News

2007 Classic Yearling Sale Updates

2nd Jan 2007

The 2007 William Inglis & Son Classic Yearling Catalogue received many significant updates over the Christmas/New Year break. On top of this, many Classic Sale graduates performed with great distinction over the same period, once again highlighting the Classic Sale as a sale where both quality and value can be sourced.

One of the most noteworthy updates occurred to Lot 120. The chestnut filly, to be offered on behalf of Lord Bloodstock as agent, is a full sister to the unbeaten Listed Canonbury Stakes winner, Danehill Smile. Currently heading the order of entry for the 2007 Classic Race, Danehill Smile who has recorded two authoritive wins from as many starts is one of four Classic Sale graduates to win Saturday races in the first nine weeks of the 2YO racing season.

Purchased for $50,000 at last year’s sale by Anthony Cummings, the filly has easily paid her connections back her purchase price twice over. Heading towards the 2007 Classic Race on Saturday February 10, the filly now has the opportunity to share in the $500,000 prizemoney on offer.

The success of the filly is also being celebrated by Bill Benson’s Emerald Thoroughbreds who went to $16,000 to secure Sly Smile (USA), the dam of Danehill Smile at the 2006 Broodmare Sale.

High anticipation will await Lot 343, a Choisir colt to be offered as the final lot on Day Two. One of two lots to be presented by Victorian Stud Laceby Lodge, the colt is a half-brother to the extremely impressive and unbeaten Hong Kong Encosta de Lago galloper Sacred Kingdom. Purchased from the 2005 Premier Yearling sale for $200,000, Sacred Kingdom is being compared to Hong Kong Champion galloper Fairy King Prawn, the Easter sold Danehill (USA) galloper of yesteryear who had cult figure status in Hong Kong.

Trained by successful Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu and ridden in both starts by Australian jockey Danny Nikolic, Sacred Kingdom has recorded consecutive victories, both with utter ease and contempt for his rivals.

Another significant update to the very same pedigree is that of stakes-placed Redoute’s Choice gelding Opter, a ¾ brother to Sacred Kingdom who has also recorded two victories since the catalogue went to print.

New Years Day on the Gold Coast saw the running of the $100,000 Listed Carlton Draught Goldmarket Handicap. The race was taken out by the Bryan Guy trained Shepishir, a half-sister to Lot 379, a Magic Albert colt to be offered by Guntawang Stud as agent. Registering her first stakes win, the now 15 time winner also recently recorded a Listed placing, taking her career earnings over $315,500.

In recent weeks, the Meringo Stud bred Natural Destiny, a $10,000 purchase from the 2004 Classic Sale, has taken his career earnings soaring past the $580,000 mark with two breath-taking wins. Authoritive victories in the first two legs of the Doomben Summer Triple Crown, including a last start race and track record breaking effort sees the Naturalism (NZ) entire head into Saturday’s remaining leg, the Bernborough Handicap (1615m) as a very warm favourite.

Fred Peisah’s Lomar Park Stud would have been celebrating along with the connections of Natural Destiny as they offer Lot 282, a strapping colt by resident Danehill (USA) stallion Arena, from a city winning full sister to Force Of Destiny, the dam of the nine time winning Natural Destiny.

The running of the 2YO race at Kembla Grange on Saturday saw the first four home all graduates of the 2006 Classic Sale. Scoring a dominant 1¾ length victory, Fille Majestique purchased from the draft of Widden Stud as agent last year for $10,000 incidentally updates the pedigree for Lot 35, a Danzero colt to be offered by the same vendor at the 2007 Premier Yearling Sale.

With all four of the graduates paid up for the 2007 Classic Race, the updated list based on prizemoney can be viewed online here. The 2007 Classic Race, to be held on Saturday February 10 at Randwick racecourse, will precede the opening session of the 2007 Classic Yearling Sale at Newmarket.

Catalogues for the 2007 Classic Sale can be obtained by contacting the Newmarket office on 02 9399 7999.