The first Inglis Digital Online Auction Sale of the year wrapped up on Wednesday evening and became the platform’s third sale in a row to gross more than $2.3 million, with a strong clearance rate of 84 per cent.
The highest-priced lot of the Sale was 3-year-old filly Cave Hill (Not A Single Doubt), the sister to stakes placegetter Maqsad, who was offered by Aquis and was purchased by Queensland-based Number 1 Quality Bloodstock for $105,000.
As a half-sister to R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender Swift Witness (Star Witness), Ciaron Maher Racing-consigned 3-year-old filly Taylor’s Dream (Rubick) caught the attention of several parties, with Bell View Park the successful bidder at $85,000.
“Her dam Taylor’s Command consistently produces nice types and this filly is no different,” Adam Mackrell said.
“The fact her half-sister is the current favourite for the Magic Millions on Saturday is exciting but whether the result goes that way this weekend or down the track, it’s a pedigree with plenty of upside.
“We haven’t decided yet what we’ll do with Taylor’s Dream, it’d be nice to win a race with her but either way the intention is to send her to the breeding barn this spring.
“We’ve bought off Inglis Digital several times, one is Liveinthefastlane who has been going really well, she won recently and we’re hoping to get a Metropolitan win with her this prep.
Mohawk
Extreme Choice colt Mohawk was snapped up by the highly successful Fortuna outfit for $65,000, becoming the 109th purchase for the syndicate since its 2007 launch.
Mohawk – who has had two trials for Team Snowden – will join fellow Inglis Digital purchases Hadeer (Savabeel), Brutus (Rubick) and last-start winner Entertainer (Zoustar) in Mark Walker’s Singapore stable.
Entertainer’s victory on Sunday marked the fifth individual winner from six Inglis Digital purchases for John Galvin’s Fortuna syndicate, whose tangerine colours have become synonymous with 12-time G1 winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).
“We’ve been syndicating since 2007 and have always bought yearlings, but about two to three years ago, Mark Walker and I identified this opportunity to source well-bred horses that had been bought by high profile ownership groups as stallion prospects, but they’d had a few trials or races and either not up to city grade or needed gelding and would therefore be offered on Inglis Digital,” Galvin said.
“We decided to target some of those tried horses for our large client base in Singapore and New Zealand." - John Galvin
“We decided to target some of those tried horses for our large client base in Singapore and New Zealand, who just want to race and enjoy a winner, even if it’s a maiden like Entertainer on the weekend in Singapore or Navalaha ($27,500) who won on debut for our New Zealand-trainer Jamie Richards in December.
“We’ve got a couple of spies on the ground in NSW and Victoria, who give us feedback about the horses we are looking at online and stables but we always vet them.
“We had Mohawk vetted a couple of days ago and he was clean so we just set a budget – I went over a wee bit but as he’s a 2-year-old he has more scope.
“Fortuna syndication has a lot of clients in New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong but we’re very keen to grow in the Australian market,” Galvin said.
The January (Early) Online Auction concluded with a gross of $2.4 million, setting the tone for another successful year, following a record turnover of $53 million in 2020.
Never Again
It’s also the beginning of a busy month for the Inglis Digital platform, with a 49 per cent share in last start Listed Chester Manifold S. winner Never Again (High Chaparral {Ire}) to be offered in a special Inglis Digital Sale held between January 18-20.
The January (Late) Online Auction, which opens for bidding on January 22, will also feature an unreserved dispersal from Rangal Park in Victoria.
The draft will comprise of 32 broodmares and three weanlings, with every mare offered with a free nomination to Cliff’s Edge for the 2021 season, which is fully transferable to another mare.
