News

Easter Review

20th Apr 2006

William Inglis & Son concluded a record-breaking 2006 Australian Easter Yearling Sale at Newmarket, Sydney on April 20, posting across the board gains in all categories to become the most successful yearling sale ever held in Australia.

FACTS AND FIGURES

 Year Sold Gross Ave Med Clearance
2006 406 $117,130,000 $288,497 $180,000 90%
2005 437 $90,588,000 $207,295 $150,000 79%

The $117,130,000 gross was a massive 29 per cent up on last year’s previous record - remarkable in view of the streamlined catalogue, while the average leapt a huge 40 per cent to $288,497. The clearance rate was an excellent 90 per cent, up over ten per cent on 2005.

OVERALL TOP 10 LOTS

Lot Type Breeding/Name Vendor Purchaser Price
261  B C Redoute's Choice - Deja Slew  Yarraman Park  C Laird SA  $3,000,000
451  B F  Encosta de Lago / Oceanfast  Yarraman Park  D O'Byrne IRE  $2,600,000
287  B C  Redoute's Choice / Exact  Yarraman Park  T Stakemire  $2,300,000
385  B F  Secret Savings / Lifetime Story  Emirates Park  G Waterhouse  $2,200,000
128  B C  Redoute's Choice / Urge To Merge  Arrowfield Stud  R McAnulty NZ  $2,000,000
51  B C  Redoute's Choice / Singles Bar  Arrowfield Stud  Freedman Bros  $1,600,000
483  Ch F  Danehill Dancer / Procrastinate  Kia Ora Stud  Wood Nook Farm  $1,600,000
186  Ch C  Elusive Quality / Assertive Lass  Twin Palms  John Ferguson  $1,400,000
81  Br F  Rock Of Gibraltar / Subterfuge  Coolmore Stud  D Ellis NZ  $1,300,000
458  B C  Redoute's Choice / Our Side Show  Highgrove Stud  Cambridge Stud NZ  $1,200,000

In all, fourteen yearlings made in excess of $1,000,000 compared to eight at last year’s sale, while the three-days saw two landmark records broken.

A year ago a Redoute’s Choice half-brother to racequeen Makybe Diva set a new $2.5 million high price for an Australian yearling when sold at the Easter sale.

That price was blown away on Wednesday, when another of the sire’s sons was sold for $3million. The horse in question was out of Yarraman Park’s Slew O’Gold mare Deja Slew and was bought by South African trainer Charles Laird.

During Thursday’s final session an Encosta De Lago full-sister to Champion racemare Alinghi became the highest priced female ever to sell at an Australasian yearling sale, bringing a final bid of $2.6million from Coolmore’s Demi O’Byrne.

SIRES (with three or more yearlings sold)

Name Sold Aggregate Av Price Top Price
Redoute's Choice 35 $24,880,000 $710,857 $3,000,000
Dehere 10 $5,855,000 $585,500 $1,100,000
Secret Savings 8 $3,000,000 $375,000 $2,200,000
Danehill Dancer 15 $5,410,000 $360,667 $1,600,000
Zabeel 16 $5,700,000 $356,250 $1,000,000
Encosta de Lago 40 $13,800,000 $345,000 $2,600,000
*Elusive Quality 25 $7,785,000 $311,400 $1,400,000
*Rock Of Gibraltar 31 $9,295,000 $299,839 $1,300,000
Anabaa 9 $2,400,000 $266,667 $650,000
Pins 3 $790,000 $263,333 $400,000

Once again sire sensation Redoute’s Choice proved the star attraction. Arrowfield Stud’s Danehill stallion accounted for five of the top ten lots, with 35 youngsters selling for an astonishing average of $710,857.

Coolmore’s Deputy Minister sire Dehere was also exceptionally popular. Ten progeny of the former champion 2YO averaged $585,500.

First crop sire honours went to Darley’s Elusive Quality. Already a well established northern hemisphere sire, the son of Gone West averaged $311,400 with his first Australian crop this Easter, while Coolmore’s seven-time Group 1 winner Rock Of Gibraltar was also extremely popular, averaging $299,839 for 31 yearlings sold.

