News

Northam Breezes Up

19th Oct 2006

At the end of last year astute Scone based horseman Rodney Northam made the conscious decision to target this year's yearling sales with the sole purpose of purchasing some quality youngsters to prepare and turn over at the 2006 William Inglis & Son 2 & 3YO Breeze Up sale. Northam, one of Scone’s leading trainers feels that “there is definitely a market place for the breeze up sales in Australia, all the hard work is done and buyers can see that the horses can gallop before they buy.”

Offered under the banner of Bay Meadows Thoroughbreds as agent, Northam’s draft contains a quality offering of eight 2YO’s and a single 3YO, a filly by Encosta de Lago.

Lot 17 is a cracking type by Dash For Cash, one of four colts purchased by Northam at this year’s Classic sale. He is from a family well known to successful Warwick Farm trainer Paul Cave who trained the colt’s half-sister, the listed winning Golden Weekend as well as The Free Stater, winner of the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas who appears in the colt’s 2nd dam. The 2007 Inglis Classic race nominated colt is sure to attract plenty of attention as he has a “lovely action, with a big long stride that will just sell himself.”

Another Classic sale graduate is a colt from the sire of Gr. 1 winner Regal Cheer and the ever consistent My Lady’s Chamber, in Arena. Described as a “big, strong well grown colt,” Northam felt that the colt to be offered as lot 116 would perform well in his Breeze Up session, but would be a much better 3YO down the track after further maturing.

The highlight of the draft will come in the shape of lot 74, an almost black son of the Gr. 1 producing Commands. Purchased from the Melbourne Premier sale this year, the very same sales ring in which he is sure to once again be a stand out. By the same sire as the impressive Gr. 1 Caulfield Guineas placegetter in Court Command, Northam’s feelings on this colt were that he was simply “a superstar, a very nice moving professional race horse.” With the vibe on Commands extremely high at the moment, this colt has already received much attention, not only due to his “spectacular looks, but as a type he stands out.”

Being a half relation to successful Hong Kong galloper Good To Great will hold the colt in high regard from not only the local market, but that of buyers from Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore who are sure to be present at the October 29th Sale.

Lot 32, a colt by Testa Rossa from the winning Rancho Ruler mare, Rockellen has received a considerable pedigree update in the last few weeks as the fourth dam now contains the highly impressive winner of Saturday’s Gr. 1 Caulfield Guineas Wonderful World. This colt’s 4th dam, Pastel, is the grand-dam of the unraced Success Express mare Success Tale, herself the dam of Wonderful World. “A big, gorgeous type, who stands over a bit of ground,” the colt will have plenty of appeal to buyers as like the previously mentioned Commands colt, has been nominated for next year’s $500,000 Inglis Premier race, open only to horses sold through the 2006 Premier and Autumn Yearling sales.

The sole Tale of The Cat (USA) offering in the sale will go through as lot 69 and is described as a colt who “is very correct, a short coupled sprinting type,” who will command plenty of attention due to the recent debut run of Tower Cat, the first runner of Tale of The Cat’s initial Australian conceived crop. Producing an amazing finishing burst to come from the back of the field, Tower Cat took 2nd place in the time honoured Listed Maribyrnong Trial, Victoria’s first 2YO race of the season.

Overall, Rodney Northam heads to the William Inglis & Son 2 & 3YO Breeze Up sale with a draft that will appeal not only to local buyers, but those international buyers who are after a ready-made racehorse. The 9 strong offering will be available for inspection from Monday 23rd, with the scheduled breeze up session to take place from 11am on Thursday 26th October.

Sunday 29th October, the day after the MVRC W.S. Cox Plate will see the sale commence at 12 midday. Over 140 quality 2 & 3YO’s will be on offer, with access to their Breeze Up times and footage available from the morning of Friday 27th. Catalogues can be obtained by contacting the Melbourne office of William Inglis & Son on 03 9333 1422.