The downward trend at European sales of jumping stock maintained its course yesterday at Saint-Cloud where Arqana staged its annual Summer Sale. Despite a drop in turnover of 7.4% on last year the sale still produced a half-dozen six-figure sales.

There was little surprise when lot 78, a Chichicastenango half-brother to French star chaser Mid Dancer, topped the billing when knocked down to Robert Collet for €210,000. Owner Gaëtan Gilles said of the sale, “I wanted €200,000 so for me this represented a good sale.”

Collet was back in action for the late entry (lot 157a) of Young Poli. Listed winner on the flat as a three year-old he has since produced good form over hurdles and boasts a Listed win and Grade 3 second. Sold to end a partnership, Collet went to €125,000 to stave off the eventual underbidder Xavier Papot, son of the majority owner.

Bobby O’Ryan, who has been active at all the sales this year, purchased lot 159, Prince De Beauchene, for €200,000. while James Delahooke was early to strike, landing lot 14, a Mark Dwyer-consigned Barathea gelding for €130,000.

Paul Nataf picked up the last of the big lots when going to €125,000 for lot 214, a three year-old Sendawar half-brother to Listed-winning Laxlova.

Overall the stores were the most disappointing aspect of the sale with just one in two finding a buyer. Private sales of €305,000 helped to buoy the aggregate with twice last year’s figure being registered. Average was down by 8.9% to €26,769.

Highflyer Bloodstock led the buyers tables, securing nine lots for a total of €413,000. The Aga Khan Studs was leading vendor with twelve sold for €322,500.

Full list of results is available here

Release

A clearance rate of more than 90% highlighted today’s Inglis Winter Thoroughbred Sale, where more than $1million was traded.

Overall, 193 horses sold for $1,027,350, with a top price of $70,000 achieved twice throughout the day.

Grand Lodge mare Tiffin (ex G2 placed Discriminate, by Marauding) was sold in foal to Zeditave for that amount, carrying a three-quarter relation to her stakes winning half-siblings Major and Happen.

Three-year-old filly Burleigh Sky (Hurricane Sky-Alkimiyah, by Chromite) was the other $70,000 sale topper today after originally being passed in through the ring.

But the half-sister to this season’s dual stakes winner Litter was later sold using William Inglis’ Post Sale Service, where offers on passed in horses can be made online and sent to an Inglis agent.

Online bidding also played a big part in today’s sale, with 18% of the Lots attracting an online bid and 5% selling online.

Other highlights today included $67,500 for an Al Maher yearling filly from the Sir Tristram mare Abbotswood.

All yearlings sold today are eligible to enter the Inglis Race Series and contest the Scone Challenge.

“It was a very pleasing day of trading at Newmarket today, highlighted by the extremely high clearance rate, which underlines the strength of the market and demand for tried horses,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

“It is also great to see buyers embracing the new technology we have implemented this year, with both online bidding and our new post sale service providing vendors with more opportunities to sell their horses.”

Attention now turns to the looming deadline for nomination into the 2008 William Inglis Yearling Sale series.

Breeders are reminded that nominations for the Classic, Premier, Easter and Autumn Yearling Sales close on August 1.

The next Inglis Sale is the Melbourne August Thoroughbred Sale at Oaklands in Melbourne, which has attracted an entry of more than 400 horses. Owing to the outstanding response, this sale will now be held over two days, beginning a day earlier on Thursday August 14 and concluding Friday August 15.

That sale will be followed by the Scone Broodmare Sale on August 29, with nominations for that sale closing on July 18.

Sale Statistics - Lots 1 to 251

www.inglis.com.au

Catalogues for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale (3 August) and South Island Sale of 2YOs & Mixed Bloodstock (8 August) are now online.

The South Island showcase of unraced two-year-olds is packed with potential and value, with star graduate Master O’Reilly flying the flag for this unique sales opportunity. This year’s catalogue sees 173 two-year-olds, plus broodmares, yearlings and racehorses.

The Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale will see 101 horses catalogued for sale, including broodmares, yearlings, two-year-olds, unraced horses and racehorses.

