Written by Bren O'Brien
Bulla Thoroughbreds has secured Listed winning 2-year-old Volcanic Rock (Hinchinbrook) for a record-breaking $365,000 at the Inglis June (Late) Online Sale.
Volcanic Rock, previously trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, was put up for sale by his connections, headed by China Horse Club and Newgate after his recent win in the Listed Phoenix S. at Eagle Farm.
Originally a $240,000 yearling purchase at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, he is a winner of two of his five starts and just under $125,000 in prizemoney.
The gelding is a half-brother to the Group 3 winner Furnaces (Exceed And Excel) and four other winners. The extended family includes Group 1 winner Melito (Redoute's Choice) and young Arrowfield Stud stallion Pariah.
It is the highest price for a colt or gelding on the Inglis Digital platform and the equal fourth highest price ever.
“We had plenty of interest from the launch of this sale last week, with enquiries from Hong Kong and locally," Newgate's Henry Field said,
“We’re delighted with the result and that he’s been purchased by such good people.
“He’s a quality, progressive youngster and it was reassuring to see that premium level racing stock have a market online.’’
The Sale grossed $5.63 million, making it the second highest in the history of the platform, with eight lots selling for $100,000 or more.
Volcanic Rock sold for $365,000 to Mark Ruff of Bulla Thoroughbreds
Love You Lucy (Love Conquers All), a winner of the 2020 G2 Dane Ripper S. as well as the Listed Silk Stocking, was at the centre of a strong bidding duel, with nearly 100 bids before she was sold for $320,000 to Bill Pearce's Bromfield Park and Bahen Bloodstock.
The daughter of Love Conquers All has been a wonderfully consistent performer for trainer Barry Squair and her breeders and owners, the Goggins family, winning eight of her 28 starts, and close to $400,000 in prizemoney.
Her dam Whitechapel (Giant's Causeway {USA}) is a daughter of G2 Sunline S. winner Spurn (Flying Spur).
Listed winning Tavistock (NZ) mare, She's Alight (NZ), was also secured by Bromfield Park and Bahen Bloodstock, selling for $250,000.
Out of Keep Alight (NZ) (Keeper), a daughter of Group 1 winner Our Tristalight (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) and a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Danske (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), She's Alight has been an eight-time winner on the track for Western Australian trainer Alan Matthews.
Her career-best performance came when she won the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic at Ascot late last year, and she followed that up with a second in the Listed Starstruck S.
She was offered by John Chalmers Bloodstock on behalf of White Diamond Bloodstock.
“It’s getting close to the breeding season now and we thought it was amongst the last of the opportunities to buy a few quality mares,” Bill Pearce of Bromfield Park said.
“Both mares will go to Vinery Stud and from there we will work out which stallions to send them to, it’ll probably be a proven, sprinting sire and with their pedigrees there are plenty of options.
“Love You Lucy has a good race record with wins in the G2 Dane Ripper and Silk Stocking, I actually travelled to Toowoomba to inspect her and I was quite impressed.
“It’s a great story – her trainer Bill Squair is in his early 80s and he paraded her for me, I think it’s the only Group winner he ever had and all the connections really love the mare.”
Pearce was also excited by the future prospects of Western Australian stakes winner She’s Alight.
“I just loved the pedigree,” Pearce said. “She’s by Tavistock and out of a great Cambridge Stud family of Our Tristalight who was by Sir Tristram.
"I’ve been breeding thoroughbreds for about 15 years and it’s always great to add a nice mare like this to the broodmare band.”
Dual Western Australian stakes winner Massimo (Sessions) is set to stay in his home state after Gangemi Thoroughbreds paid $160,000 for the 4-year-old gelding.
He has won eight of his 24 starts for trainer Adam Durrant, including the Listed Placid Ark S. and Listed Farnley S. earning over $730,000. He is closely related to Group 1 winner Exosphere, who recently relocated to Oaklands Stud in Queensland.
Stablemate and recent G3 Roma Cup winner Money Matters (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) was also purchased by Gangemi Racing for $150,000.
He is also a 4-year-old and has won 10 of his 22 starts, including four at stakes level and was last seen when third in the G3 Hyperion S. at Belmont in June. Out of a sister to Group 1 winner Shinzig (Danehill {USA}), he has earned close to $600,000.
Born A Warrior (I Am Invincible), the half-brother to Group 1 winner The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}) and once a $1.4 million yearling, was purchased by Gall Bloodstock for $145,000.
The now 4-year-old gelding has won one of his 17 starts for Team Hawkes and was last seen at the races when runner-up at Rosehill early in June.
Inglis Digital Business Manager Nick Melmeth said the online platform continues to reach new levels.
“Yet again, there were lots of great results from today’s sale," he said.
“The interest levels around each sale continue to grow and the volume of activity on this sale was just phenomenal.
“We are very committed to effectively servicing the digital market, this is our 13th Digital Sale of the year and we’ll operate at least another 11 between now and year’s end."
The next Inglis Digital sale will be July 9-13, with entries closing at midnight on July 7.
