News

Records tumble at stellar Gold Sale

17th May 2021

A pair of fillies both broke previous individual Gold Sale records on Day 2 action at Oaklands today, capping off an “extremely successful’’ renewal of the 2021 auction.

Hong Kong owner Bon Ho paid $260,000 for lot 215, an Extreme Choice x French Origins filly offered by Supreme Thoroughbreds, making her the most expensive yearling ever sold at a Gold Sale.

Soon after, Melbourne trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock teamed up with Peter Ford and Heywood Bloodstock to secure Blue Gum Farm’s Headwater x Little Indian filly (lot 291) for $200,000.

The prices clearly eclipsed the previous Gold record of $120,000 set in 2018 and matched last year.

The Extreme Choice top lot was rared at Middlebrook Valley Lodge, having been bred by the farm’s former owner Mike Mant.

She was sent to Supreme Thoroughbreds last December to be prepped for this year’s Premier Yearling Sale but after suffering a minor setback in the week leading into the auction, it was decided to withdraw her and send her to the Gold Sale instead.

Since then, Extreme Choice has sired the Golden Slipper winner in Stay Inside, which undoubtedly contributed to such a fabulous result today.

“Sometimes one person’s bad luck is another’s good luck and there’s no doubt the timing has helped us get such a great price today,’’ Supreme’s Brent Grayling said.

“We thought she was a $120,000 yearling at Prem, we put a $100,000 reserve on her today and to get $260,000 for her is just absolutely wonderful.

“There was a lot of interest in her, she had 15 X-Ray hits which is big for any sale so we’re delighted with the result.’’

The filly (pictured) will remain in Australia and be trained by Mr Ho’s Caulfield-based trainer John Sadler.

“I have to firstly thank Jonathan D’Arcy for alerting me to this filly a few days ago,’’ Ho said.

“Once I knew about her I got John Sadler to go and have a look at her and give me his opinion and he was very impressed, very fond of her so I decided to buy her.

“Her pedigree is very good and she looks very strong. I liked her myself as well.

“Extreme Choice is doing very well in Australia and I’m very excited to have this filly in my stable in what is my first ever purchase at the Inglis Gold Sale.’’

The Gold Sale ended with an ever increasing gross of $4,970,250 (up 43%) with a very healthy clearance rate of 85%.

Today’s second-top lot is out of a half sister to Griffiths’ former six-time Stakes placed mare Fidelia, making her an easy target for the stable.

“Robbie basically said to me ‘don’t come home without her’,’’ Corey Smith, racing manager for Griffiths de Kock Racing, said of the filly, who was offered on behalf of a large group of Victorian owners.

“She was the one we really wanted, we liked how she moved, she has a great walk, strong shoulder, we thought she was the best filly in the sale.

“I think a few of the Fidelia owners will be back in this filly and whoever does come in, they won’t have a long time to wait to race her because she’s a ready-made racehorse who looks like you could throw a saddle over tomorrow.’’

The result was one of several outstanding ones for Blue Gum Farm over the course of the two-day auction, which resulted in them ending as leading vendor by selling all 21 of their offerings for a gross of $874,000.

“She’s a terrific example for the Gold Sale whereby a nice filly who gets a little bit more time to physically and mentally mature can really come into her own, and that’s exactly what this filly did,’’ Blue Gum’s Phil Campbell said.

“It’s been a fabulous sale for us, we’ve sold from $6000 to $200,000 to a broad range of buyers and we couldn’t be happier.

“We were leading vendor at Premier and now leading vendor at Gold which is a great testament to what we do at home. We’re bloody rapt.’’

Inglis’ General Manager of Bloodstock Sales and Marketing Sebastian Hutch was delighted with the past two days of trade.

“I’ve no doubt the recent success of graduates of this sale in the likes of Australian Guineas winner Lunar Fox, Australasian Oaks winner Media Award and Saturday’s Goodwood Handicap winner Savatoxl assured buyers stand up and take notice of the sale and the results over the past two days have been very pleasing as a result,’’ Hutch said.

“To see the clearance rate of 85% already, gross at almost $5m and the average up to almost $20,000, it’s very satisfying and it’s been an extremely successful couple of days here at Oaklands.

“A special mention to Mr Ho and John Sadler who are fantastic supporters of Inglis and we wish them all the best with their beautiful filly in particular.’’

To enquire about a passed in lot from the Gold Yearling Sale, contact Will Stott on 0408 126 952.

Buyers’ attention now reverts to the Inglis Digital May (Late) online auction, for which entries close at midnight this coming Wednesday.

The catalogue will be live and open for bidding at 3pm Friday.

To enter a horse, CLICK HERE.