Catalogues for both Sales will go in the post on Tuesday.
www.nzb.co.nz

BUYERS could pick up potential stars at good prices when auctioneers Andrew Miller and Mike Killassy open the bidding at the two-day 2008 Sibaya Yearling Sale, starting today at noon, at the Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom near Umhlanga Rocks.

The progeny of top sires will be more accessible to smaller buyers at this venue than at the National Yearling Sale, where all sales records were smashed.

Veteran racing scribe David Mollett, writing in Racing Express, says buyers will have more chance of “picking up a cheapish horse than backing the July winner”.

His personal choice among the 292 consigned lots is True Spirit (Lot 108), a daughter of Silvano from the Model Man mare True Match, whose only racing progeny is already a progressive three-time winner.

Mollett predicted that Cigano (Lot 243) would be the 2008 sales topper. This Rathmor-bred half-brother to smart sprinter Surabi is the only representative of established stallion Jallad who will pass through the sales ring.

But the many supporters of the impressive Silvano have been quick to point out that Lot 220, a filly from an own sister to Yard Arm, is similarly well bred and just as worthy of early accolades.

This, however, is the kind of sale where the shrewd students of thoroughbred conformation will most certainly walk away with value buys. There are several lots with “hidden’’ clues in their damlines which, when matched to good looks, are likely to produce a few surprises among the top-priced lots.

An example is Lot 41, Reaction, a filly by Counter Action from Raise-A-Royal, a damline that doesn’t catch the eye at first glance, though at closer scrutiny shows that she is a half-sister to vastly improved sprinter Brother Bear and from the same family as Fiery Fred.

Cool Zone (Lot 79) is by Captain Al from a young mare Spumante, who threw Listed-placed Captain Spartha among her first three foals and will have more than a few buyers opening her stable door.

Mollett quite rightly sung the praises of Scott Bros’ stallion Mogok, whose bay colt Mo’Pepper (Lot 169), consigned by Hallmark Thoroughbreds, is bred along exceptionally speedy lines.

Other notable lots include Lot 95 (a half-brother to Tyson by freshman sire DuPont), Lot 101 (a half-sister to Sahara by Spaceship); Lot 104 (a half-brother to Buy and Sell by Announce); and Lot 283, a colt by Travel North from a half-sister to Pocket Power and River Jetez.

This year’s BSA Bonus Incentive comprises a R100 000 to be paid to the owner or owners of the first Sibaya graduate by a first or 2nd season sire to win a Grade 1 race during its two- or three-year-old career.

In addition a bonus of R100 000 will be paid to the owner or owners of the first Sibaya graduate by an established sire to win a Grade 1 race in its two- or three-year-old career.

The Yearling Sale will be followed on Tuesday, 8 July, by the Sibaya KZN Mare, Weanling and Horses-in-Training Sale.
(Source: SA Horseracing)

The catalogue for Arqana’s August yearling sale is now online. Similar to last year the French sales company will offer 515 lots.

This years’ catalogue comprises an increased number of yearlings out of black-type mares (one third of total lots). On the first day, regarded as the select session of the sale, almost two thirds of the dams whose first foal is 3 or over have already produced a Black Type horse and half of those mares are dams of a Group performer.

The catalogue also offers 117 brothers and sisters of group performers. On Friday, one third of the 1st dams have already produced at least one group performer. It comprises a large proportion of young dams as one third of the yearlings on offer are a first or second foal.

For the first time Arqana has edited an English version of the catalogue for its international clientele. They have also launched a new web site entirely dedicated to the August sale. www.thesalesparadise.com provides plenty of information about the sale : on-line catalogue (with daily updates, photos of yearlings, etc.), video presentation of the sale, videos of some of the best recent graduates’ successes, list of hotels in Deauville, maps & detailed route indications, key contacts, etc.

The sale takes place from 15 – 18 August and runs in tandem with the Deauville racing festival featuring the G.1 Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday 17 August.

The catalogue is available here.

