News

Select Weanling Sale Rejoins Easter

30th Jan 2006

Following the phenomenal success of the Easter Yearling and Easter Broodmare sale in 2005, William Inglis & Son has announced the addition of the 2006 Select Weanling Sale to its Easter week auctions.

The Select Weanling Sale will be held on Sunday April 23, following on from the Easter Yearling Sale and prior to the Easter Broodmares on April 24 and 25.

The move will enable weanling vendors to capitalise on the strong buying bench present during the week the industry converges on Sydney to witness Australasia’s finest thoroughbreds showcase at both Royal Randwick and Newmarket.

Every year the eagerly awaited debut of first crop foals is one of the highlights of the Inglis Weanling Sale and for those producing good stock it ensures strong patronage in the upcoming season - particularly timely with the nominations market a hive of activity at Newmarket over Easter.

Those sires whose oldest progeny will debut in 2006 include Lonhro, Exceed And Excel, Falbrav (IRE), Reset, Hawk Wing (USA), Lucky Owners (NZ), Dubai Destination (USA), Half Hennessy and Untouchable.

This is the first year the Select Weanling Sale will be held at Easter since 2003. That year the initial draft of weanlings by the subsequent Champion 2YO sire More Than Ready were offered, with two of his sons the Group 1 performers PERFECTLY READY and READY AS , graduating to become major players in earning him his title.

Smart breeders who liked what they saw in More Than Ready's early progeny will be well rewarded when selling weanlings by him in 2006, having bred before his fee almost tripled following his record first season.

Those who booked to Redoute's Choice will be even happier having bred off a fee of $40,000 before he was raised to $200,000 for the season just gone.

Other breeders who have also sent their mares to popular stallions can capitalise early by selling the resultant offspring as a weanling, allowing them to reinvest during the mare sale in the days that follow.

Weanling sales are fast becoming effective avenues for trading as vendors strive to place their horses wisely to ensure maximum returns.  This is becoming even more apparent as the size of stallion books continues to swell.