Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 232 was seen as the highlight of the Inglis Digital November (Early) Sale, and it was Sean Buckley’s Ultra Thoroughbreds that came out on top when bidding closed on Thursday afternoon.
Ultra Thoroughbreds went to $150,000 to secure the 10-year-old mare Rain Cloud (Domesday), who is in foal to Swettenham Stud’s kingpin Toronado (Ire), thus carrying a full sibling to last year’s G1 VRC oaks placegetter Queen Air. The Lindsey Smith-trained Queen Air has won two of her 11 starts, including one at The Valley, amassing earnings topping $250,000.
Rain Cloud has also thrown the Smith-trained Ferrytail, an unraced 2-year-old filly by I Am Immortal, who also stands at Swettenham Stud.
Rain Cloud is well-bred, being a half-sister to the 2011 G2 Sweet Embrace victress winner Shared Reflections (Umatilla {NZ}), and the mare’s dam, Ulap (Hurricane Sky), is a half-sister to the Listed winner Jolanda (Tolomeo {Ire}).
Lot 232 - Rain Cloud was purchased by Ultra Thoroughbreds for $150,000 at the 2023 Inglis Digital November (Early) Online Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“I love Toronado and I love the mare because I love the Domesday/Shamus Award cross, it’s very successful. We’ll foal down the Toronado and then send her to Shamus Award for three seasons in a row and see if we can emulate that cross again,’’ Buckley said.
“We’ll foal down the Toronado and then send her (Rain Cloud) to Shamus Award for three seasons in a row and see if we can emulate that cross again.’’ - Sean Buckley
“They’re never cheap, these nice mares. She’s a lovely mare who’s thrown a stakes winner and is in foal to Toronado who’s flying. Adam (Sangster) always sells a good product and is an icon of the breeding industry so I’m always happy buying off him.’’
Sam Matthews, Swettenham’s general manager, said the Nagambie-based farm was thrilled with the result.
“We were happy either way because we were more than happy to take the mare home and retain her but if she was to sell then it was going to be a really good trade for us and that’s how it played out,’’ Matthews said.
Other notable results
Te Akau’s David Ellis CNZM signed for last year’s G2 Perth Cup hero Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}). The 7-year-old gelding was consigned by John Leek (as agent for owner Peters Investments).
Midnight Blue also won the Listed Ascot Gold Cup in 2021 and boasts five victories from 28 starts.
Lot 87 - Midnight Blue was purchased by David Ellis for $92,500 at the 2023 Inglis Digital November (Early) Online Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“The Ballarat Cup, worth $500,000, is in a few weeks and is the race we’ve bought him for, we think it will really suit,’’ Ellis said.
“The Ballarat Cup, worth $500,000, is in a few weeks and is the race we’ve bought him (Midnight Blue) for, we think it will really suit.’’ - David Ellis
“Often with these older horses you give them a new environment and they get a new lease on life and our trainer Mark Walker is a very good judge of looking at these horses and he really liked him so I bought him.’’
And Seymour-based trainer Stephen Brown paid $110,000 for the Listed winner Zethus (Exceed And Excel). The gelding has amassed more than $380,000 in prizemoney, having won three of his 18 starts and placing in a further four.
Lot 16 - Zethus was purchased by Stephen Brown for $110,000 at the 2023 Inglis Digital November (Early) Online Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
The 5-year-old was offered by Godolphin, who bred and raced the gelding. He is from the three-time winner and Listed placegetter Melpomene (Elusive Quality {USA}) - herself a daughter of the 2022 G1 VRC Oaks heroine Bulla Borghese (Belong To Me {USA}).
“I’m obviously an ex-Darwin trainer and I still take a lot of horses up there each year and a race like the Darwin Sprint could be great for him,’’ said Brown.
“I’m obviously an ex-Darwin trainer and I still take a lot of horses up there each year and a race like the Darwin Sprint could be great for him (Zethus).’’ - Stephen Brown
“A lot of the ones I take up there, they then come back and win at Flemington, etc because the road trip can be the making of them.”
Zethus was part of a 16-strong Godolphin draft, of which all 16 sold – to 15 individual buyers – for a combined $616,500.
Godolphin’s draft included geldings Silvanito (Shooting To Win), Shipshape (Astern) and Los Padres (Zoustar). Australian Bloodstock went to $75,000 for the three-time winner Silvanito, Richard Jackson bought the dual victor Shipshape for $65,000, while Mitchell Beer Racing / Heywood Bloodstock went to $60,000 to secure the two-time scorer Los Padres.
Lot 14 - Silvanito was purchased by Australian Bloodstock for $75,000 at the 2023 Inglis Digital November (Early) Online Sale | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“It was a really nice result, the horses are going to very good homes again and they’ve all made their money so from our perspective it’s been another successful Inglis Digital sale for us,” Godolphin Racing and Bloodstock Manager, Jason Walsh, said.
The November (Early) Sale grossed $2,334,900 at an 80 per cent clearance rate.