The following is a list of some of the more well-bred lots in the sale:

- Lot #7 (f. / Haras du Mezeray), first foal out of Lune d’Or (Premio Lydia Tesio Gr1, Prix de Malleret Gr2, Prix de Pomone Gr2) by Seeking the Gold
- Lot #19 (c. / Watership Down) from the first crop of Oratorio out of the Gr1 winner dam Moonlight Dance (Prix Saint-Alary)
- Lot #25 (c. / Haras du Mezeray), by High Chaparral and Night Petitcoat (Preis der Diana, Gr2); a half-brother to German Gr1 winners Next Desert and Next Gina
- Lot #28 (c. / Haras du Quesnay), half-brother to Rêve d’Oscar (Prix Saint-Alary Gr1) and Numide (Prix Hocquart Gr2), by Galileo
- Lot #35 (c. / Ballylinch Stud), a half-brother to Red Rocks (Breeders Cup Turf Gr1) by Rock of Gibraltar
- Lot #37 (f. / Haras d’Etreham), by Sadler’s Wells and the Gr1 winning mare Race the Wild Wind; she is a half-sister to King Charlemagne (Prix Maurice de Gheest Gr1) and Meshaheer (July Stakes Gr3)
- Lot #40 (c. / Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard), a half-brother to Saddex (Premio Presidente della Repubblica Gr1, Rheinland Pokal Gr1, Grand Prix de Chantilly Gr2) by Cape Cross
- Lot #43 (f. / Haras de la Reboursière et de Montaigu), a half-sister to Belle et Célèbre (Prix Saint-Alary Gr1), Whortleberry (Premio Lydia Tesio Gr2, Prix Jean Romanet Gr2), Ysoldina (3rd Poule d’Essai des Pouliches Gr1) by Dubawi
- Lot #61 (f. Haras de Grandcamp), a half-sister to Amorama (Del Mar Oaks Gr1) by Gone West
- Lot #62 (c. / Knocktoran Stud), a half-brother to Tie Black (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches Gr1) by Shamardal
- Lot #73 (f. / Haras des Capucines) a filly bred in the USA, by Empire Maker and You (winner of 5 Gr1 races in the US incl. The Santa Anita Oaks)
- Lot #82 (f. / Haras du Mezeray), the third foal out of Amonita (Prix Marcel Boussac Gr1, by Anabaa) by Gone West
- Lot #87 (f. / Bugley Stud) by Dubai Destination and Ausherra; a half-sister to Strategic Prince (July Stakes Gr2, Vintage Stakes Gr2)
- Lot #92 (f. / Haras d’Etreham), a half-sister to Silverskaya (Prix de Royaumont Gr3, Prix Minerve Gr3) by Vindication
- Lot #93 (c. / Voute Sales), a full brother to Aqlaam (Jersey Stakes Gr3 at Royal Ascot this year)
- Lot #97 (f. / Haras des Capucines), a half-sister to River Proud (Somervill Stakes Gr3, 3rd Poule d’Essai des Poulains) by Canadian Frontier
- Lot #107 (c. / Haras des Capucines), a Pivotal colt half-brother to Gr1 winner Fraulein (E.P.Taylor St)
- Lot #111 (f. / Haras des Capucines), a half-sister to Dutch Art (Prix Morny Gr1, Middle Park Stakes Gr1) by Tobougg
- Lot #115 (c. / Haras de la Louvière), a half-brother to High Rock (Prix La Force Gr3, Prix de Condé Gr3) by Cape Cross
- Lot #144 (f. / Haras des Capucines), by Footstepinthesand and Pillars of Society, a half-sister to Good Mood (Regret St, Gr3)
- Lot #181 (f. / Haras d’Etreham), a half-sister to Axxos (Oppenheim Union Rennen, Gr2, 2nd Grand Prix de Paris Gr1) by Lando

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 195 horses for its Saratoga select yearling sale, which will be conducted Aug. 4 and 5 in New York. The number is down 8.9% from the 214 total in 2007, but is above the 180 cataloged in 2006.

“We’re down just a touch,” said Fasig-Tipton president Walt Robertson. “But we always try to select as hard as we can, and that’s where we ended up. We’ve damn sure got good-looking horses, and we’ve got exciting young sires.”

The catalog includes seven yearlings from the first crop of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, four from the first and only crop of 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam, and nine from the second crop of 2004’s champion sprinter Speightstown. A.P. Indy, Distorted Humor, and Storm Cat are among the veteran sires with offspring in the catalog.

