News

Blue Gum's Snitzel colt tops enthralling Day 1 of Premier Yearling Sale

1st Mar 2020

The third most expensive yearling to ever sell in Victoria set the Oaklands auditorium alight today as a Snitzel colt from Blue Gum Farm sold to Aquis Farm for $725,000.

On a day when all key financial year-on-year indicators were significantly up it was lot 227 (Snitzel x Jestajingle) which stole the show, with fierce bidding creating spectacular theatre for the enormous crowd who had ventured to Oaklands for Day 1 of the Premier Yearling Sale.

The result – for both breeders Neville and Susan Duncan and vendor Phil Campbell of Blue Gum Farm – was spectacular, causing stirring emotion between both parties.

“The Duncans are just the nicest people and they are also brilliant breeders, they keep sending us quality horses year after year. It is just a pleasure to work with them and I’m just delighted to get another great result for them, it makes me bloody emotional to tell the truth,’’ Campbell said as he fought back tears.

“It means a hell of a lot. This is our backyard and we are fiercely loyal, we bring all our best horses here to Victoria and with the clients that we work with, that is what we encourage to happen.

“We knew this colt was special. I think the price he obtained today was fantastic and we couldn’t have asked for any more.’’

Aquis’ Shane McGrath praised Campbell for prepping such a quality colt for sale.

“He’s a top-level colt by a champion sire. We thought he was a super mover, a real 2YO who’s come from great breeders and Phil Campbell has done a lovely job preparing him,’’ McGrath said.

“Across the board with these top-quality horses, that’s what they’re going to make.

“They can be expensive but if they can come out and win a nice race, they’re a future stallion prospect which is what everyone is after.’’

The day’s second-top lot billing was shared between a Teofilo x Andes colt of Yulong which sold to Ciaron Maher Racing and a Medaglia d’Oro x Base Paradise colt which the Hong Kong Jockey Club purchased from Vinery Stud, for $460,000.

Yulong’s Sam Fairgray said of the Teofilo colt: “He was hugely popular, just a lovely horse with a great temperament.

“It’s really nice, being a Victorian farm, to bring a horse like that to Melbourne Premier and for him to sell so well.’’

Trainer Ciaron Maher hoped the horse would develop into a Guineas-style 3YO.

“He was one of the top colts of the sale I thought by a proven sire out of a young Street Cry mare. I loved him as a type, he ticked all the boxes I look for in a yearling,’’ Maher said.

“I hope he’s a Guineas-type horse, maybe even a Classic horse. He seemed very athletic, had a really good temperament, he was very busy down the back which is a little bit of pressure on them when they’re quite young but he handled it really well.’’

Craig Rounsefell, acting on behalf of the HKJC, said the Medaglia d’Oro factor played a significant role in the purchase.

“The current yearlings are from the final Southern Hemisphere crop of Medaglia d’Oro who is the sire of Golden Sixty, one of the top horses currently racing in Hong Kong, as well as current Australian 3-year-olds Chenier and Flit,’’ Rounsefell said.

“It’s important to me what farm a horse comes from and Vinery have a graduate’s record that is exceptional, which gives me a lot of confidence.”

At the completion of Day 1 of Premier, the average sits at $138,512 with a clearance rate of an improving 75% and a gross of $23,270,000.

After offering the same amount of lots last year, 113 horses have sold for $100,000 or more – a 12% year-on-year increase – while 33 have sold for $200,000 or more, an 18% jump.

“We are very pleased with how the sale has started,’’ Inglis’ General Manager of Bloodstock Sales and Marketing, Sebastian Hutch, said.

“It was an incredibly competitive day of trade and vendors with stock that satisfied the conformational criteria of buyers and vetted well seemed to sell exceptionally well.

“Obviously we’ll be looking to improve the clearance rate as the sale progresses, but the positive atmosphere in advance of the sale has translated into rewarding results for many vendors which is very satisfying.

“There are still plenty of nice horses to be offered over the next few days and we’ll be working hard to continue to help vendors to achieve desirable results.’’

To view our Inglis TV story on Stonehouse’s Harrison Badger who recently walked from Scone to Sydney to raise money for the Bushfire Appeal, CLICK HERE.

To view the Facebook Live end of day review, CLICK HERE.

To enquire about a Passed In lot from today’s action, contact Harry Bailey from the Inglis Bloodstock team on 0420 997 417.

Day 2 action begins at Oaklands at 10am tomorrow, Monday March 2, where the rest of Book 1 will be offered.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

The remaining two days of the 2020 Premier Yearling Sale will again be broadcast live at inglis.com.au as well on the Inglis Facebook Page.

Online Bidding and Make An Offer services will again be available.

DAY 1 STATISTICS (2019 Day 1 statistics in brackets)

Lots sold: 168 (135)

Clearance Rate: 75% (77%)

Average Price: $138,512 ($125,511)

Median Price: $120,000 ($100,000)

Top Price: $725,000 ($800,000)

Gross: $23,270,000 ($16,944,000)