News

Easter concludes as the second best in history

11th Apr 2018

The “colt of the year’’ from “the best family in the southern hemisphere’’ was the star of Day 3 of the Australian Easter Yearling Sale, which ended as the second-best Easter Sale ever.

In a stunning three days in front of a buying bench gathered from all corners of the globe:

• 22 yearlings sold for $1m or more, up from 17 in 2017

• Of those, they came from eight different stallions - Snitzel (7), I Am Invincible (5), Fastnet Rock (4), Deep Impact (2), Redoute’s Choice, Frankel, Pierro and Not A Single Doubt (1) – and 18 different individual buyers

• 71 Lots sold for $500,000 or more, up from 64 in 2017.

• Arrowfield Stud was again leading vendor ahead of Coolmore Stud while Yarraman Park, Kia Ora Stud, Highgrove Stud, Tyreel Stud and Fairview Park all enjoyed a 100% clearance rate AND eclipsed the sale’s overall average

• The top Lot sold for $2.3million to Anthony Freedman Racing, a Fastnet Rock x The Broken Shore colt (Lot 400) from Arrowfield’s draft

• Book 1 grossed $116,057,500, behind only the 2008 Easter Yearling Sale.

The Fastnet Rock x Broken Shore colt was not only the top Lot of Day 3 but the overall sale-topper, knocked down to Anthony Freedman, who trains the colt’s two sisters in Group 1 winner Shoals and the unraced Tides.

“I think knowing the family and training Shoals, I had that intel. That gave me a bit more confidence,’’ Freedman said.

“I think he’s the right type of Fastnet Rock colt, he’s not too big, and I think he’s just a bigger version of Shoals.

“He was the colt of the year. Knowing the family as well as I do I was very confident he was the right type. He gave me the confidence to go to the price.’’

Arrowfield’s John Messara, who not only offered the sale-topping colt but was also crowned leading vendor, was thrilled with the three days of sales.

“It’s been a good week,’’ Messara said.

“We bought some really nice horses here to inaugurate the establishment of the new Riverside Stables, we expected to do well and I’m very pleased with the results.

“The Broken Shore colt is a horse that had a lot less unknowns about him than almost any other colt in the sale because he was by a proven sire out of a multiple Group 1-producing mare. He just had everything really.

“It’s a risk-mitigation exercise if you want to go into the stallion business and this horse had a lot of the features you would seek.’’

At the sale’s conclusion, the Book 1 average was $347,478 at a clearance rate of 84% and median of $250,000.

The leading vendor was Arrowfield by both aggregate ($18,265,000) and average ($589,194) while Arrowfield’s stallion Snitzel was leading sire by aggregate ($21,685,000).

Coolmore Stud’s Fastnet Rock was leading sire by average ($554,167) in a close decision over I Am Invincible who averaged $553,030 and Snitzel who averaged $528,902.

Shadwell was leading buyer, spending $6,140,000, ahead of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

To view our Inglis TV story on long-time industry participant (and great character) John ‘JJ’ Jeffs, CLICK HERE.

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

Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster couldn’t have been happier with the Easter results.

“To match last year’s average and increase the gross by more than $7million, it’s a very healthy position to be in,’’ Webster said.

“These results all come down to the fantastic quality of product our vendors have presented to the market, and the diversity of the buying bench that has come to Riverside Stables this week.

“It’s been a fantastic week for Arrowfield as leading vendor, Coolmore who also grossed in excess of $10m and so many studs who enjoyed a 100% clearance rate.

“As for the buying bench, it was fantastic to see the Hong Kong Jockey Club supporting the sale and I wish them luck as they re-offer their colts at the Hong Kong International Sale, and to leading buyer Shadwell, good luck to you and to everyone who bought a yearling at Easter 2018.’’

The action continues at Riverside Stables tomorrow with The Chairman’s Sale Breeding Prospects, from 2pm.

Over 200 Lots have been catalogued for the sale including five Group 1 winners, 39 Stakes winners, elite weanlings, stallion shares, proven producers such as the dams of Pinot (Dizelle, in foal to Flying Artie), Catkins (Salix Caprea) and Hong Kong star Nothingilikemore (Katisam, in foal to Vancouver), plus quality mares in foal to the likes of Frankel, Snitzel, I Am Invincible, American Pharoah, Capitalist, Written Tycoon, Not A Single Doubt, Divine Prophet and Rubick.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

The big fortnight of action concludes with the three-day Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale from this coming Sunday, April 15, where a catalogue of 649 quality weanlings, race fillies and broodmares will be offered.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

2018 AUSTRALIAN EASTER YEARLING SALE STATISTICS

(2017 stats in brackets)

SESSION 1

Lots Sold: 334 (308)

Clearance Rate: 84% (87%)

Average Price: $347,478 ($354,935)

Median Price: $250,000 ($260,000)

Top Price: $2,300,000 ($2,500,000)

Gross: $116,057,500 ($109,320,000)

SESSION 2

Lots Sold: 51 (51)

Clearance Rate: 76% (77%)

Average Price: $115,490 ($119,216)

Median Price: $100,000 ($90,000)

Top Price: $330,000 ($640,000)

Gross: $5,890,000 ($6,080,000)