Last year, the Saratoga sale suffered setbacks of 2.4% in gross revenue, 10.6% in average price, and 7.1% in median price as the yearling market, in general, lost momentum. One challenge this year will be the struggling American economy, but Robertson is optimistic that the type of yearlings offered at the auction, where the average was $289,310 a year ago, will be in demand.

“The market for horses in the $250,000-plus market was great during the 2-year-old sales,” he said. “The upper and upper middle markets have held up pretty well. There are lots of buyers for the $200,000 to $800,000 horse.”

This year’s Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner, Da’ Tara , is a graduate of the Saratoga sale. He sold for $175,000 during the 2006 edition of the auction.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Release

The William Inglis Winter Thoroughbred Sale will be held at Newmarket, Sydney, this Friday, July 4.

A catalogue of 199 lots, including mares, yearlings, tried and untried horses has been put together.

It is now a tale of legend that Joe Janiak came to this sale in 2003 and paid just $1250 for his multi millionaire globetrotting sprinter Takeover Target, winner of $5.18million, including prestigious Group events in Australia, Europe, Japan and Singapore.

Last Saturday’s tough Rosehill winner With A Chance is another graduate of a William Inglis Thoroughbred Sale, sold for just $3100 prior to racing in 2005. The son of Commands is now the winner of $400,000.

Highlights on Friday include an unraced Redoute’s Choice two-year-old colt from Boardwalk Bell (Bellotto), a half-sister to Australian Horse of the Year Northerly to be offered by Swettenham Stud.

Among the mares to be sold are daughters of Centaine, Quest for Fame, Last Tycoon, El Moxie, Kenmare, Invincible Spirit, Grand Lodge, Royal Academy, Johannesburg, Thunder Gulch, Zeditave, Western Symphony, Danehill, Carnegie and Green Desert.

Sires of racing females include Real Quiet, Spectrum, Strategic, Encosta de Lago, Fasliyev, Flying Spur, Danzero, Canny Lad, Rory’s Jester, Secret Savings, Desert King, End Sweep, Arena, Commands, Choisir, Magic Albert, Red Ransom and Dash for Cash.

Selling begins from 11am.
www.inglis.com.au

The inaugural Inglis Australian Weanling and Breeding Stock Sale ended on a high note on Sunday with the sale of superstar mare Milanova for a Southern Hemisphere record price of $5million and aggregate turnover for the entire sale of $29,6 million.

Inglis achieved a major coup in attracting the Tyreel Reduction and Risdon Dispersal, those two vendors accounting for $19,595,000 of the total broodmare trade at this sale of $21,699,650, Tyreel selling 12 mares and two weanlings for $10,965,000, Risdon selling 31 mares for $8,630,000.

Even taking those vendors out of the equation it was still a strong market even down through the lower levels with 82% clearance on all mares consigned by other vendors.

There can be no doubt that Inglis have clawed back a significant part of the elite broodmare market from Magic Millions this year with a raft of new initiatives evening the playing field and the addition of the Inglis Australian Weanling and Breeding Stock Sale to compliment their primary broodmare sale held earlier in the year in conjunction with the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

The presence of Tyreel, Risdon, Swettenham and Kulani Park (including Paul Makin’s mares) at the Inglis broodmare sales tipped the scales well and truly in their favour this year and while no commission is charged by the sales companies on the bulk of these high profile sales, so very little actual profit is made on them, the value in publicity and perception cannot be underestimated.

The weanling market is still problematic for Inglis, although they have made headway this year with a jump of 55% in the aggregate turnover on select weanlings so are seen to be heading in the right direction.

The inaugural First Season Sire Showcase did not work as expected with many major farms failing to support the concept with quality weanlings and as a result the term ‘showcase’ did not really fit much of the product offered within.

The ‘make an offer’ facility on the Inglis website led to a significant number of post-ring sales on horses offered in the First Season Sire Showcase with the resulting clearance improving to 64% at the close of the entire weanling section on Friday, but it was still well short of the overall weanling clearance of 80%.

The concept obviously needs some rethinking and further consultation with the major farms if it is to continue in some form and flourish.
(Source: Breednet)

Away from the high-rolling mainstream of Group One wins and priceless pedigrees, the rewards for perspicacity can, relatively, be as sweet. A week today, the value of one man’s good judgement – backed up by a little luck – will be tested under the hammer in a Newmarket auction ring.

