Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
The average price from the Select Session was $44,422, up from $34,394 in 2020 and $36,088 in 2019.
The median also rose significantly to $24,000 having been $21,000 last year and $18,000 in 2019.
The overall Select Session aggregate surpassed $8.3 million, a jump from $7.8 million in 2020 and $6.4 million in 2019.
The clearance rate topped 86 per cent, a substantial improvement on the COVID-19 impacted 2020 Sale, where it was 78 per cent, and slightly higher than it was in 2019.
The top-price Capitalist colt, Lot 137, was secured by Gall Bloodstock and Peter Morgan from the draft of Middlebrook Valley Lodge.
The first foals of Justify sold at an average of $218,750, highlighted by the $300,000 paid for one of his fillies by the day's leading buyers Suman Hedge and Silverdale Farm.
Vinnie's band gets back together
The partnership which played a pivotal role in the racing career of star Yarraman Park stallion I Am Invincible has come together to secure the top lot of the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale at the Riverside Stables as Gall Bloodstock and former trainer Peter Morgan paid $400,000 for a colt by boom Newgate stallion Capitalist.
The colt, Lot 137, was offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge on behalf of his breeder, David Digney, and it was Ray and Brett Gall, working in partnership with their old friend Morgan, that won the day.
Brett Gall said there was a sense of confidence buying out of this Sale, and that the colt would most likely end up racing in their interests for trainer Ron Quinton.
“We had Media Starguest win (on Wednesday at Canterbury) and he was bought at this Sale as a weanling,” Gall said.
“The Capitalist was the best colt in the Sale, a nice looker, everything was right about him, so it was a no-brainer.”
“The Capitalist (Lot 137) was the best colt in the Sale, a nice looker, everything was right about him, so it was a no-brainer.” - Brett Gall
The colt is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Shamalia (Shamardal {USA}) and Listed winner Emperor's Way (Roman Emperor {NZ}). Digney had paid $65,000 for their dam, the three-time winner Laylia (Redoute's Choice) at last year's Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in foal to Capitalist. She is now in foal to Darley's Blue Point (Ire).
The result was a huge boost for Middlebrook Valley's manager Verna Metcalfe, who prepared the colt for the Sale.
"He was a cracker the minute he walked onto our farm. I was entrusted to sell him for a client from Victoria and he is just an outstanding colt, he never turned a hair. He paraded like a professional every time he came out of that box," she said.
"He fitted in like he had lived on this farm all his life. He was just a super colt.
"Ray and Brett Gall, who bought him, are great clients of the farm, they buy off us a lot. We’ve got mares for them as well, it’s great to get a good result."
Middlebrook Valley Lodge last year had a change of ownership, with the highly respected Metcalfe retained in charge of the farm, and she said Thursday's result was significant in that regard.
"I've got new owners, and our farm is taking a different direction and they want to go for quality. They are spending money on the farm, so when we sell a horse like that, it helps a lot," she said.
Capitalist boom flows to foals
There is no hotter younger sire in the country than Capitalist at the moment, who leads the race to be crowned Champion First-Season Sire and secured his first Group 1 winner last month after Captivant won the G1 Champagne S.
The Newgate stallion has had his fee boosted to $99,000 (inc GST) in 2021, while his second-crop yearlings have averaged an impressive $192,957 through the yearling sales, including two million-dollar lots at the recent Easter Yearling Sale.
Demand for his third crop was also very strong on Thursday, with six of his 10 lots sold going for more than $100,000 and at an average price of $147,500.
That included Lot 124, a colt offered by Fairhill Farm that was picked up by Tony Fung Investments for $260,000.
Shane McGrath was doing the bidding and won the day on the colt out of Keeping Score (NZ) (Keeper), who has produced three winners to the track and is a half-sister to stakes winner Zacielo (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
"We bought him specifically for a racing program. He's a lovely colt, I really liked him, his sire is obviously on the rise and he is doing everything right. He fits the model and the profile we are looking for, so we will let him grow out," McGrath said.
With so much demand for Capitalist's progeny through the yearling sales, McGrath said he was happy to get in and secure a top prospect from a weanling sale.
"I would have thought they’ll be hard to get going forward. Capitalist's star won't be waning any time soon, he's now in that proven sire category and that's what has worked for us so far," he said.
