News

Easter Sale - The Cream Of The Crop

27th Mar 2009

Stallions - Brian Russell - Friday, 27 March 2009

THE 600-strong catalogue compiled by William Inglis and Son for the 2009 Australian Easter Yearling Sale from April 5-7 must rank as the best ever compiled by this historic company. William Inglis has been selling horses in Sydney for more than a century and this year’s catalogue contains the cream of the 2007 foal crop with yearlings by the best local and international stallions and from superior producers. The dams of more than 180 of the yearlings to go through the Newmarket, Sydney ring during the three days are stakes winners, while 155 of mares with youngsters catalogued are stakes producers.

About 500 of the yearlings were conceived in the Hunter Valley, a giant of world thoroughbred production and home to the elite among Australian-bred sires and their shuttling stud mates. Among those sires are eight officially recognised as the best in either the southern or northern hemispheres, a number who are always high up in the general statistics and others who are leading juvenile sires.

Three stallions who held the Australian Champion Sire by Earnings title in the past three seasons have made huge contribution to the 2009 catalogue, supplying just under 200 lots. All Australian Gr.1 winners they are ENCOSTA DE LAGO (Fairy King (USA)-Shoal Creek by Star Way (GB)), champion sire earnings, winners, race wins, stakes winners 2007-08, leading sire by wins 2004-05, 2005-06 with 71 lots; REDOUTE’S CHOICE (Danehill (USA)-Shantha’s Choice by Canny Lad), champion sire by earnings 2005-06, leading juvenile sire 2004-05, 2005-06 and the most successful by average earnings Index 2004-05, 2005-06 with 75 lots; and FLYING SPUR (Danehill-Rolls (USA) by Mr. Prospector), champion sire by earnings, juveniles 2006-07, leading sire by winners 2004-05, 2005-06 with 52 lots.

New Zealand based ZABEEL (15 lots), champion Australian sire twice and leading sire New Zealand-Australian figures combined 12 times, is another prominent sire, while the others who have snared champion sire on earnings titles and have yearlings at Easter are HUSSONET (USA), (Mr. Prospector, 10 lots), champion sire Chile seven times, champion sire 2YO Chile five times, leading Australian sire AEI and two crop sire 2007-08; (GALILEO (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells; 17 lots), champion European sire 2008; SOUTHERN HALO (USA) (Halo; 2 lots), champion sire Argentina eight times; and ELUSIVE QUALITY (USA) (Gone West; 10 lots), champion USA sire 2004.

All but one, the deceased Scenic (IRE), of the 10 most successful sires on Australian earnings for 2007-08 supply Easter yearlings. Five of these are Encosta de Lago, Flying Spur, Redoute’s Choice, Zabeel and Hussonet (USA), while the others are MORE THAN READY (USA) (Southern Halo; 14 lots), second to Encosta de Lago on general list and leading juvenile sire 2007-08, leading first season sire 2004-05; COMMANDS (Danehill, 18 lots), second to Encosta de Lago by winners and wins 2007-08, O’REILLY (NZ) (Last Tycoon (IRE), 2 lots) and DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) (Danehill, 15 lots). Danehill Dancer is one of the most successful dual hemisphere sires, making an impact in Australia and Europe, and O’Reilly was New Zealand’s leading sire of three year-olds for 2006-07 as well as being champion sire in NZ (Aust and NZ earnings) in 2007-08.

O’Reilly and Zabeel are two of eight New Zealand-based sires with yearlings in the Easter catalogue, the others including STRAVINSKY (USA) (Nureyev, 7 lots) and Australian bred Gr.1 winner PINS (Snippets, 6 lots) and SAVABEEL (Zabeel, 5 lots). Savabeel’s oldest are two year-olds. Other prominent sires on the Australian leading sires for earnings list in 2007-08 set to be represented at the sale include CATBIRD (Danehill, 3 lots); DANZERO (Danehill, 3 lots), record champion juvenile sire 2003-04; GENERAL NEDIYM (Nediym (IRE), 5 lots), Leading Sire 2YO winners 2007-08; and proven sources of Gr.1 winners in both hemispheres, RED RANSOM (USA) (Roberto, 8 lots), ANABAA (USA) (Danzig, 21 lots), DEHERE (USA) (Deputy Minister, 6 lots) and TALE OF THE CAT (USA) (Storm Cat, 9 lots).

The younger sires with Easter yearlings include some of the most glamorous locals at stud. Among them are EXCEED AND EXCEL (Danehill, 28 lots), leading first season sire by earnings and winners 2007-08 and sire of 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr.1 first Reward For Effort and third Maka Ena, current leading two-crop sire and by juvenile winners, also a leading first crop sire Europe 2008; CHOISIR (Danehill Dancer, 5 lots), a champion sprinter both hemispheres, leading first crop sire 2006-07, leading two crop sire numerically 2007-08, current leading three crop sire on earnings, sire of Gr.2 winners both hemispheres including star three year-old filly Gold Water; LONHRO (Octagonal, 10 lots), Australian Horse of the Year, a leading two crop sire 2008-09; and ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE) (Danehill, 25 lots), second leading first crop sire 2006-07, second leading two crop sire 2007-08.

Current prominent sires represented with first crop two year-olds include AL MAHER (Danehill, 5 lots), FASTNET ROCK (Danehill, 26 lots), CHARGE FORWARD (Red Ransom, 7 lots, winners in Australia and Japan), SHAMARDAL (USA) (Giant’s Causeway (USA), 5 lots) and ELVSTROEM (Danehill, 6 lots). Two of the most brilliant Gr.1 winners by Redoute’s Choice, STRATUM (Widden Stud, 15 lots) and SNITZEL (Arrowfield Stud, 9 lots) are among the sires with first crop yearlings entered. The others in this category are the 2003-04 Champion Australasian 3YO and 2005 World Co-Champion 3YO Turf Miler STARCRAFT (Soviet Star (USA), 24 lots), the Darley shuttler and Irish 2000 Guineas-Gr.1 winner and English Derby-Gr.1 third DUBAWI (IRE) (Dubai Millennium, 6 lots), the Eliza Park-based Caulfield Guineas-Gr.1 winner GOD’S OWN (Redoute’s Choice, 6 lots), Glenlogan Park’s Caulfield Sprint-Gr.2 winner JET SPUR (Flying Spur, 3 lots), the Coolmore visiting European triple Gr.1 winner ORATORIO (IRE) (Danehill, 4 lots) and the very fast Australian performer and American record setter for 1200m on turf KEEP THE FAITH (Sunday Silence, 1 lot).