News

BUYERS HOOK INTO WEANLINGS

14th Apr 2007

Buyers dipped into the fountain of youth at Newmarket today, with the William Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale adding to a stunning week of auction action, selling 169 lots (85% clearance) for a gross of $3,899,350 at an average of $23,073.

Coolmore’s Encosta de Lago continued his yearling sale form by pulling the sale topper late in the session with his filly from stakes placed mare, Shalang (Lot 208), eventually secured by leading bloodstock agent, Colm Santry for $320,000, “She’s a lovely filly, the best in the sale. There’s so much upside with her,” Santry pointed out. “The yearling full sister sold for $550,000 last week, the mare is going back to Encosta de Lago this year, she’s in foal to Dehere and I really think this filly will make into an outstanding Easter yearling.”

Redoute’s Choice also weighed in with an athletic filly from Rory’s Jester mare Fatina (Lot 66), sold to New Zealand’s Mark and Shelly Treweek. Today capped a highly successful few days for Steve Irwin (Riverslea Farm) who is familiar with life both in front of and behind the auctioneer’s box! Last Thursday, Riverslea sold a Viscount colt for $85,000 (having purchased the colt at last year’s Select Weanling Sale for $32,000) and an Encosta de Lago filly for $550,000 ($300,000 Select Weanling) which, coincidentally, is the year older full sister to today’s topper.

“We purchase weanlings with the specific purpose of targeting the Easter Yearling Sale and it certainly paid dividends this year with John Hawkes purchasing both of them. There’s not too many better judges out there than John!” Irwin added.

World-beater and exciting young Danehill stallion, Elvstroem also announced his ‘arrival’ when Lot 136, a colt from a half-sister to STC Silver Slipper-G2 winner Ballyblueue, on consignment from Ballarto Lodge, was snared for $200,000. Knocked down to William Inglis as agent on behalf of a syndicate, an elated Ballarto Lodge principal, Ian Pankhurst said; “Interest in the Elvstroem colt was enormous and the number of inspections was incredible. He’s a very nice horse in a sale full of nice horses.”

William Inglis Acting Managing Director Jamie Inglis said the Select Weanling Sale had really come into its own: “This sale presents buyers with the opportunity to purchase quality, well-pedigreed thoroughbreds at a much cheaper price than they’ll have to pay at a major auction some 12 months on”.

One only needs to look at what some Inglis weanling sale graduates have achieved in the last 12 months, among them Perfectly Ready (Group One Goodwood Handicap), Danzippo (Group winner), More Than Lucky (Listed winner and Group Two placed at Randwick yesterday), Why Be (winner of 18 races and over $A1.1 million in Singapore) and Sushisan (twice Group One placed in South Africa and recent fifth in the Dubai Sheema Classic). All five made their first public appearance at the 2003 Easter Weanling sale.

Inglis continued; “Today’s weanling activity also ‘unveiled’ the progeny of stallions such as Elvstroem, Neillo, Fastnet Rock, Charge Forward and company who all sold well and gave buyers the first opportunity to see the type of horse that will be appearing at 2008 yearling sales by these first season sires.”

Belmont Bloodstock’s Damon Gabbedy was certainly taken with the Niello filly from Campbell Fever (Lot 18), eventually winning the day with a bid of $110,000: “This is a very nice, athletic type of filly and she should grow out very well. It’s also a wonderful family and her yearling half-sister (by Danzero) was sold to Lee Freedman for $230,000 last Tuesday. Coupled with that is the fact that Niello is a very credentialed sire, he was a top racehorse and, what’s more, the yearlings by his big brother, Lonhro, sold very well last week.”

Additionally, the Niello colt from Irish mare Panga (Lot 168) was sold to New Zealand Bloodstock for $110,000, while New Zealand also secured a Fastnet Rock ($100,000 for Lot 45 sold to William Inglis, New Zealand), and two Charge Forward weanlings for $70,000 apiece: Lot 33, sold to William Inglis, New Zealand and Lot 207, Hallmark Stud.

The weanling section continues from 10.30am tomorrow (Lots 231-287) and is followed by the first of five broodmare sessions.

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