"He (Lot 124) did everything right, he's a lovely, correct colt, a great action, a big hip, and took everything well. That's a big attribute for a young horse." - Shane McGrath
"He did everything right, he's a lovely, correct colt, a great action, a big hip, and took everything well. That's a big attribute for a young horse.
"He'll go into the breaking-in program with the Magic Millions horses next year."
He was one of nine lots from Fairhill Farm that secured a six-figure pricetag, as Mike and Debbie O'Donnell's outfit netted $2.209 million in overall sales, with an average of $76,172 across 29 sales.
"The buyers are pretty selective, but when you put these horses up, you have to roll with the punches," Mike O'Donnell said.
"We’ve brought our whole foal crop here. We haven't selected some for later, the whole lot are here and are presented here for sale."
Mike O'Donnell | Image courtesy of Inglis
Justify foals light up the ring
Fairhill did particularly well with the first-crop progeny of Coolmore's US Triple Crown winner Justify, with sales of $300,000 for a well-related filly and $280,000 for the very first lot of the Sale, an equally well-related colt.
The filly, Lot 177, is a half-sister to Fairhill's flagbearer Fiesta (I Am Invincible), who has won four stakes races. The pair are out of Danehill Dancer (Ire) mare Now Now.
She was purchased by Suman Hedge and Silverdale Farm, with the aim to pinhook her through the yearling sales next year, but with a back-up option as a dual-purpose filly should that not eventuate.
"The plan will be to hopefully get her to a nice early sale next year. She's by a high-profile first-season stallion, who was a Champion in America and from a proven mare, so she's a filly with a bit of residual value as well," Hedge said.
"This one was certainly in the mould of her sire and that is what was really appealing about her. He really stamped her. She's a lovely moving horse, well-balanced, strong, plenty of size. I think she will be quite appealing to the buyers when she is presented next year."
"This one (Lot 177) was certainly in the mould of her sire (Justify) and that is what was really appealing about her." - Suman Hedge
"She's quite a strong, forward horse already. The thing in the back of our mind is that residual value, being the half-sister to Fiesta. There's a fall-back option there. Those involved in our group are breeders as well, so that's also in our mind."
Hedge and Silverdale also came together to pay $190,000 for Lot 247, a Spirit Of Boom colt, $140,000 for Lot 267, a So You Think (NZ) filly and just $14,000 for Lot 186, a filly by Deep Field to finish the Sale's biggest spenders.
Fairhill's Justify colt sets the tone
It was an explosive start to the Sale, with Lot 1, the first progeny of Justify to be sold any public auction in Australia selling to China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock for $280,000 from Fairhill's draft.
The chestnut colt is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Super One, who raced in the China Horse Club colours, and his stakes-placed half-brother Super Too (Hinchinbrook).
China Horse Club was also a shareholder of Justify during his unbeaten racing days and he too wore its colours in claiming the G1 Belmont S., completing the US Triple Crown in 2018.
Lot 1 - Justify (USA) x Tails Wins (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
The Justify factor certainly appealed to Newgate Managing Director, Henry Field.
“We were super lucky to race Justify with WinStar and China Horse Club and he was a great Champion. This colt, I couldn’t believe when I saw him that he looked so much like his sire, maybe a neater, more compact version, but very similar qualities and traits and we were lucky to pick him up for our partnership," Field said.
“The mare’s thrown two incredibly fast horses in Super One and Super Too, so this horse had a little bit of scope about him, which I loved, so I think he looks very fast. The horse is built like he will be fast."
O'Donnell reflected positively on what was a frantic but successful day of trading, headed by his two stars by Justify.
"They did take notice (of the Justifys). We were very pleased to see that Henry Field bought him (Lot 1). It was a great sale for the owner Reg Kemister. Reg's reserve was $130,000 and so he was very happy with that," he said.
Henry Field | Image courtesy of Inglis
O'Donnell said the strong results justified the decision to back the stallion with his first Australian crop.
"Danehill was a shuttle stallion starting out once as well, wasn't he? Justify was an unbeaten Champion, winner of the Triple Crown in his first prep, and so it’s very hard not to send our mares to him," he said.
"That level of horse hasn't come out here before. If Secretariat had have come out they would have jumped all over him. They are beautiful horses, and you’d think they would only improve from weanlings to yearlings."
There were four Justifys sold in all through the Sale, at an average of $218,750.
