At A Glance
The Sale average ended at a record $113,947, up from $97,107 last year.
The Sale median also surged to $80,000, from $70,000 last year.
The overall Sale aggregate reached $11.7 million, edging ahead of the $11.6 million in 2020 with 22 fewer horses sold.
The clearance rate finished at a 82 per cent, up from 71 per cent in 2020.
The top-priced colt, Lot 137 by Super One, was purchased by Cheng Keung Fai for $400,000 and is headed to Hong Kong.
While international buyers secured two of the top four lots, the record Sale was largely driven by Australian investment which represented over 70 per cent of the aggregate spend.
Local trainer Amanda Turner landed two lots for $370,000 each, a colt by Pierro and a gelding by Capitalist.
Inglis delighted with results
Given less than two months ago, Inglis wasn't confident if the Sale could proceed at all because of Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown, it was understandably pleased with the record results.
In the end, the Sale was moved back two weeks from its original date to allow a live sale environment and while that presented its challenges, the end result has justified that decision, according to Sebastian Hutch, Inglis General Manager of Bloodstock Sales & Marketing.
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
"Last week when we had a very clear idea about how the Sale was going to play out, we discussed a series of metrics around clearance rate and average for the Sale and we far exceeded what they were. From an internal point of view, that's quite satisfying," Hutch told TDN AusNZ.
"Specifically, it's important we express our gratitude to the vendors, who not only chose to support the Sale, but were patient and understanding through a very turbulent time through August and early September.
"Circumstances were very difficult at that juncture and there was considerable doubt over whether we would be able to host a Sale at all. We asked vendors to be patient and work with us and the majority of those chose to and a number of them have been well rewarded today. So it’s very satisfying."
"We asked vendors to be patient and work with us and the majority of those chose to and a number of them have been well rewarded today. So it’s very satisfying." - Sebastian Hutch
There was a very clear diversity in the buyers' bench, with a continuation of the trend which seen a bullish Australian buying market becoming the driver of growth in the breeze-up area.
Hutch attributed that not only to the positive sentiment in the Australian market, but also the success of the Sale in producing star graduates.
"There was a very broad section of people who participated in the market today, be they domestic or international and hopefully in 12 months' time we can continue to reflect on more and more top class graduates coming out of the Sale," he said.
Hutch said that while the international participation in terms of percentage of spend was down, it was largely attributable to the greater competition from Australian buyers in the breeze-up market.
"I would say registration from South East Asia and other jurisdictions are higher than ever before. The nature of the competition is so stiff that they haven't all been able to buy the horses they wanted to buy," he said.
"There were any number of occasions today where investors from overseas were outpointed by domestic investors. The fact that the sale is well-perceived by domestic investors can only be a positive going forward."
Super demand for quality colt
Super One has a perfect record with his progeny in Hong Kong, with one winner, Gluck Racer, from one runner, and his sale-topping son from the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, Lot 137, is headed in the same direction after he was purchased for $400,000 from the draft of Symphony Lodge.
The colt scorched in an Eagle Farm breeze-up, clocking 10.03s, and had a strong pre-Sale boom on him. After a stirring battle, it was Cheng Keung Fai who signed the docket for him, making him the most expensive 2-year-old in the Sale.
Golden River Investments had paid $55,000 for the colt through the Edinglassie Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is out of the unraced Exceed And Excel mare Cash First, who is a sister to the dam of multiple stakes winner She's So High, who being by I Am Invincible, is a close blood relative of the colt. The family also includes Listed winner Mockery (Verrazano {USA}), while further back features Listen Here (Elusive Quality {USA}), the dam of successful sires Deep Field and Shooting To Win.
Lot 137 Super One x Cash First colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
It was an outstanding result for Oakey-based Symphony Lodge, run by Matthew and Alison Park, who were consigning at the Ready2Race Sale for the first time, and were offering the colt on behalf of a client.
"It's an amazing result for our clients and it’s amazing for us, because it is the first time we have been able to sell with Inglis. It’s just a fantastic result for everybody," Alison Park said.
"We had a large amount of interest in him and lots of x-ray hits. He was very popular."
"We had a large amount of interest in him (Lot 137) and lots of x-ray hits. He was very popular." - Alison Park
Park paid special tribute to her track riders, who have worked so hard to get their draft for the Sale ready to impress through the jump-outs.