Lot 185 on the first day of the Tattersalls July sale is a five-year-old mare named Looker, carrying her first foal. Her performance record is on the moderate side of ordinary; from 14 efforts on the Flat and over hurdles she scored twice, on her debut at two, and then when she scraped home by a short-head two years ago in a 10-furlong claimer at Salisbury.

But 25 days ago her pedigree underwent a dramatic transformation. It was not too bad anyway; she is by Barathea, a thoroughly respectable sire, out of a mare whose record reads seven foals, seven runners, seven winners. And the latest of those successful is none other than Oaks heroine Look Here. In the space of two and a half minutes Looker went from being a nondescript plater to a half-sister to a Classic winner.

She is being offered from Mickley Stud in Gloucestershire, where she has been prepared on behalf of her owner Robert Biggs, a builder, handyman and racing fan from near Marlborough.

Biggs acquired Looker in February through a serendipitous set of circumstances, but had been aware of her for a while. Richard Kent, owner of Mickley Stud, takes up the tale. “He actually saw her that day when she won at Salisbury, and took rather a fancy to her,” he said, “and followed her, and her family, after that.”

In truth, there was not much to follow in Looker’s own case. Like Look Here, she was bred by, and won for, Jockey Club senior steward Julian Richmond-Watson, and trained by Ralph Beckett. After her Salisbury success she was claimed for £10,000 and joined John Gallagher at Moreton-in-Marsh, but disappointed thereafter, hardly beating a rival in five subsequent runs.

She was scheduled to go to Doncaster sales in January, but missed her date with the auctioneer. “Apparently the diesel froze in the lorry that was supposed to be taking her that morning,” said Kent, “and she didn’t make it.

“Mr Biggs actually had no idea that she was up for sale. But quite by chance he discovered her afterwards on the Gallagher website and bought her unseen - apart from that day at Salisbury – for five grand, and she came straight to us.”

At that point Look Here was in winter quarters as the promising winner of her only start. “In fairness to him he’d done his homework and knew about that,” added Kent. “I remember he told me that she’d won well, and might win the Oaks. I hear about people’s dreams all the time, and I told him yeah, and my uncle might win the Derby. But he was right, wasn’t he?”

Looker is in foal to Mickley Stud’s new young Danehill stallion Multiplex, a multiple winner in France from one of the good Juddmonte families. “She is an angular, scopey sort of mare,” said Kent, “bigger and stronger than Look Here. And she’s got the sweetest temperament. After Look Here won the Oaks, it was time to cash in, and I should think he’ll do well. And good luck to him.”
(Source: Independent)

Coolmore Australia had to go to a record price of $5million to secure the Group 3 winning Danehill mare Milanova at today’s William Inglis Australian Breeding Stock Sale in Sydney.

Milanova was sold as part of the Tyreel Reduction Sale and she is in foal to Coolmore’s Champion Sire Encosta De Lago.

It smashes the previous record, which was set at this same complex in 2007, when Anabaa mare Virage De Fortune sold to Darley at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $3.6million.

Earlier in the sale, Coolmore secured Milanova’s More Than Ready weanling filly for $625,000.

Milanova is a Group 3 and Listed winning daughter of Danehill from the Secretariat mare L’On Vite, who in turn is from the wonderful Northern Dancer producer Fanfreluche.

L’On Vite is also the dam of Coolmore’s dual Group 1 winning two-year-old Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill), who returns to Australia for his second southern hemisphere season at stud this year.

Coolmore Australia General Manager Michael Kirwan was not surprised that the mare fetched such a price.

“Who knows what kind of money you’re going to have to pay for these types of horses?” he said.

“They are blue hens and rarely become available.

“Genuine good horses like her that come on the market always attract genuine money.

“She’s got a world class pedigree and Coolmore has enjoyed a lot of success with the family, with not only Holy Roman Emperor, but Encosta De Lago, who will be Champion Sire this year.”

Kirwan also indicated that Milanova was likely to be covered by a high profile newcomer to the Coolmore roster in 2008.

“It has been discussed today that Haradasun is on the short list of sires for her to visit this season.”

Milanova was one of five million dollar lots sold as part of the William Inglis Australian Breeding Stock Sale today.

