News

Broodmare Sale wraps up pleasing week of breeding stock trade

10th May 2024

A pair of mares on desirable covers shared top billing at today’s Australian Broodmare Sale, bringing to a conclusion a successful week of breeding stock trade at Riverside.

On a big week in Sydney:

*A total of $58,753,500 has been traded between the Australian Weanling Sale, Chairman’s Sale and Australian Broodmare Sale

*The Australian Weanling Sale resulted in a record gross, record average and record lots sold for $100,000 or more, $200,000 or more and $300,000 or more, reasserting itself as the leading foal sale in the country

*The Chairman’s Sale also saw a series of outstanding results, with nine $1m+ lots sold as well as the sale average of $614,474.

The two mares to realise a sale-high $240,000 at today’s Australian Broodmare Sale were Starla (in foal to Wootton Bassett) and Sous La Terre (in foal to Spirit Of Boom).

Starla (pictured) was offered by Coolmore on behalf of Woppitt Bloodstock and sold to Twin Hills Stud.

Woppitt’s Debbie Kepitis was rapt with Starla’s outcome.

“It’s so fabulous to get a great price for her,’’ Kepitis, who famously bought the Pierro x Winx filly for $10m at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale last month, said.

“She was good to us on the racetrack, we can’t keep every horse we race so it’s lovely for her to go to Olly Tait at Twin Hills in Cootamundra, which used to be an Ingham’s farm so it’s lovely and I wish him all the best with her.

“We wanted her to get over the $200,000 but you’ve just got to watch the market and hopefully meet the market and we were fortunate we got more than we thought we would so that’s always a good thing.’’

Twin Hills’ Olly Tait added: “She’s in foal to Wootton Bassett who is a very exciting stallion and it’ll be interesting to see how his first foals run when they hit the track beyond this year, but they were well received at the sales, so hopefully it’s in her favour.

“The fact she’s in foal to Wootton Bassett was a huge positive for us. They sold very well and they’re very good looking but by the time this one gets to the sales it’ll be up to what they’ve done on the track. Hopefully he can be a good stallion here as he is in the Northern Hemisphere.”

Brent Atwell of Darling View Thoroughbreds purchased the Tyreel-offered Sous La Terre with a view of sending her to the recently retired Ozzmosis, who will stand at Newgate Farm.

“To be honest, I spent a couple more bids than I’d hoped but it’s a massive pedigree and she’s a really nice type, so we’re very happy to get her,’’ Atwell said.

“She was probably my favourite mare in the sale. Obviously you have to see what’s in front of you but the pedigree’s to die for, there’s plenty of updates coming through…and I was looking for a mare to go to Ozzmosis and she will be the one.’’

Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was pleased with how the week had played out at Riverside.

“We have worked hard to facilitate the best markets that we can across each of the sales and on reflection, the figures are pleasing with many incredible individual results,’’ Hutch said.

“There are so many positive take-outs from the past week, the trade through the Weanling Sale was very strong, the Chairman’s Sale was a heck of a lot of fun with plenty of amazing results and the broodmare sale presented some great buying opportunities.

“The breadth and depth of the buying bench across the week was very much a positive and as is always the case with these sales, I’m sure some fantastic success stories will emerge in years to come that have their origins in this week.

“I can’t stress enough how grateful we are to all the vendors, breeders, owners and buyers who have supported the week and made such positive results possible, it’s something we don’t take lightly and we’re already excited about what lies ahead.’’

To enquire about a passed in lot from today’s Australian Broodmare Sale or any of this week’s sales, contact Ziva Mullins on 0435 743 222.

The Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series now heads to Melbourne for the Great Southern Sale, to be held at Oaklands on June 13 and 14.

The Great Southern Sale catalogue will be released next week but is set to include around 500 weanlings and broodmares.

Buyers’ immediate attention now switches to Inglis Digital, for which the May (Early) Online Sale went live for bidding earlier this afternoon.

A total of 554 lots have been catalogued for the sale - 216 racehorses (87 race fillies), 197 broodmares, 54 weanlings, 47 yearlings, 39 racehorse shares and 1 unbroken stock.

The catalogue is headlined by G1-producing mare Parmalove – who was entered for last night’s Chairman’s Sale but withdrawn to a late minor setback – as well as strong drafts from the likes of Yulong, Godolphin, Highgrove Stud, Coolmore, Widden, Ciaron Maher, Rosemont, Blue Gum etc.

The final countdown of bidding for the Inglis Digital May (Early) Online Sale begins from 10am Wednesday.

To view the catalogue, arrange credit or participate in the auction CLICK HERE.