned by Yarraman Park, it was a filly that went to Clarke Bloodstock Fillies and Bjorn Baker Racing for $270,000.
After that, along came Lot 91 and Tuesday’s result at Riverside proved a three-and-a-half times return on what Ryan paid for Calming Influence just two years ago.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
When it’s good, it’s very good
The million-dollar sale also gave Middlebrook Valley Lodge something to cheer about on Tuesday. Lot 91 had been raised at that operation just outside of Scone.
“I normally raise all my own foals on my property, but I’m heading towards 70 so I decided to do a bit of travel, and Verna (Metcalfe, at Middlebrook) foaled her down and raised the foal, and I brought the mare home after the colt had been weaned,” Ryan said. “Verna gave him (Lot 91) a good report, and it turned out the way we were hoping obviously.”
Lot 91 - I Am Invincible x Calming Influence (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Ryan said the million-dollar result was an exceptional return on a package that cost him $290,000. He said that was the game, that sometimes it worked out and other times it didn’t.
“It doesn’t always work your way, but sometimes it does,” he said. “I bred Military Rose who won the Magic Millions, and I sold a Snitzel at the Magic Millions in 2015 for $775,000. I’ve only got seven mares, but if you pick the right mares, sometimes it works in your favour.”
“It doesn’t always work your way, but sometimes it does... I’ve only got seven mares, but if you pick the right mares, sometimes it works in your favour.” - Reg Ryan
Ryan also said that stallion choice was an important cog in the breeding wheel.
“You’ve got to go to the right flavour of stallions or you won’t get this sort of money,” Ryan said.
Calming Influence has a Zoustar colt at foot and she returned to the Widden Stud resident again last spring. Ryan said Tuesday’s return inspired a bit of confidence for the family going ahead.
“She’s got a couple of Vinnies that haven’t hit the track yet,” Ryan said. “The 3-year-old (named Barassi, with Toby and Trent Edmonds in Queensland) had a quarter-crack and they tried too early with him, so he’s got plenty of ability but we’re probably not going to see him until he’s a late 3-year-old, at best.
“So we’ll hope the 2-year-old (Convalent, with Bjorn Baker) can come out and do something too.”
