News

Derby dreaming as online sale tops $210,000

1st Jun 2018

Inglis Digital has celebrated the one year anniversary of its monthly online auctions, with the May catalogue reaching a record gross of $1.215 million.

Te Akau Racing, buying on Inglis Digital for the first time, secured the top lot for $210,000 - also a new high top price for the platform – in 3YO Snitzel gelding Augustus.

Augustus (lot 19) was consigned by Newgate Farm and smashed the previous Inglis Digital record of $140,000.

While purchased to target the Group 1 Singapore Derby next year from Te Akau’s Singapore stable, Te Akau has confirmed Augustus will remain with trainer Chris Waller and continue on a Queensland Derby path in the interim.

The Queensland Derby is run at Doomben next Saturday (June 9).

Tried horses consigned by Newgate Farm headlined the May auction results, with Written Tycoon 2YO gelding Federation (lot 28) selling to Fortuna Limited for $90,000 and Campaign (lot 22) bought by WA-based Gangemi Racing for $100,000.

Newgate Farm’s Henry Field described Inglis Digital’s monthly auctions as “the way of the future in terms of trading tried horses in Australia’’.

“It simplifies the entire process as a vendor, instead of trying to organise private sales and waiting for payments you can auction these horses within five days using the Inglis database and all without interrupting their racing preparations,’’ Field said.

“I’m obviously a massive believer in it but I think Inglis Digital will only get bigger and stronger.”

Gangemi Racing said they were “rapt” to have secured Campaign, and also take home China Horse Club-consigned Molten (lot 39) for $40,000.

The WA training operation have booked the gelding on a flight to Perth, with the aim of contesting the local 3YO Classics including the Listed Belmont Guineas on June 23.

Talented 3YO Pluck filly Lucky Louie (lot 55) sold for $95,000 to J W Kelly Suffolk Vale & Co, ensuring the top four lots in the sale alone grossed $495,000.

The two Glenlogan Park stallions, Jet Spur (lot 156) and Real Saga (lot 155), sold for $40,000 and $32,500 respectively.

With an average of $13,000, Inglis Digital Business Manager Nick Melmeth said he was excited by the steady growth of the monthly online auctions.

“A year ago we were seeing the modest monthly turnover around the $200,000 and $300,000 mark but after cracking $500,000 in November, then one million in January, it hasn’t really looked back,’’ Melmeth said.

“The tried horses are extremely popular with our buying bench and it’s satisfying to reach these results for our vendors.

“It was also great to see one of our recent graduates Mica Lil finish third in the Gr.1 Robert Sangster Stakes, reaping a big profit for her new connections.

“Of course, there are areas we’d like to improve, but we are buoyed by the increasing popularity of the online auctions, especially when the first half of the year is jam-packed full of yearling, weanling and broodmare sales.

“We’re tremendously proud of what Inglis Digital has achieved in just 12 months and would like to thank the vendors and buyers that have supported us so far.’’

Entries are now open for the June Online Auction; go to www.inglisdigital.com.

2018 MAY ONLINE AUCTION

Catalogued: 159

Gross: $1,215,000

Top Lot: $210,000

Clearance: 60%

Average: $13,000

Median: $4,500