News

Strong Closure Sends Premier Session 1 on Upward Scale

2nd Mar 2011

As has been the pattern throughout the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, today’s selling bettered the previous day, as Session 1 of the sale concluded with figures clearly up on those registered 12 months ago.

All key indicators are up on results from 12 months ago, with this year’s Session 1 breaking through the $30million barrier for only the second time in the sale’s history, bettering the $28.8million last year and well up on the $23.3million 2009 figure.

“It’s always nice have an improved gross figure, but from the point of view of vendors and of greater importance in my opinion, is that the average and median are both up and I think the sale has achieved a fantastic result in this regard,” Heagney said.

“The median reflects the overall strength of the sale and to see it better last year’s mark is a wonderful result, particularly as other sales this year have been down on those indicators.

“This reflects very favourably on the graduates we have flying the flag for this sale – both in Australia and abroad – and the quality of horses that our vendors continue to bring to Oaklands.”

Today saw another 140 yearlings sold for $10,531,500, averaging $75,225 at a clearance rate of 81%, bringing the three day gross to $30,270,500, with this figure likely to increase as more post sale transactions are completed.

The Session 1 average currently stands at $72,073, with a median of $60,000 and clearance rate of 82%.

A new sale topper was established twice today as another eight yearlings broke the $200,000 mark, bringing the sale total to 19.

Grange Thoroughbreds offered the full-brother to the stakes winning and now young sire Sharkbite (Redoute’s Choice-Back Pass), pictured and Paul Moroney Bloodstock went to $340,000 to secure the colt.

All four of Back Pass’ progeny to race are winners and the colt hails from an outstanding international family which includes the Champion mare Banks Hill and outstanding stallion Dansili.

Later in the day, that mark was levelled when James Bester secured Burnewang North Pastoral’s Fastnet Rock colt from the Group 2 winning Spinning World mare Coupe.

Fastnet Rock was also responsible for today’s third highest priced lot, a colt from Classic Plume and the family of Isca, which sold to Ricky Yiu for $320,000. It capped an outstanding sale for Fastnet Rock, whose yearlings made up six of the top nine lots of the sale.

The sale continues tomorrow, with Session 2, Lots 569-725, marking the final day of this year’s sale. Selling is scheduled to begin at 11am.

The sale can be watched on Inglis Sale Day Live with Online Bidding available for those unable to attend.

Horses passed in over the past three days are still available for sale via the Make an Offer service.

Inglis also has an Online Photo Gallery of the sale where photos of all the leading lots can be downloaded.