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
Inglis Sales Catalogues
