Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
At the close of Day 2, Premier had 383 sold for a gross of $50,821,500 at an average of $132,693 and $100,000 median. This compared to last year’s figures of 439 sold for a gross of $59,164,000, $134,770 average and $100,000 median.
The Book 1 catalogue was smaller this year, with 560 yearlings catalogued compared to 615 in 2023.
Premier peaked in 2022 with a gross of $77.2 million and average of $157,694 from 590 yearlings catalogued.
Leading owner and breeder Jonathan Munz teamed up with agent Dean Hawthorne to land the highest-priced lot of the sale, a Snitzel filly out of Jestajingle (Lonhro) for $925,000. It gave Blue Gum Farm the top two lots of the sale.
Blue Gum had to share the second spot however, as Segenhoe sold the final lot of Book 1, a Zoustar colt for $650,000 to Oliver Koolman on behalf of a Hong Kong client.
Robbie Griffiths and training partner Mathew de Kock netted both Frankel yearlings offered, headed by a $500,000 colt on Monday.
Trainer Ciaron Maher's presence was felt on Day 2 of the sale, striking early for a $400,000 I Am Invincible filly from the Gilgai Farm draft.
Yulong was leading vendor by aggregate with a tick over $5 million in sales, while The Chase topped the average list at $327,500.
Victorian-based stallions Toronado (19 for $3,690,000) and Written Tycoon (18 for $3,525,000) topped the sire aggregate lists, while Snitzel (six at $369,167) and Zoustar (nine at $338,889) headed the averages.
#1. Book 1 ends slightly down on 2023
The top of the market remained strong, with a new sale-topping price of $925,000 achieved for a Snitzel filly out of the Lonhro mare Jestajingle. Five of the horses that sold for $500,000 or more were sold on Monday.
But the market fell away a little beyond the most keenly sought-after lots.
As Sunday’s pass in rate reached 80 per cent, Day 2 closed at 72 per cent on Monday night. The median price of $80,000 (vs $100,000 on Day 1) further underscored the tougher nature of the lower to middle market.
“We had an objective at the end of (Sunday) to get the clearance to 80 per cent or better. It’s at 80 and still increasing which is very positive,” Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said.
“We had an objective at the end of (Sunday) to get the clearance to 80 per cent or better. It’s at 80 and still increasing which is very positive.” - Sebastian Hutch
“(Monday) was more selective.
“Demand for horses in the top percentage of the market is strong with a variety of people participating on those. The deeper into the market you got, the more selective it became.
“The clearance rate is not at (the level we want), but by the same token, it’s going up all the time. We want to get as close to 80 per cent as possible.”
Hutch said there were no real surprises at the behaviour of the market, as it had been evident at other sales this year as well.
“It’s a long sales year, a lot of money has been spent and there’s a lot of money still to be spent,” he said.
“Our main vendors in advance of the sale were very aware of what the market was likely to be. They were pleased with how strong competition was on popular horses.
“The sale is pretty consistent. It says the same thing here as what is says anywhere else.
“There will be some tough decisions made by breeders on mares over the next couple of months.
“Some breeders will reevaluate their portfolio (and) the more pronounced focus on quality is something that is going to become more and more evident over the balance of the sales season and into 2025.”
“Some breeders will reevaluate their portfolio (and) the more pronounced focus on quality is something that is going to become more and more evident over the balance of the sales season and into 2025.” - Sebastian Hutch
Fillies have been the star attraction at Premier for the past two years. Blue Gum Farm’s pair of Snitzel fillies from Jestajingle ($925,000) and Charleston Dancer ($650,000) set the standard for this year’s sale. Both yearlings are from Lonhro mares.
It follows a pair of I Am Invincible fillies being the top two lots last year at $1,100,000 and $650,000.
Zoustar claimed one back for the boys with Lot 560, a colt from the draft of Segenhoe Stud, fetching $650,000 to match second-place at this year’s sale.
Clinton McDonald and Shane McGrath, who secured one of the top lots on Day 1, continued their buying spree, finishing with seven yearlings for $1,860,000 to be the leading buyer across the two days by aggregate.
Shane McGrath and Clinton McDonald | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
McGrath noted the stallion’s progeny are “dynamite” in Hong Kong and hoped he would be a “lucky” acquisition for the stable.
Lindsay Park Racing continued the momentum it built early yesterday, finishing with 11 yearlings from the sale for a total of $1,695,000. Busuttin Racing was also active across the two days, buying eight yearlings for $1,000,000. Peter Moody bought the top two lots on Sunday and finished with six for $1,785,000 and Mick Price Racing & Breeding signed for six yearlings for $1,320,000.
