News

2006 Classic Yearling Sale Wrap

12th Feb 2006

The 2006 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale concluded in fine fashion at Newmarket on Monday posting new record average and median figures.

Overall 376 lots sold for gross receipts of $14,303,500, an average of $38,041 and median of $30,000.

This is compared to 418 lots for a total of $14,467,455, average of $ 34,611 and median of $27,500 at last year’s sale and represents an increase of just under ten per cent in both average and median - the latter figure is a particularly pleasing indicator of the growing strength in the middle market. The overall clearance rate settled at just under 81 per cent an increase of just over one per cent on 2005.

Managing Director Reg Inglis was very pleased with the overall returns.

“A great result and it is especially pleasing to achieve a new record average and record median, a good indication of the strength of the market at the moment. There has been a great crowd here over the last two-day’s selling and I’d like to say a big thank you to all the vendors and buyers for supporting this sale. We look forward to the Premier and Easter sales with great anticipation.”

First crop sire Bel Esprit sold for just $9,000 at the 2001 Classic sale. He retired to Eliza Park Stud in 2003 as Champion three-year-old middle-distance colt with earnings in excess of $2million. His success story continued on Day 2 of the Classic sale on Monday when Rosehill trainer Lee Curtis made a final bid of $160,000 for one of his sons. Catalogued as lot 472, the colt is out of the Brief Truce mare Floribunda and was offered by Bridget Woodford-Smith and Peter Stewart’s Huntworth Stud.

“I think he is outstanding,” said Curtis after signing for the colt. “He looks an early coming type and just a beautiful looking colt.”

Late on in the day the colt’s $160,000 price-tag was matched by a Choisir half-sister to Barbara Joseph’s star filly Ain’t Seen Nothin’, bought by trainer Anthony Cummings. From Little Wych farm the filly is out of the Genghiz mare Icecapade, dam of last year’s $190,000 sale topper.

“I thought she was a lovely filly from a sensational family,” said Cummings. “It’s very much a fillies family too and having tried several times already this year to buy a Choisir yearling I also think she represents exceptionally good value.”

The attractive chestnut is also a half-sister to Commands Nothin’, the winner of the $500,000 Inglis Classic race in 2004, a race Cummings indicated would be the 2007 target of his new acquisition.

Exciting Chilean import Hussonet already boasts a remarkable record as a sire and his first Australian bred progeny are not surprisingly much in demand. Local trainer Grahame Begg went to $115,000 to secure an athletic looking son of the Mr Prospector stallion out of the Snippets mare Bruschetta, offered as lot 376 by Arrowfield as agent.

“I’m very happy with him,” he said afterwards. “He’s a good strong horse and should be an early precocious type.”

Later on in the day fellow Randwick trainer Gai Waterhouse added a $110,000 Hussonet filly to her already sizeable bag of purchases. The Emirates Park consigned yearling is out of the British-bred Tragic Role mare Eajaab and was offered as lot 447.

Top Ten lots Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Session 1 Day 2

Top Ten Lots Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Session 1 Overall

Classic Sale Session 2 - Twilight

Following on after the hugely successful Classic session 1, the newly introduced session 2 was well received seeing 39 yearlings turnover $676,000 for an average of $17,333. The top price was lot 576 a colt by Invincible Spirit from Woodlands Stud, sold to Warwick Farm trainer Toby Edmonds for $62,500.

Top Lots Twilight Session