News

Encosta De Lago Colt Tops Melboune Opener

1st Mar 2009

The opening session of the 2009 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale featured 17 youngsters topping the $100,000 mark, but followed the lead of all other global sales in recent times, falling on last year’s record figures.

At the close of the session, 119 yearlings had been sold for a gross of $6.8million at an average of $57,529.

The median of $50,000 matched the final figure from the 2007 sale.

Like he has done so many times previously at Oaklands, Encosta De Lago was the star sire on the opening day, providing the session topper, which was offered for sale by Blue Gum Farm.

The colt, bred on the same Encosta-Zeditave cross as World Champion Sprinter Sacred Kingdom, is from the unraced mare Acquisito and sold to Inglis as Agent for $170,000.

The colt is closely related to G1 winner Titanic Jack – an early flagbearer for Encosta De Lago – from a family that also includes G1 winner Sober Suit and the stakes winners La Lagune and Make Me A Miracle.

The colt was one of 17 yearlings to fetch $100,000 or more on the opening day, including seven that reached the $150,000 mark.

Paul Perry gave $160,000 for the day’s second highest priced lot, a colt by Exceed And Excel from Shaye Spice, which was offered by Mill Park.

Perry was particularly active during the opening session, also signing for a $150,000 filly by his 2005 Golden Slipper winner Stratum from the Last Tycoon mare Tycoon Milly.

Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said after years of growth in the bloodstock market, it was now very much a buyers’ market, with great opportunities abounding over the next three sessions at a sale that continues to produce outstanding racetrack results.

“It was very positive to see all of the familiar players you would expect to see and they are buying - it’s just that they don’t have as much to spend,” Webster said.

“The bloodstock market has been growing at 20 to 25% for the last five years and it has turned around to be in the buyer’s favour for the first time in a long time.”

Webster was disappointed with the 65% clearance rate today, but predicted that will improve as vendors now have a good feel for where the market is at.

“I would like to see a few more vendors meeting the market – the clearance rate at the moment is disappointing for a top yearling sale like this,” he said.

“However, there are a lot of good horses coming in tomorrow and I think a lot of the passed in lots will start to move after we get through tomorrow.”

Webster pointed out that all of today’s passed in lots are for sale via the Make an Offer service.

“It is worth noting that this year’s Classic Sale finished with a clearance rate of 73%, but since then we have sold another 40 horses privately and I expect that will be the same here.”

The Premier Sale continues from 11am tomorrow and can be viewed live via the Sale Day Live coverage on the Inglis Website.

Day 1 Statistics:

Catalogued: 200

Withdrawn: 19

Sold: 119 (65.7%)

Passed In: 62

Gross: $6,846,000

Average: $57,529

Median: $50,000