Grace Ramage, Ben Hayes and Jenny McAlpine | Image courtesy of Inglis
Yulong, which set a Premier record for most yearlings entered in a single draft, had 39 sell for $5,029,000 over the two days, with eight passed in.
Blue Gum Farm was second on the vendor aggregate list with 23 sold for $4,320,000.
The Chase was the leading vendor by average, selling four at an average of $327,500. Shadow Hill sold seven at $270,270.
#2. Hawthorne lands sale topper for Munz
Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock made a splash with its return to the buying bench as agent Dean Hawthorne gave $925,000 for the sister to Group 3 winner and G1 Coolmore Stud S. runner-up Bruckner, who stood his first season at Widden Victoria in 2023.
The Snitzel filly out of Jestajingle was offered by Blue Gum Farm as Lot 314 and becomes the second highest-priced filly ever sold at Premier. She’s expected to go into the stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Dean Hawthorne | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly was bred by a team headed by former Blue Gum Farm owner Philip Campbell.
Hawthorne said the filly was of Inglis Easter standard - “The best horse on the ground” - and was an opportunity too good to pass up, even though the $925,000 was a shade more than he expected to pay.
“We (GSA) haven’t bought in the ring for a while. We just need to buy one or two fillies, just to keep things going along,” Hawthorne said.
“Snitzel fillies don’t come along very often looking like that and when they do, you have to pay for them.
“Snitzel fillies don’t come along very often looking like that (Lot 314) and when they do, you have to pay for them.” - Dean Hawthorne
“We have a big breeding portfolio, we’re going along nicely and breeding a lot of good horses. Estriella the other day, we bred her, a filly called Love Poem in New Zealand was Group 2-placed out of the same mare, so we’ve got some great mares, but you’ve just got to keep topping up now and again.
“It’s a family we haven’t got, plenty going on (and) all good breeders need to top up every now and again and Jonathan is a top breeder.”
For Blue Gum, it followed yesterday’s session-topping $650,000 Snitzel filly and vindicated the decision of new farm owner Sean Dingwall to keep the pair for Melbourne.
“It hasn’t been easy, as we’ve had to find our way in the market and for people to get confidence that we can get do the job,” Dingwall said.
“Magic Millions was a great start with the $1.3 million colt owned in the same interests. This filly we started to dare to dream a little while ago that she would get the seven figures and we would have had two in a year, which would have been unbelievable, but she got pretty close and it’s wonderful.”
“People don’t understand how much goes into getting them here in one piece.
“My team, it’s a great result, they have been tireless in their effort, we’ve had a lot of horses in and to all of them, they deserve the congratulations.”
“My team, it’s a great result, they have been tireless in their effort, we’ve had a lot of horses in and to all of them, they deserve the congratulations.” - Sean Dingwall
When quizzed on whether he would be buying for Munz at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Hawthorne said, “We will wait and see” but doesn’t anticipate The Everest-winning owner of Giga Kick being a major player.
“We might have a look there, but I don’t think we’ll be that strong there,” he said. “This filly, we just loved and we went after her.”
#3. Late lots still sell
Oliver Koolman said the idea that horses selling late in a sale might be overlooked is a myth after going to $650,000 to secure Segenhoe Stud’s Zoustar colt from Swiss Rose (NZ) (Thorn Park) as the final lot on Monday.
“It’s no help at all. We’re not surrounded by idiots,” Koolman said. “These guys are pretty smart. I’m often asked should we buy early, should we buy late. It really doesn’t matter. They didn’t choose the lot number and neither should we.”
“I’m often asked should we buy early, should we buy late. It really doesn’t matter. They didn’t choose the lot number and neither should we.” - Oliver Koolman
The colt is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Bella Rosa (Snitzel) and three other winners. Swiss Rose herself was a Listed winner.
Koolman said the colt would be going to Hong Kong to be raced by Philip Liu.
“He had an impressive winner last week at Sha Tin. His horses are going particularly well at the moment and hopefully this horse adds to the strength,” Koolman said.
Peter O'Brien and Oliver Koolman | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He’s certainly prepared to back our judgement and I just hope we don’t let him down.
“Pedigree is no good to us now. We’ve bought him as a racehorse and that’s the goal.”
#4. Maher buys after idle opening day
Victoria’s premier trainer Ciaron Maher was a notable absentee from the leading buyer list on Day 1 of Premier, but the stable struck early on Day 2, paying $400,000 for the I Am Invincible filly out of Holy Cow (Teofilo {Ire}) from the Gilgai Farm draft.
Maher’s Bloodstock Manager Will Bourne said he had shown Maher five fillies on Sunday morning he liked and this was the one the trainer liked the most.
The team expect her to be a sprinting type, but believe she will take a little time.
“We bought the half-brother by Written By last year and he’s taken a little longer than we anticipated and I feel she will be the same,” Bourne said.
“Those Vinnie fillies just keep getting better as they get older. The more time you give them, the more they reward you.”
“Those Vinnie fillies just keep getting better as they get older. The more time you give them, the more they reward you.” - Will Bourne
Ciaron Maher Bloodstock bought eight horses for almost $1.3 million at this sale last year and in 2022 secured 15 for almost $2.7 million, but by close of proceedings on Sunday, their lone purchase was a $60,000 Too Darn Hot (GB) filly from Aristia Park.
They acquired a Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly overnight for $80,000, then added a Too Darn Hot filly for $60,000 and a Yes Yes Yes filly for $25,000 to their Monday tally. Maher also purchased a Brazen Beau colt in partnership with Starblue Consultancy for $85,000 during the second session.
Wil Bourne | Image courtesy of Inglis
“That was a theory derived from our marketing team. They just wanted to gauge some interest,” Bourne said.
"It’s been a strong market. The horses we did like (on Day 1), they weren’t falling through. Inglis has done a really good job getting the buyers here. They’re (the good horses) not easy to buy.”
#5. We want progeny of the best stallions in our stable
Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock were among the leading buyers at Premier, with their purchases headed by a $500,000 Frankel (GB) colt offered by Aristia Park.
The colt is from the Kingman (GB) mare Philonikia (GB), who was a winner at 2400 metres in the UK and is a half-sister to the G3 Naturalism S. winner Brimham Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock).
Frankel (GB) | Standing at Juddmonte Farms
“I think we bought well. We were prepared to go a little bit more. We’re always happy when we go under budget, not over budget,” de Kock said.
“We bought Let’sbefrankbaby (G3 SA Fillies Classic winner) for $400,000 and he’s in a very similar mould - a nice staying type, which is what we’re looking for.
“We’re not in the market for those early, sharp ones, we’re very patient and we’d rather be focusing on longevity.
“He needs time. He has a very stout female line. He’s got a lot of length to him and will be a horse that’s running over 10 furlongs-plus one day.”
“He (Lot 455) needs time. He has a very stout female line. He’s got a lot of length to him and will be a horse that’s running over 10 furlongs-plus one day.” - Mathew de Kock
It completed a clean sweep of the Frankel progeny for Griffiths and de Kock at this sale after they managed to get the filly from Alsephina (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for $100,000 after she was originally passed in through the ring on Sunday. She was also offered for sale by Aristia Park.
“She was a bit of a bargain buy at 100 grand,” de Kock said. “She’s a bit of a small filly and maybe that’s why she didn’t make the intended price.
“We were happy to take a risk on her, being by Frankel again, we want to put the best sires in our yard and that’s our goal.”
Robbie Griffiths, Corey Smith and Mathew de Kock | Image courtesy of Inglis
De Kock joked the stable was “cornering the Frankel market” but said there’s a good reason why they want progeny of the freakish racehorse and stallion.
“Why wouldn’t you when he’s one of the best sires in the world?” he said.
The acquisition of Monday’s $500,000 Frankel colt follows the stable going to $1 million to buy an Ole Kirk filly at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
“I just said to Robbie (on Sunday), I’d rather have champion sires in our stable and black-type horses with black-type families. Quality over quantity is definitely our philosophy,” de Kock said.
“I’d rather have champion sires in our stable and black-type horses with black-type families. Quality over quantity is definitely our philosophy.” - Mathew de Kock
#6. Not much between first-season sires
There was little between a number of the first-season sires with progeny at the sale, depending which way you dissected the results.
Golden Slipper winner Farnan and the dual Group 1 winner Ole Kirk both contributed more than $1 million to the sale total.
Ole Kirk finished with the highest aggregate of the new boys, with 11 selling for $1,270,000 at an average of $115,455.
Farnan, who averaged a tick over $300,000 for 29 sold on the Gold Coast earlier in the year, had seven lots sell (one passed in) for $1.26 million and a top price of $270,000, with his average landing at $180,000.
Gallery: First-season sires making their mark at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale
Wootton Bassett (GB) had a small representation by comparison, but his three yearlings through the ring sold well, up to $320,000 and at an average of $206,000, which led the first-crop stallions.
Fierce Impact (Ire) had all four yearlings offered sell, with the highlight being Lot 22 a colt from the Galileo (Ire) mare Tinga (Ire), which fetched $310,000 to Lindsay Park from the Newhaven Park draft on Day 1.
Other notables on the first-season list included Anders (six for $670,000), Bivouac (six for $525,000), Hanseatic (eight for $650,000), King’s Legacy (seven for $740,000) and Tagaloa (10 for $660,000).
Top buyers
| Clinton McDonald Racing / S McGrath | 7 | $1,860,000 | $265,714 | $460,000 |
| Moody Racing | 6 | $1,785,000 | $297,500 | $650,000 |
| Lindsay Park Racing | 11 | $1,695,000 | $154,091 | $310,000 |
| MG Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd | 6 | $1,320,000 | $220,000 | $380,000 |
| Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock | 3 | $1,125,000 | $375,000 | $925,000 |
| John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 8 | $1,110,000 | $138,750 | $260,000 |
| Busuttin Racing Pty Ltd | 8 | $1,000,000 | $125,000 | $250,000 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 3 | $970,000 | $323,333 | $500,000 |
| B & J Racing | 4 | $960,000 | $240,000 | $400,000 |
| Griffiths de Kock Racing / Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) | 7 | $900,000 | $128,571 | $220,000 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Yulong, Nagambie | 39 | $5,029,000 | $128,949 | $525,000 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | 23 | $4,320,000 | $187,826 | $925,000 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 18 | $3,180,000 | $176,667 | $480,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW | 10 | $2,025,000 | $202,500 | $460,000 |
| Shadow Hill Thoroughbreds, Avenel | 7 | $1,890,000 | $270,000 | $510,000 |
| Widden Stud, Riddells Creek | 18 | $1,661,000 | $92,278 | $250,000 |
| Noorilim Park, Arcadia | 17 | $1,600,000 | $94,118 | $220,000 |
| Northmore Thoroughbreds, Murchison North | 13 | $1,390,000 | $106,923 | $400,000 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone, NSW | 11 | $1,380,000 | $125,455 | $360,000 |
| The Chase, Sutton Forest, NSW | 4 | $1,310,000 | $327,500 | $500,000 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| The Chase, Sutton Forest, NSW | 4 | $1,310,000 | $327,500 | $500,000 |
| Shadow Hill Thoroughbreds, Avenel | 7 | $1,890,000 | $270,000 | $510,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW | 10 | $2,025,000 | $202,500 | $460,000 |
| Crossley Thoroughbreds, Seymour | 6 | $1,205,000 | $200,833 | $380,000 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | 23 | $4,320,000 | $187,826 | $925,000 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 18 | $3,180,000 | $176,667 | $480,000 |
| Willow Grove Stud, Woodside, SA | 3 | $525,000 | $175,000 | $400,000 |
| Henley Park, Cambridge, NZ | 5 | $835,000 | $167,000 | $270,000 |
| Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd, Scone, NSW | 8 | $1,295,000 | $161,875 | $650,000 |
| Springmount, Romsey | 4 | $610,000 | $152,500 | $260,000 |
Sires by aggregate
| Toronado | 19 | $3,690,000 | $194,211 | $420,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 18 | $3,525,000 | $195,833 | $525,000 |
| Zoustar | 9 | $3,050,000 | $338,889 | $650,000 |
| Alabama Express | 13 | $2,250,000 | $173,077 | $370,000 |
| Snitzel | 6 | $2,215,000 | $369,167 | $925,000 |
| So You Think | 13 | $1,940,000 | $149,231 | $300,000 |
| Justify | 8 | $1,930,000 | $241,250 | $500,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 6 | $1,640,000 | $273,333 | $400,000 |
| Capitalist | 7 | $1,270,000 | $181,429 | $280,000 |
| Ole Kirk | 11 | $1,270,000 | $115,455 | $400,000 |
Sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Snitzel | 6 | $2,215,000 | $369,167 | $925,000 |
| Zoustar | 9 | $3,050,000 | $338,889 | $650,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 6 | $1,640,000 | $273,333 | $400,000 |
| Justify | 8 | $1,930,000 | $241,250 | $500,000 |
| Starspangledbanner | 3 | $650,000 | $216,667 | $510,000 |
| Wootton Bassett | 3 | $620,000 | $206,667 | $320,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 18 | $3,525,000 | $195,833 | $525,000 |
| Toronado | 19 | $3,690,000 | $194,211 | $420,000 |
| Written By | 4 | $740,000 | $185,000 | $400,000 |
| Capitalist | 7 | $1,270,000 | $181,429 | $280,000 |