While border restrictions meant the Parks had to oversee the draft remotely from their Queensland base, Symphony Lodge had three 2-year-olds sell, with Lot 13, a Headwater colt headed to Blueblood Thoroughbreds for $125,000, and Lot 150, a Dawn Approach (Ire) colt for $62,000. It ended up the Sale's leading vendor on average.
"It's worked out quite well, but for me it is quite frustrating because I am a bit of a control freak and I like to show off my own horses because that's my background," she said.
"But I knew I was in good hands with Russell Dive looking after them and he's got really good girls helping him out, which has made it a lot easier."
Turner doubles up
Warwick Farm trainer Amanda Turner made a major impression at the Sale, paying $370,000 each for Lot 40, a Capitalist gelding, and a Lot 115, a colt by Pierro.
Turner is set to ramp up the quality of her stable with the two purchases, with Lot 40, who was offered by Blake Ryan Racing, the fastest to breeze from the Hawkesbury session, clocking 10.13s.
Amanda Turner
Given that performance and the fact he is by Capitalist, one of the hottest young sires in the land, competition as always expected to be strong for him.
"Blake has done a super job with him. All of his looked fantastic. He's a really nice gelding, with a very good brain I think." Turner said.
"Blake has done a super job with him (Lot 40). All of his looked fantastic. He's a really nice gelding, with a very good brain I think." - Amanda Turner
The gelding is out of the Grade 3-winning mare Orchestrator {(USA) (Bernstein {USA}), who hails from a very successful North American family which also features Australian Group 2 winner and Grenville Stud stallion Zululand. JGR Bloodstock paid $85,000 for him out of the Fairview Park draft at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
"It's great result and he's a lovely horse. He presented well here and paraded well all week. More importantly, he could gallop," Ryan said.
"He's the most expensive horse we have sold. You set your goals to improve every year and we have. We couldn't be happier."
Ryan said while the breeze-up time was very impressive, it was the way in which he went about that which endeared him most to potential buyers.
"Everything about him said he's going to go and keep improving a make a racehorse of himself," he said.
"I'm happy Mandy's got him, because she only came and got him out once and absolutely loved him. She said 'I want him'. Absolutely rapt for her, she's a good trainer and I get to go and see him at the races in Australia."
Turner has had success out of this Sale before with horses such a More To Gain (Sebring) and Bring Luck (Sebring) and decided to step up her quest to find horses which could make quick progress to the track.
"I'm trying to find something that can go early that I can get from the Sale and hopefully trial it and race it fairly shortly," she said.
"I'm trying to find something that can go early that I can get from the Sale and hopefully trial it and race it fairly shortly." - Amanda Turner
She said it was love at first sight when Lot 115, the Pierro colt from Cheltenham Stables, stepped out of his box.
"Once I saw him I thought I really have to do my best to get him," she said.
The colt, who cost Cheltenham Stables $150,000 through the Inglis Classic Sale when offered by Newgate, realised a raw profit of $220,000. He is out of Ajeeta (I Am invincible) a half-sister to stakes-placed Axe (Written Tycoon), but from a deep female line which has produced stars such as Flying Spur, Encosta De Lago, I Am A Star (I Am Invincible) and Pear Tart (Dehere {USA}).
Deep Field colt off to Hong Kong
The progeny of Deep Field have proven popular through this Sale before and it was no exception with Lot 56, who was out of Red Hot Chillies (Red Ransom {USA}) and sold to W K Yip for $360,000 from the draft of Glenn Haven Racing.
Mitchell Bloodstock and G1 Goldmine had purchased him for $150,000 through the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and reaped the benefit of not only his physical development but also the recent victory of his half-sister Carolina Fire (Dundeel {NZ}) at Hawkesbury.
Lot 56 Deep Field x Red Hot Chillies | Image courtesy of Inglis
"He was a lovely animal and Matty Vella has done a fantastic job with him," James Mitchell said. "He was out of a Red Ransom mare out of Danehill mare so the pedigree made sense to us.
"He (Lot 56) was a lovely animal and Matty Vella has done a fantastic job with him." - James Mitchell
"We've got a nice return with him. Obviously we take a little bit of risk, but we really focus on offering quality stock to re-offer here. They are stock we would happily put our clients in to race at the same time.