Tyreel also sold the Snippets mare Valourina (in foal to Redoute’s Choice) to Neil Bowden Global Bloodstock for $1.6million.

The second highest price of the day was $2million for Danehill mare Lucida to Freyer Bloodstock for $2million.

Lucida was sold as part of Sue Suduk’s Risdon Dispersal, being offered by Philippa Duncan Bloodstock.

Lucida’s dam Peruzzi (Zabeel) was another mare to top six figures today, selling to Inglis as agent for $1,250,000.

Another daughter of Peruzzi, Fiammarosa, in foal to Fusaichi Pegasus, sold to Colm Santry Bloodstock for $950,000.

Risdon in fact sold three million dollar lots, with Group 1 winner and Group 1 producer Shindig (by Straight Strike), dam of this season’s CF Orr Stakes winner Shinzig, selling for $1.6million (in foal to Exceed and Excel).

Other highlights from the Risdon Dispersal included Woodman mare Schiaparelli for $700,000 and the Fairy King mare Gwendolyn (in foal to Flying Spur), who was snapped up by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $600,000.
(Source: Racing & Sports)

There were few fireworks at the end of the third day of Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale at Fairyhouse but for the inaugural extra day, in a market which is correcting itself, trade was solid enough.

Noel Meade landed the day’s top lot, a Trans Island four year-old gelding from Abbeyleix Stud for €47,000, taking his tally for the sale to eight.

Tom O’Mahony paid €42,000 for a Presenting three year-old gelding while Norman and Janet Williamson went to €40,000 for an Oscar gelding.

Of the 159 lots offered in the session 65% were sold. The day recorded a median of €13,000 and an average of €14,606.

Tattersalls Ireland Managing Director, George Mernagh, commented on Part Two of the Derby Sale, “There has been a lot of activity here today and although trainers may not have as many orders as in recent years - they, like the rest of us, do not live in an economic vacuum, there has been a great deal of bidding going on, especially on the 4yos.

“There are some really nice athletic horses about and a good amount of today’s purchases have been bought specifically for our new Breeze Up Sale [3-4 Nov] which has created a huge amount of interest and support. Vendors in general seem to be pleased with today’s business and we feel that there is a place for this day of the sale in the future.”

The next Tattersalls Ireland auction is the August National Hunt Sale from 12-14 August.

Results available at www.tattersalls.ie.

Release

Propelled by some outstanding weanlings, the William Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale concluded today with the average rising further on yesterday’s strong figure.

Overall, the Select Weanling Sale generated turnover of almost $7.7million.

The average rose to $33,732 by the conclusion of the Select sale, representing a 31% climb on the Select Weanling Sale from 2007.

Another pleasing aspect of the sale was the overall clearance of 80%.

Coolmore Stud offered the day’s highest priced lot, a chestnut colt from the Group 3 winning Royal Academy mare Charmview, which sold to Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $500,000.

In fact, Coolmore sold seven of the top 10 lots during the select session, finishing as easily the leading vendor.

In all, the Jerrys Plains operation sold 30 weanlings for $2.5million at an average of $85,283.

“This was one of the best drafts we have ever taken to a weanling sale and we got the desired result,” Coolmore Australia General Manager Michael Kirwan said.

“We bought some really nice horses to the sale and it was very pleasing to see the strong competition for them.”

Encosta De Lago was responsible for three of the top four lots sold today – each offered by Coolmore – while his barnmate Fastnet Rock was also amongst the action, with a colt from the Bluebird mare Blue Music (from the family of Golden Slipper runner-up Von Costa De Hero) the second highest priced lot of the day, going for $285,000 to Michael Wallace Bloodstock (NZ).

“There has been good competition across the two days and overall we are very happy with the results from the Weanling sessions in this new time slot,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

“Vendors who brought nice horses to the sale were rewarded, which was also pleasing to see.

“We now look forward to the Breeding Stock Sale on Sunday, where we have some truly outstanding mares being offered – mares that would in fact be welcome at any major sale in the world.”

As was the case yesterday, all sale results are on the Inglis website and buyers can still take advantage of William Inglis & Sons post sale service whereby offers can be made via www.inglis.com.au on any lot that has been passed in during the sale.