Fernrigg Farm went to $150,000 for Lot 7, a colt out of Took (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}), offered by Coolmore. He is a half-brother to three others winners, while his dam is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Intelligence Cross (USA) and Listed winner Sweet Orange (USA) (War Front {USA}).
Market meets lofty expectations
Inglis General Manager Bloodstock and Marketing, Sebastian Hutch, described the day's trade as very encouraging.
"We expected it to be really strong, there was a good feel to it during inspections and a pragmatic man says that on the back of a strong yearling market that the weanling market should be confident and robust and that's how it played out," he said.
"We expected it to be really strong, there was a good feel to it during inspections and a pragmatic man says that on the back of a strong yearling market that the weanling market should be confident and robust and that's how it played out." - Sebastian Hutch
Hutch said the success of the progeny of the likes of Capitalist and Justify was hardly surprising given the enthusiasm for the progeny of young stallions in the yearling market at the moment.
"I think if you want to be involved in the yearling market in 2022, you have to make some pragmatic decisions around the stallions you want to be involved with. Breeders make those decision two years ago, when they do their matings, but the landscape can change significantly since that time," he said.
"There are certain stallions that people feel like they have to be a part of going into the yearling sales season next year. Horses like Capitalist, Justify, So You Think, Extreme Choice, these are the sort of horses that people feel they need to be a part of and they sold extremely well."
Busy Binalong
The other Justify colt, Lot 92, out of Fine Scent (All Too Hard), the stakes-placed half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper S., winner Polar Success (Success Express {USA}), was sold to Binalong Bloodstock from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud for $145,000.
Binalong Bloodstock, headed up by Murray Shaw, was the day's busiest buyer in terms of number of purchases (six) and second on total spend ($935,000).
Its biggest purchase was Lot 88, a colt by Hellbent out of stakes-placed Family Crest (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) from Tyreel Stud for $250,000.
Lot 88 - Hellbent x Family Crest (NZ) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
That makes him a half-brother to the promising 2-year-old Literary Magnate (Written Tycoon), with their dam set to go through the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale on Sunday.
Binalong Bloodstock got in on the Capitalist trend, buying Lot 156, a colt out of Malakiya (Redoute's Choice) offered by Tamac Stud Farm for $190,000 and Lot 180 a colt out of One More Tequila (Onemorenomore), from Fairhill's draft.
The two highest-priced lots sold to international buyers were Lot 151, a colt by Caravaggio (USA) from Coolmore's draft that was purchased by Hong Kong's Golden River Investments for $160,000, and Lot 113, a colt by So You Think (NZ) from Lustre Lodge which is headed to noted pinhookers Lyndhurst Farm in New Zealand for $155,000.
Hutch said prior to the Sale that Inglis recognised that the Weanling Sale catalogue had not met the market's expectation for quality stock and said a review of the Sale format would be held in the coming months.
"We are really grateful for the support we got from vendors here. The reality of the situation is that we didn't have enough stock of suitable quality to satisfy the demand of the market. There are a number of people who will go home disappointed," he said.
"It is something that in our debrief for the year, we have to re-assess what it is we need to do to ensure this Sale gets the support it deserves."
The sales series continues with the Inglis Chairman's Sale for elite broodmares and race fillies which starts at 5.30pm AEST on Friday.
Top lots
| 137 | Capitalist | Laylia | Colt | Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone | Gall Bloodstock / P Morgan NSW | $400,000 |
| 177 | Justify | Now Now | Filly | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | Silverdale Farm / Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) NSW | $300,000 |
| 1 | Justify | Tails Wins | Colt | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock NSW | $280,000 |
| 124 | Capitalist | Keeping Score | Colt | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | Tony Fung Investments NSW | $260,000 |
| 88 | Hellbent | Family Crest | Colt | Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | Binalong Bloodstock NSW | $250,000 |
| 156 | Capitalist | Malakiya | Colt | Tamac Stud Farm, Walcha | Binalong Bloodstock NSW | $190,000 |
| 247 | Spirit Of Boom | Swiftly Red | Colt | Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm, Corinella, Vic | Silverdale Farm / Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) NSW | $190,000 |
| 180 | Capitalist | One More Tequila | Colt | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | Binalong Bloodstock NSW | $180,000 |
| 151 | Caravaggio | Maewyn | Colt | Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains | Golden River Investments HONG KONG | $160,000 |
| 268 | Extreme Choice | Mallaco Princess | Colt | Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | Fernrigg Farm Pty Ltd NSW | $160,000 |
Top buyers
| Binalong Bloodstock | NSW | 6 | $935,000 | $155,833 | $250,000 |
| Silverdale Farm / Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) | NSW | 4 | $644,000 | $161,000 | $300,000 |
| Fernrigg Farm Pty Ltd | NSW | 3 | $435,000 | $145,000 | $160,000 |
| Gall Bloodstock / P Morgan | NSW | 1 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Bleakley Bloodstock | NEW ZEALAND | 3 | $315,000 | $105,000 | $120,000 |
| Golden River Investments | HONG KONG | 3 | $315,000 | $105,000 | $160,000 |
| China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock | NSW | 1 | $280,000 | $280,000 | $280,000 |
| Lyndhurst Farm | NEW ZEALAND | 2 | $275,000 | $137,500 | $155,000 |
| Tony Fung Investments | NSW | 1 | $260,000 | $260,000 | $260,000 |
| K Doak | Western Australia | 5 | $228,500 | $45,700 | $95,000 |
Top vendors by aggregate
| Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | 29 | $2,209,000 | $76,172 | $300,000 |
| Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains | 23 | $848,000 | $36,870 | $160,000 |
| Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone | 6 | $533,000 | $88,833 | $400,000 |
| Valiant Stud, Aberdeen | 12 | $387,000 | $32,250 | $100,000 |
| Tamac Stud Farm, Walcha | 6 | $305,500 | $50,917 | $190,000 |
| Kingstar Farm, Denman | 11 | $296,000 | $26,909 | $60,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 4 | $265,000 | $66,250 | $145,000 |
| Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | 2 | $256,000 | $128,000 | $250,000 |
| Redbank North, Harden | 6 | $253,000 | $42,167 | $95,000 |
| Willow Park Stud, Scone | 7 | $250,000 | $35,714 | $140,000 |
Top vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Middlebrook Valley Lodge, Scone | 6 | $88,833 | $533,000 | $400,000 |
| Fairhill Farm, Mulbring | 29 | $76,172 | $2,209,000 | $300,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 4 | $66,250 | $265,000 | $145,000 |
| Erinvale Thoroughbreds, Buckley, Vic | 4 | $57,625 | $230,500 | $78,000 |
| Davali Thoroughbreds, Luskintyre | 3 | $53,500 | $160,500 | $115,000 |
| Tamac Stud Farm, Walcha | 6 | $50,917 | $305,500 | $190,000 |
| Fernrigg Farm, Denman | 5 | $45,500 | $227,500 | $100,000 |
| Redbank North, Harden | 6 | $42,167 | $253,000 | $95,000 |
| Noogee Park, Scone | 4 | $40,875 | $163,500 | $80,000 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone | 5 | $40,200 | $201,000 | $95,000 |
Top sires by aggregate
| Capitalist | 10 | $1,475,000 | $147,500 | $400,000 |
| Justify | 4 | $875,000 | $218,750 | $300,000 |
| So You Think | 8 | $599,000 | $74,875 | $155,000 |
| Hellbent | 3 | $405,000 | $135,000 | $250,000 |
| Harry Angel | 6 | $310,000 | $51,667 | $75,000 |
| Written By | 6 | $289,000 | $48,167 | $70,000 |
| Pride Of Dubai | 9 | $212,000 | $23,556 | $60,000 |
| Saxon Warrior | 3 | $203,000 | $67,667 | $95,000 |
| Spirit Of Boom | 1 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 |
| Rubick | 9 | $176,000 | $19,556 | $65,000 |
Top sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Justify | 4 | $218,750 | $875,000 | $300,000 |
| Capitalist | 10 | $147,500 | $1,475,000 | $400,000 |
| Hellbent | 3 | $135,000 | $405,000 | $250,000 |
| So You Think | 8 | $74,875 | $599,000 | $155,000 |
| Saxon Warrior | 3 | $67,667 | $203,000 | $95,000 |
| Harry Angel | 6 | $51,667 | $310,000 | $75,000 |
| Written By | 6 | $48,167 | $289,000 | $70,000 |
| Vancouver | 4 | $43,750 | $175,000 | $70,000 |
| Flying Artie | 4 | $34,250 | $137,000 | $75,000 |
| Nicconi | 3 | $32,833 | $98,500 | $36,000 |
