Sale Overview

A colt by Fastnet Rock from stakes winner Dakota Sue topped The Star Ready2Race Sale selling for $360,000, a new record top price for the quality breeze up sale.

“The buying from Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau was strong in the middle to upper market, as were local Australian buyers. We sold almost three times as many horses to Hong Kong as last year including the top priced colt,” said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster.

The clearance rate exceeded the respective figure at the end of sale day in 2013 and is expected to continue to rise like last year as private sales filter through. The $71,398 average is again excellent for an Australian breeze up sale.

23 lots sold for $100,000 or more at this year’s Ready2Race Sale, which is only one shy of last year’s 24 that were recorded from a larger catalogue in 2013.

$360,000 was the final bid on the Fastnet Rock x Dakota Sue colt (Lot 24) that was offered from the draft of Glastonbury Farms. The colt was bought by a client of Hong Kong trainer Manfred Man.

Local trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith snapped up the second top lot of the day, Lyndhurst Farm’s colt by Snitzel from Trois Couleurs (Lot 144) for $240,000.

Photos of the sale's top lots can be viewed on Inglis’ Facebook page InglisBloodstock

The next two highest priced lots will also do their racing in Australia, with the New Approach x Langness colt (Lot 63) going to John McArdle’s Regum Racing for $215,000 and Starspangledbanner x Hot’n’dreamin colt (Lot 47) selling to a client of Peter Snowden’s for $210,000.

“A great endorsement for this sale's format is seeing respected local judges James Harron, John McArdle, Noel Mayfield-Smith, Peter Snowden, Independent Syndications and Triple Crown Syndications all purchase Ready2Race horses for $100,000 or more. These horses have been professionally prepared to excel on the grass surfaces familiar to the major races here in Australia.

“I would certainly welcome all Australian racing enthusiasts to have a look through the results, the breeze up videos and if you see something you like get in touch with the buyer, and it’s a great way into the racing game,” said Webster.

The Macau Jockey Club were active purchasing two quality colts for a total of $355,000. Hong Kong agent Willie Leung had a very busy day with trainers Manfred Man, Me Tsui and Francis Liu. Singapore trainers Shane Baertschiger, Cliff Brown, David Kok, Steven Lam and Alwin Tan all got featuredtheir names in the buyers sheet.

The clearance rate is rising as private sales go through the system, but there are many future winners still left unsold.

“Stakes performer Light Up Manhattan went unsold at last year’s Ready2Race Sale and is now a topline galloper, so good horses can slip through the gaps. These quality two-year-olds are ready to race and ready to win,” points out Webster.

Racing NSW has extended the nomination deadline date into BOBS for eligible two-year-olds from The Star Ready2Race Sale to Monday 20 October 2014.

Trainers, owners, agents or syndicators are all welcome to use the Inglis Make-An-Offer Service to enquire about any of the passed-in lots or call the Ready2Race Sale co-ordinator Peter Twomey at +61 2 9399 7999.