Select Weanling Session Statistics - Lots 1 to 333

General Weanling Session Statistics - Lots 334 to 397

At the conclusion of last night’s second session of the Derby Sale at Fairyhouse, figures were markedly down on last year, very much in line with the trend witnessed at both Goffs and Doncaster.

Nonetheless demand remained intact for the high-class individual and a total of eleven lots have so far broken the six-figure barrier.

Margaret O’Toole continued her spree yesterday after having secured the joint-highest-priced lot on day one. She and Howard Johnson raised the stakes for lot 408, a Presenting gelding consigned by Jimmy Murphy’s Redpender Stud, which was ultimately knocked down to O’Toole for €255,000. Murphy had paid only €26,000 for him as a foal.

The gelding is out of a two-time bumper winner, herself out of black-type winning hurdler Sea Gale.

Earlier on in the day O’Toole secured lot 357, a gelding from Rathturtin Stud, by in-demand sire Flemensfirth. Out of a full-sister to Grade 2 placed hurdler Three Scholars from the family of Dawn Run, he was bought for just €11,000 as a foal but O’Toole paid the store price of €155,000.

Aiden Murphy went to €140,000 for a Beneficial gelding consigned by Lakefield Farm. He is expected to join Philip Hobbs next year.

Turnover for the sale has shown a drop of 48% while both the median and average dipped by 23% and 21% respectively. One positive aspect of the sale however was the healthy number of horses sold, up seven points to 75%.

After the day’s trade Tattersalls Ireland Managing Director George Mernagh commented, “The figures may have not reached the extravagant heights of the last few years, however we are still happy with the top end of the market given the strong bidding activity on the many quality horses in demand here.

“There are stalwart buyers from both England and Ireland who have continued their consistent investment at this sale. It is not news to anyone to say that the bloodstock market in general has been forced to sober up, and the readjustment of the wider economy, particularly in Ireland, has been reflected here this week. ”

Part 2 of the Derby Sale continues today at 10.30am and can be viewed live at www.tattersalls.ie.

A $625,000 More Than Ready filly from regally-related Danehill mare Milanova highlighted a strong opening day of selling at the Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale in Sydney.

In all, 120 weanlings sold today for just short of $4million.

The strength of the opening session can be gauged by the average of $32,872, which represents a startling increase of 29% on last year’s overall Select Weanling Sale result.

The More Than Ready-Milanova filly was knocked down to Colm Santry Bloodstock, who secured her on behalf of Coolmore.

Milanova, a Group 3 and Listed winner herself, is from a family that Coolmore have enjoyed great success with, as she is a Group 3 and Listed winning daughter of Danehill from the Secretariat mare L’On Vite, which makes her a full-sister to Coolmore’s Champion dual Group 1 winning 2YO colt of 2006 Holy Roman Emperor.

This is also the family of Coolmore’s Encosta De Lago, who will be crowned Australia’s Champion Sire this season.

“This is one of the best pedigrees in the world and obviously the filly has great residual value,” Santry said.

“We’re looking forward to getting Holy Roman Emperor back for his second season this year after receiving outstanding reports about his first foals and it’s wonderful to be able to buy another member of this great family.”

The filly was one of two weanlings sold as part of the Tyreel Stud Reduction Sale. The other, a Tale Of The Cat filly from Group 2 Sandown Guineas winner Moon Dragon (Danehill), sold for $180,000 to Lockyer Thoroughbreds (ACT).

Coolmore’s young Danehill sire Oratorio provided the second highest lot of the day when the bay filly from the Scenic mare Rainscene was knocked down to Anton Koolman for $300,000, to top the New Sire Showcase.

Earlier, Murrulla Stud, which has been recently acquired by Tim Nolan, got the sale off to a flying start when they offered Lot 1, a filly by Glenlogan Park’s Jet Spur from dual G3 winner Gold Lottey, which sold to Mark Pilkington for $200,000.

“This was a very pleasing start to this sale, which is in a new format for the first time this year,” William Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

“Competition was very strong on the top lots and overall it was a very strong start and this is borne out in the overall average.”

