News

Million Dollar Finish To Record Sale

19th Apr 2007

As the hammer fell on the final lot today, the curtains came down on what has unquestionably been the most successful fortnight in Australian thoroughbred sales history.

Following last week’s record shattering William Inglis & Son Australian Easter Yearling Sale and its $148 million plus turnover, the William Inglis & Son Australian Select Broodmare Sale closed after five days of trade, realising an aggregate of $42,291,450 for 655 lots sold at an average of $64,567. Today’s session alone grossed $4,879,500 for 114 lots, averaging $42,803. Furthermore the William Inglis & Son Australian Select Weanling Sale grossed $4,971,850 for 214 lots sold at an average of $23,233.

The action certainly didn’t take long to warm up, with Darley Australia unleashing a winning bid of $900,000 to secure outstanding racemare Regal Cheer, Lot 1057, the second lot offered today. Winner of six races and $877,955, Regal Cheer’s career highlight came when successful in the Group One STC Coolmore Classic where she defeated Group One winners Star Shiraz, Mnemosyne, Aqua D’Amore, Ike’s Dream and Hollow Bullet, while Infinite Grace (sold for $850,000 yesterday) was another to finish in her wake.

Complementing its Australian collection of some outstanding broodmares, Darley dug deep, paying $3.4 million for the sale topper, Virage de Fortune, on Monday and $14,290,000 for 14 yearlings at last week’s sale.

The Danehill (USA) factor would undoubtedly have figured heavily in Darley’s decision to purchase Regal Cheer, who is by Danehill’s (USA) Group One winning son Arena. Group One winners from Danehill (USA) mares this season include the Inglis Graduates Camarilla and Red Dazzler, while Tuesday Joy and Hong Kong superstar Vengeance of Rain have also recorded victories at the highest level.

“Sheikh Mohammed determines all the matings but in light of his recent success with Danehill (USA) mares, I wouldn’t be surprised if Regal Cheer is mated this season with Elusive Quality (USA) (whose stakes winners from Danehill mares include Group One AJC Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Camarilla).”

Colm Santry is another who has stepped up in a big way this week, signing off on Tuesday’s sale topper Lady Marion ($840,000) for Coolmore Stud and has also purchased nine broodmares in his own right for an overall tally of $2,215,000.

Santry was eager to secure Lot 1080, the Group Two VRC Edward Manifold Stakes winner She Will Be Loved on behalf of an overseas syndicate, eventually signing off on $1,150,000 for the privilege.

A lightly raced daughter of Strategic and closely related to Soleil Rouge, All Thrills Too and Silky Red Boxer, She Will Be Loved took out the Manifold in thrilling fashion, defeating Miss Finland in the process (one of only two fillies to defeat the 5-time Group One winner since last year’s Golden Slipper). “She will continue racing with David Hayes and eventually go to Danehill’s (USA) multiple Group One winner Holy Roman Emperor,” according to Santry.

William Inglis & Son, Acting Managing Director Jamie Inglis, continues to marvel at the Newmarket activity during the past week and a half: “This has been an absolutely amazing period with over $195 million worth of bloodstock passing through the sale ring in nine days.

“It’s not only indicative of the quality assembled for the yearling, weanling and broodmare catalogues, it also bodes well for the strength of a local industry which can attract interest from all corners of the globe to purchase our bloodstock. Buyer participation, and their points or origin, have been well documented but it really says something when you get into day nine of almost continuous sales action and sell a mare to international interests for $1,150,000.

“Our vendors are to be applauded for both presenting bloodstock with such appeal and, as the clearance would indicate, their willingness to meet the market. And what a market! Aside from the international competition, the domestic buying bench was vast and, most encouragingly, there were a lot of new faces.”

William Inglis & Son will hold its next sale, the 2007 William Inglis & Son Autumn Yearling Sale at Oaklands, Melbourne. Commencing at 10:30am on Sunday April 29 with 292 yearlings, the sale will continue the following day, Monday 30, with a further 151 offerings.

For anyone who missed the opportunity to sell their yearlings, weanlings or broodmares over the past two weeks, entries are still open for the William Inglis & Son Great Southern Sale to be held at Oaklands in late June. With the current market experiencing such buoyancy, the opportunity to sell should not be missed. For further information or entry forms please contact the Melbourne office on (03) 9333 1422.

Top Lots Day 5

Sale Statistics

Overall Top Lots