Arrowfield's dispersal of mares was eagerly anticipated and buyers stepped up to spend over $6.5 million across 80 mares, including Yulong, who as well as buying the regally bred Awakening, also purchased another Snitzel mare, Colour Me for $355,000. Both mares were offered in foal to Arrowfield's Group 1-producing shuttler Maurice (Jpn).
Awakening is out of Fenway, the Group 1-winning daughter of High Chaparral (Ire), making her a sister to recent G3 Schweppervescence H. winner and G1 Champagne S. placegetter Williamsburg. Her third dam is the blue hen Joie Denise (Danehill {USA}), making her a close relative of Group 1 winners Tuesday Joy (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}), Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence {USA}) and More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) as well as recent Group 2 winner Castlereagh Kid (Snitzel).
The opportunity to access such bloodlines proved irresistible for Yulong, who won out in a hectic bidding duel.
Gallery: Some of Yulong's Inglis April (Late) Online Sale purchases, images courtesy of Inglis Digital
"Physically, she and the other mares we purchased will all suit Written Tycoon really well so it's exciting to get them,'' Yulong Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray, said.
"Awakening is out of a Group 1 winner and a sister to a Group 1 winner and Group 1 placegetter, in foal to Maurice who is one of the most exciting up-and-coming stallions out there.
"She's from the Joie Denise family which is a great family to get into. She's by Snitzel out of a High Chaparral mare, out of a Zabeel mare, out of a Danehill mare, you can't go wrong with those sirelines.
"She's (Awakening) from the Joie Denise family which is a great family to get into. She's by Snitzel out of a High Chaparral mare, out of a Zabeel mare, out of a Danehill mare, you can't go wrong with those sirelines." - Sam Fairgray
"We're really pleased to get Awakening and we'll be up at the Chairman's Sale next to see if we can get some more high-quality mares to take back to Yulong and support our stallions.''
Like Awakening, Colour Me is in foal for the first time. That mare is out of Colorado Claire, a Group 2-winning daughter of Hussonet (USA), who has produced the Group 2-winning son of Not A Single Doubt, Gunnison. The extended family includes international Group 1 winners Soqrat (Epaulette) and Lucky Bubbles (Sebring).
Sam Fairgray | Image courtesy of Inglis
Maid to order
G1 Golden Slipper placegetter and multiple Group winner Bring Me The Maid (Sebring) was secured by Cunningham Thoroughbreds and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) for $395,000, the second highest price of the Sale.
Bring Me The Maid, who was purchased for $900,000 after her racing career, has had five foals to date and was offered in foal to The Autumn Sun. She is yet to have a winner but her first colt, by Deep Impact (Jpn), now named Adversity, was a $450,000 yearling in 2019, the same price her colt by Dundeel (NZ) cost Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and First Light Racing at this year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
Bring Me The Maid, purchased by Cunningham Thoroughbreds and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) for $395,000 | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
"The Autumn Sun is a bonus, we've bid and missed on a few of his yearlings this year so to have her carrying a foal of his is great for us and this package is exactly what we're after," Mitch Cunningham said.
"I think she's bang on for Wild Ruler. We've seen success with Russian Revolution and we think Wild Ruler profiles very similar as a pre-Christmas winner and a Group 1 winner."
"I think she's (Bring Me The Maid) bang on for Wild Ruler. We've seen success with Russian Revolution and we think Wild Ruler profiles very similar as a pre-Christmas winner and a Group 1 winner." - Mitch Cunningham
Aurora Lights, the unraced daughter of Snitzel and Listed winner C'est Beau La Vie (Bernardini {USA}) and sister to a yearling colt which fetched $1.4 million at the recent Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, was sold for $355,000 to Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA).
The mare, who is in foal with her first pregnancy to Maurice, is a granddaughter of Group 2 winner Valkyrie Diva (Jade Robbery {USA}), who as well as being a half-sister to triple G1 Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}), is the dam of stakes winners Jolly Banner (Lonhro) and Wales (Redoute's Choice).