The Select Weanling Sale continues tomorrow from 11am, followed by a General Session later in the day, ahead of the Breeding Stock Sale, which begins on Sunday.
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The three-day Tattersalls Ireland Derby sale got underway yesterday with two €160,000 lots taking top billing.

The Coolmore duo of John Magnier and Derrick Smith were the first to strike through trainer Jonjo O’Neill who secured the Mount Eaton-consigned lot 108, a son of Old Vic from the family of Hartstown and Pharney Fox.

Margaret O’Toole had to fight off Howard Johnson for lot 212, a Kayf Tara gelding consigned by Abbey Stables, which was purchased on behalf of an existing client. She also went to €82,000 for another Kayf Tara gelding, lot 194.

Mount Eaton Stud also consigned lot 169, a Flemensfirth gelding out of a full-sister to Brackenfield. Graham Wylie and Howard Johnson went to €130,000 for the horse, an attractive proposition as the duo has already enjoyed success with sons of Flemensfirth, notably with this year’s Arkle winner Tidal Bay

Anna Ross of BBA Ireland was also in the action when she bought a Presenting gelding, consigned by Castletown Quarry Stud, for €105,000. He is out of a full-sister to Grade 1 Power Gold Cup runner-up Galevilla Express.

The sale continues this morning. Results available here.

Phoenix owner Todd Finch bought the sale topper at the Barretts summer sale June 24 as his first venture into Southern California racing. Trainer Anthony Saavedra successfully bid $40,000 on behalf of Finch’s Val-U-Chem for Leesider, a 4-year-old son of champion Bertrando.

The June sale of horses of racing age and 2-year-olds in training, in its fifth year, grossed $445,050 for 65 horses sold, averaging $6,847. Held at the Hinds Pavilion at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif., the auction this year lacked the star dispersal of the 2007 edition. The 2007 sale set record numbers when the four horses from the Meadow Creek Farm dispersal sold for $957,500, topped by $525,000 for Laddies Poker.

Including the Meadow Creek horses, the 2007 sale averaged a sale record $18,879. The average without those horses was $8,502.

“There was a shortage of horses available for this sale,” said Gerald F. McMahon, president and general manager of Barretts. “All of the sales were a little bit smaller this year, but we felt that we had to keep this market available. We held it as a service to local owners and trainers. It was pretty lively for the best horses in the sale.”

Leesider, bred by Martin and Pam Wygod in California, has earned $221,941 over three seasons of racing. His wins include a victory in the 2007 Snow Chief Stakes on the Gold Rush program for state-breds at Hollywood Park. Leesider is out of the unraced Storm Cat mare Sweet Paradise, and his second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Bountiful Native.

Mary Knight sold the sale topper as agent, and her consignment included four to dissolve a partnership between Dan Schiffer and trainer Mel Stute. Stute’s wife, Annabelle, bought all four of those horses to lead buyers with a gross of $58,000.

Havens Bloodstock Agency as agent sold the second-highest horse and the top 2-year-old at the sale. The gelded son of High Demand—Nordic Weather, by Summer Squall, brought $30,000 from trainer Art Sherman.

The sale was about equally divided between 2-year-olds and horses of racing age. A total of 33 2-year-olds averaged $7,602, while 32 horses of racing age averaged $6,069. Of the 97 horses through the ring, 32 were not sold, for a buyback rate of 33%.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

The catalogue for next month’s Magic Millions Perth Thoroughbred Sale is now online.

A record 327 lots have been catalogued for the sale which will be held at the Magic Millions Sales Complex at Belmont over three days on July 24, 25 and 27.

The sale kicks away on Thursday evening (July 24) with lots 1-72 comprising yearlings and racehorses.

A quality line up of almost 120 weanlings will go under the hammer the following day on Friday July 25.

The sale then wraps up two days later on Sunday July 26 with an outstanding selection of broodmares to go under the hammer.

CATALOGUE AT A GLANCE

Lots 1-31 - Yearlings

Youngsters by sires including Bianconi, Bletchley Park, Dante’s Fury, Face Value, Ihtiram, Key Business, Lord Dane, Show a Heart, State City etc.

Lots 32-72 - Racehorses

Fillies and mares in this section by sires including Arazi, Danetime, Desert Prince, Ihtiram, Marooned, Metal Storm, Old Spice, Orientate, Royal Academy, