Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of Race Images
Yulong continued their streak of acquiring topline racemares for their broodmare band on Wednesday when paying $1.625 million for G1 Sistema Stakes winner Velocious (Written Tycoon), who was offered by Go Racing in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Sale.
She becomes the second highest priced filly to ever sell through the platform, after Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) realised $2.7 million in 2021.
A $190,000 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for Go Racing from Inglewood Stud and sent to trainer Stephen Marsh, Velocious was a tenacious debut winner in the November of her juvenile season, following that performance with victory in the Listed Challenge Stakes over future dual Group 2 winner Bellatrix Star (Star Witness).
Velocious | Image courtesy of Inglis
Bellatrix Star and juvenile Group 1-winning Move To Strike pipped her to the post in the G2 Eclipse Stakes, but she claimed the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO over future start 3-year-olds Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) and Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) at her next start by more than two lengths. Six weeks later, she scored in the Sistema to close out her first five starts with four victories.
Offered as a broodmare prospect after the failure of a tie-back operation at the start of her 3-year-old season, Velocious attracted global attention from bidders, but it was Yulong, signing as Walnut Farm, who won out, making her the 13th lot to make seven figures in the auction platform’s history.
“It’s just fantastic, we’re really rapt and really grateful for all the work Inglis has done to help us get this result,’’ Go Bloodstock’s Albert Bosma said.
Albert Bosma | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“When you get fillies of her value, there’s really only a small amount of potential suitors, but we were thrilled with the interest. I thought the marketing on her was very good, she got put in front of all the buyers that were prospective buyers realistically and I really felt that was done superbly.
“(Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager) Brett (Gilding) has been wonderful, he’s kept us updated the whole way along, nothing was left undone. It’s really a win for everyone; we’re thrilled with the price and I’m sure Yulong is thrilled to have her.’’
“It’s really a win for everyone; we’re thrilled with the price and I’m sure Yulong is thrilled to have her.’’ - Albert Bosna
Yulong’s Sam Fairgray confirmed Bosna’s impression; the team were pleased to add another asset to their quality broodmare band, which already includes Velocious’s dam Parmalove (Snitzel), who was purchased by Yulong via the platform for $730,000 last year.
“Actually Mr Zhang has followed her for a few months now to see what was happening with her, and when she finally came onto the market, he was very keen to explore those options,’’ Fairgray said. “I think she’ll likely visit More Than Looks, it appears to be a really nice mating there.”
“When she (Velocious) finally came onto the market, he (Zhang) was very keen to explore those options.’’ - Sam Fairgray
G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner More Than Looks (USA), a son of successful dual hemisphere sire More Than Ready (USA), joins the Yulong roster for his first season in 2025.
“Velocious was a high class 2-year-old, we own the mare and she’s carrying a full sibling to her now, so it’s great to have Velocious joining the farm as well.’’
Inglis’ Brett Gilding was pleased to pull off the result.
“I saw Velocious win a big race at Ellerslie as a 2-year-old and have been determined ever since to do what I could to secure her for auction by Inglis when the time came, so for this sale to have worked out the way it has is very pleasing,” Gilding said.
Brett Gilding | Image courtesy of Inglis
“The final sale price ended up being a long way above the reserve, which is a demonstration of the nature of the demand for her; people were desperate for her.
“We pride ourselves on working hard to deliver the best results we can for people who support us, and I think results like this only serve to further enhance the confidence the market has in offering quality stock through Inglis Digital.”
“The final sale price ended up being a long way above the reserve, which is a demonstration of the nature of the demand for her.’’ - Brett Gilding
Merton Creek Thoroughbreds offered the second highest priced lot of the sale with five-time winning, Group 2-placed Magnus mare Comica, who is in foal to Champion First Season Sire elect Ole Kirk. She sold to Two Bays Farm for $220,000.
“To be honest, we usually sell at physical sales, this is one of the first times we’ve sold with Inglis Digital, but we were really pleased,” Merton Creek’s Sunny Mitchell said. “We’ve got a good rapport with (Victorian Bloodstock Manager) James Price and he was fantastic as always.
Comica | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We had a lot of enquiries on this mare from the larger farms especially, so she was certainly on people’s radars and that’s all you can really ask for. We thought $180,000 was a realistic price that we could achieve with her, so I was really excited when I saw it go past that amount and just kept climbing.’’
“Everyone is on Ole Kirk and there’s really not a huge amount of them coming onto the market each year, so to get a mare in foal to him might be the best way to go about it for the time being at least,” said Two Bays’ Rob Carlisle. “Comica was a handy race-mare in foal to a stallion we believe is very, very good, so it made sense to go hard to get her.’’
“Comica was a handy race-mare in foal to a stallion we believe is very, very good, so it made sense to go hard to get her.’’ - Rob Carlisle
The Inglis Digital July (Late) sale grossed $4,849,350, with six lots selling for six figures or more. Entries are now open for the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale, which runs from August 8 to August 13, with quality racemares Cleo Cat (American Pharoah {USA}) and Ausbred Flirt (Maurice {Jpn}) already confirmed for the catalogue.