"Deep Field is on fire, we loved the horse on type, he had the pedigree that works and I really look forward to watching his career unfold in Hong Kong."
Trilogy's big play
The biggest investors on the day were emerging player Trilogy Racing, who spent $985,000 across five horses, including $340,000 for Lot 119, a Fastnet Rock colt out of the draft of Nolen Racing, and $320,000 for Lot 1, a colt by Belardo (Ire) put forward by Regal Farm.
Bred by Little Avondale Stud and Helen Phinney, Lot 1 was sold through Little Avondale's draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$140,000 to a partnership of Upper Bloodstock, Legends Bloodstock, Regal Farm and Phill Cataldo Bloodstock.
They got a nice return on their investment as Trilogy Racing secured the colt in a spirited bidding battle and he is headed to the stables of Victorian trainer Ben Brisbourne.
"Sean Dingwall had a look at him and suggested he was a good one for our stable," Trinity Racing's Jason Stenning said.
Stenning said Trilogy Racing were looking to add some racehorses to their already active breeding interests.
"We are looking at it as a fun prospect initially, be we will build it up into something more serious. We've got a broodmare program going and we are here to buy some Ready2Race horses and have a bit of fun."
"We've got a broodmare program going and we are here to buy some Ready2Race horses and have a bit of fun." - Jason Stenning
Lot 1 is out of Keepabreak (NZ) (Keeper), the unraced half-sister to Hong Kong Listed Chairman's Trophy winner More Bountiful (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}).
The family goes back to the Belardo colt's fourth dam, Sheralee (NZ) (Sovereign Edition {Ire}), who was a champion 2-year-old in New Zealand, and also includes G1 AJC Sires' Produce S. winner Rhythmic Charm (NZ) (Sackford {USA}).
Lot 1 Belardo x Keepabreak colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 119, the Fastnet Rock colt, is headed to the stables of Kristen Buchanan, after Trilogy won the bidding dual for him. He is out of High Chapparal (Ire) mare Annata Lady, the half-sister to stakes winner Religify (Choisir) from the family of Hong Kong superstar Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}).
The colt cost Nolen Racing $150,000 through the draft of Cornerstone Stud at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
"We were very happy with him, the horse has done very well and the quality of the colt just shows in what he has brought today," Mitch Williams, who was overseeing the Nolen Racing draft, said,
"Tal is very happy, he's not here today and he doesn't say much, but he is very happy about this."
Glenn Haven Thoroughbreds ended up the leading vendors for the Sale, with $2.04 million aggregate across 11 sales, while Blake Ryan Racing, with $1.45 million, also broke the seven-figure mark.
Deep Field had the most yearlings sell, with eight, securing an aggregate of $1.16 million, while Tavistock (NZ) led the averages for those sires who had three or more sales, on $198,333.
Top lots
| 137 | Super One | Cash First | Symphony Lodge, Oakey, Qld | Colt | $400,000 |
| 40 | Capitalist | Orchestrator (USA) | Blake Ryan Racing, Sydney | Gelding | $370,000 |
| 115 | Pierro | Ajeeta | Cheltenham Stables, Cambridge, NZ | Colt | $370,000 |
| 56 | Deep Field | Red Hot Chillies | Glenn Haven Thoroughbreds, Clarendon | Colt | $360,000 |
| 119 | Fastnet Rock | Annata Lady | Nolen Racing, Benalla, Vic | Colt | $340,000 |
| 1 | Belardo (IRE) | Keepabreak (NZ) | Regal Farm, Cambridge, NZ | Colt | $320,000 |
| 48 | Vancouver | Purity | Glenn Haven Thoroughbreds, Clarendon | Colt | $320,000 |