The Vieira Group went to $330,000 for stakes winning Fastnet Rock mare Entsar (Ire), who was offered in foal to Shalaa (Ire). She is a half-sister to four other stakes winners, including Group 1 winner La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}).
Entsar (Ire), purchased by Viera Group Pty Ltd for $330,000 | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
Stakes winner Lucky Raquie (Encosta De Lago), who was offered in foal to Maurice, was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum for $300,000.
She is another one with stunning bloodlines, being a sister to Group 3 winner Precious Lorraine (Encosta De Lago) and being out of Monsoon Wedding (Danehill {USA}), the sister of the Champion sire Redoute's Choice.
The Arrowfield Dispersal drove a record Inglis Digital Sale which saw $10.7 million spent across 339 sold lots.
John Messara
Arrowfield Chairman John Messara was delighted with the outcome of the Sale.
"I couldn't be happier, really, we're very happy, these are great overall results,'' Messara said.
"It was a very good afternoon, we all sat together in a room in the office, the bloodstock team and Paul and I and watched it all unfold, it was most enthralling and as expected, most of the action occurred in the final half-hour or hour.
"It was a very good afternoon, we all sat together in a room in the office, the bloodstock team and Paul and I and watched it all unfold, it was most enthralling and as expected, most of the action occurred in the final half-hour or hour." - John Messara
"Given it was a first for a major stud to offer such a big reduction of high-quality broodmares online and we didn't know how it would work out, sure we were apprehensive. We were hoping to get reasonable results but in the end, overall, we're really pleased."
Pondus heads to Payne
In other highlight results, Melbourne Cup-winning jockey turned trainer Michelle Payne went to $390,000 to purchase stakes winner Pondus (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), with a view to perhaps having her first runner in the famous Flemington 3200-metre handicap come November.
Pondus was won four of his 24 starts, among those victories a stakes win in Ireland and a dominant success at Flemington last month, while he has also been placed in a string of other stakes races, including the G3 Bendigo Cup, the G3 Queen Elizabeth S., and recently the Listed Mornington Cup.
Pondus (GB), winner of the Listed Lenebane S. | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The 6-year-old son of Sea The Moon (Ger) competed in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, finishing well back in 17th, but has been regarded as a stayer of promise both when in the stables of Joseph O'Brien and then with Robert Hickmott.
He was offered through the Inglis platform by Hudson Conway Racing, the company of Lloyd and Nick Williams, and proved the major drawcard of the 11 horses they offered.
It was Payne who won the day and the multiple Group 1-winning jockey hopes Pondus can develop into a stable star.
Michelle and Stevie Payne | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“I’m really keen on setting up a small stable of quality horses and we’re building towards that, so it’s very exciting," Payne said.
“(Pondus) looks like a really good honest racehorse… hopefully we can have a bit of fun with him.”
Payne's purchase of the horse was supported by an existing client.
“I’ve really been impressed with him from the first time I saw him racing over here and I have a lovely couple who bought him for us today," she said.
“I’ve really been impressed with him (Pondus) from the first time I saw him racing over here and I have a lovely couple who bought him for us today." - Michelle Payne
“His owners are happy to have a bit of fun, maybe go for some Country Cups, he’s been placed in the Bendigo Cup, we might look at those races to start with and see how we go from there.”
Progressive 4-year-old Grid (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) secured $220,000 to Hong Kong agency A Value Consulting.
A winner of one of his eight starts, Grid only had two starts for Robert Hickmott, placing twice at Sandown in Lloyd Williams' navy blue and white colours.
In another strong result Williams' Hudson Conway Racing, G2 Adelaide Cup winner King Of Leogrance (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) sold for $190,000 to Michelle Harvey.
The 7-year-old is a winner of five starts and over $600,000 in prizemoney.
All 11 horses offered through Hudson Conway were sold, with $1.245 million realised.