LEADING VENDORS BY GROSS

Name Sold Aggregate Av Price Top Price
Arrowfield Stud 33 $13,660,000 $413,939 $2,000,000
Coolmore Stud 41 $12,830,000 $312,927 $1,300,000
Yarraman Park Stud 14 $10,575,000 $755,357 $3,000,000
Widden Stud 15 $4,980,000 $332,000 $750,000
Broadwater Farm 18   $4,515,000 $250,833 $625,000
Cambridge Stud, NZ 15   $4,060,000 $270,667 $1,000,000
Emirates Park Stud 10   $3,790,000 $379,000 $2,200,000
Bellerive Stud 18   $3,675,000 $204,167 $1,100,000
Kia Ora Stud 9   $3,590,000 $398,889 $1,600,000
Twin Palms Stud 7   $3,525,000 $503,571 $1,400,000

Leading vendor by aggregate was Arrowfield Stud who sold 33 yearlings for $ 13,660,000. John Mesarra’s farm ended the long reign of Coolmore Stud in this category, with the Jerry’s Plains farm running a close second with gross receipts of $12,830,000 for 41 lots sold.

LEADING VENDORS BY AVERAGE

Name Sold Av Price Top Price
Highgrove Stud 2 $1,075,000 $1,200,000
Yarraman Park Stud 14 $755,357 $3,000,000
Twin Palms Stud 7 $503,571 $1,400,000
Tyreel Stud 6 $490,833 $750,000
Arrowfield Stud 33 $413,939 $2,000,000
Segenhoe Stud 5 $408,000 $600,000
Kia Ora Stud 9 $398,889 $1,600,000
Trelawney Stud NZ 5 $398,000 $680,000
Newhaven Park Stud 7 $382,857 $900,000
Emirates Park Stud 10 $379,000 $2,200,000

Hunter Valley based Yarraman Park Stud sold the three top-lots, while their 14-strong draft all sold at an average of $755,357 - an incredible achievement.

“We’ve always been traders,” said Yarraman’s Arthur Mitchell. “We’ve been selling since 1970 and every dog has its day. We knew from inspections at the farm we had two good colts and there had been a lot of expectation about the filly, it was pretty nerve racking.”

Easter 2006 was a brilliant result for Ron Gilbert’s boutique Highgrove Stud who brought just two yearlings down from Queensland. The first was a Redoute’s Choice colt from Chief’s Crown mare Brilliant Crown, which sold for $950,000 on Wednesday, while Thursday’s millionaire was out of a Snippets full-sister to three stakes-winners.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Gilbert, echoing the sentiments of many vendors. “We only bought the two here and have sold beyond our wildest expectations.”

TOP BUYERS BY GROSS

Name Bought Aggregate Av Price Top Price
 Woodlands Stud 27  13,110,000  485,556  1,100,000
 William Inglis As Agent 26  7,230,000  278,077  950,000
 G Waterhouse 17  6,360,000  374,118  2,200,000
 C Laird 8  5,640,000  705,000  3,000,000
 T Stakemire 9  3,870,000  430,000  2,300,000
 Shadwell Australia 5  3,580,000  716,000  1,100,000
 Vin Cox Bloodstock 11  3,505,000  318,636  925,000
 Freedman Bros 7  3,440,000  491,429  1,600,000
 C Conners 6  3,025,000  504,167  825,000
 D O'Byrne 2  2,850,000  1,425,000  2,600,000
 R McAnulty 3  2,690,000  896,667  2,000,000
 K Yoshida 6  2,360,000  393,333  800,000
 BBA Ireland 4  2,260,000  565,000  750,000
 John Ferguson Bloodstock 3  2,205,000  735,000  1,400,000

The Ingham family’s Woodlands Stud remained the sale’s top buyers, spending $13,110,000 on 27 yearlings.

Although the leading buyers were a domestic entity, the buying bench was international in nature with big hitters from Japan, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand all very active over the three days.

Today at Easter: Thursday 20th April
Tonight at Easter: Wednesday 19th April
Today at Easter: Tuesday 18th April