| 50 | Written Tycoon | Racy | Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | Colt | $300,000 |
| 6 | Deep Field | La Cicciolina | Hannover Lodge, Wilberforce | Colt | $280,000 |
| 34 | Tavistock (NZ) | Ms Seneca Rock (USA) | Cheltenham Stables, Cambridge, NZ | Colt | $260,000 |
Top buyers
| Trilogy Racing Pty Ltd | 5 | $985,000 | $197,000 | $340,000 |
| Amanda Turner Racing | 2 | $740,000 | $370,000 | $370,000 |
| Macau Jockey Club | 9 | $678,500 | $75,389 | $240,000 |
| K F Cheng | 2 | $610,000 | $305,000 | $400,000 |
| ML Stables | 3 | $460,000 | $153,333 | $260,000 |
| Hunter Valley Bloodstock | 2 | $420,000 | $210,000 | $210,000 |
| W K Yip | 1 | $360,000 | $360,000 | $360,000 |
| Blueblood Thoroughbreds (Australia) Pty Ltd | 3 | $355,000 | $118,333 | $170,000 |
| Wilde Racing Pty Ltd | 3 | $335,000 | $111,667 | $140,000 |
| P Morgan | 2 | $330,000 | $165,000 | $250,000 |
Top Sires by aggregate
| Deep Field | 8 | $1,160,000 | $145,000 | $360,000 |
| Capitalist | 5 | $885,000 | $177,000 | $370,000 |
| Tavistock | 4 | $725,000 | $181,250 | $260,000 |
| Flying Artie | 4 | $685,000 | $171,250 | $250,000 |
| Pierro | 2 | $540,000 | $270,000 | $370,000 |
| Super One | 3 | $516,000 | $172,000 | $400,000 |
| Vancouver | 2 | $470,000 | $235,000 | $320,000 |
| Toronado | 3 | $382,500 | $127,500 | $210,000 |
| Fastnet Rock | 1 | $340,000 | $340,000 | $340,000 |
| Belardo | 1 | $320,000 | $320,000 | $320,000 |
Top sires by average
| Fastnet Rock | 1 | $340,000 | $340,000 | $340,000 |
| Belardo | 1 | $320,000 | $320,000 | $320,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 1 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| Pierro | 2 | $540,000 | $270,000 | $370,000 |
| Vancouver | 2 | $470,000 | $235,000 | $320,000 |
| Ocean Park | 1 | $210,000 | $210,000 | $210,000 |
| Tavistock | 4 | $725,000 | $181,250 | $260,000 |
| Capitalist | 5 | $885,000 | $177,000 | $370,000 |
| Lonhro | 1 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 |
| Super One | 3 | $516,000 | $172,000 | $400,000 |
Top vendors by aggregate
| Glenn Haven Thoroughbreds, Clarendon | 11 | $2,040,000 | $185,455 | $360,000 |
| Blake Ryan Racing, Sydney | 13 | $1,533,000 | $117,923 | $370,000 |
| Hannover Lodge, Wilberforce | 10 | $972,500 | $97,250 | $280,000 |
| Cheltenham Stables, Cambridge, NZ | 5 | $870,000 | $174,000 | $370,000 |
| Nolen Racing, Benalla, Vic | 6 | $795,000 | $132,500 | $340,000 |
| JCS Thoroughbreds, Benalla, Vic | 8 | $710,000 | $88,750 | $170,000 |
| Symphony Lodge, Oakey, Qld | 3 | $587,000 | $195,667 | $400,000 |
| Regal Farm, Cambridge, NZ | 4 | $565,000 | $141,250 | $320,000 |
| Frankie J. Stockdale Racing, Pakenham, Vic | 7 | $500,000 | $71,429 | $170,000 |
| Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | 3 | $490,000 | $163,333 | $300,000 |
Top vendors by average
| Symphony Lodge, Oakey, Qld | 3 | $587,000 | $195,667 | $400,000 |
| Glenn Haven Thoroughbreds, Clarendon | 11 | $2,040,000 | $185,455 | $360,000 |
| Cheltenham Stables, Cambridge, NZ | 5 | $870,000 | $174,000 | $370,000 |
| Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | 3 | $490,000 | $163,333 | $300,000 |
| Regal Farm, Cambridge, NZ | 4 | $565,000 | $141,250 | $320,000 |
| Kiltannon Stables, Cambridge, NZ | 3 | $405,000 | $135,000 | $210,000 |
| Nolen Racing, Benalla, Vic | 6 | $795,000 | $132,500 | $340,000 |
| Sullivan Bloodstock, Arcadia, Vic | 3 | $355,000 | $118,333 | $250,000 |
| Blake Ryan Racing, Sydney | 13 | $1,533,000 | $117,923 | $370,000 |
| Liam Howley Racing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Vic | 1 | $105,000 | $105,000 | $105,000 |
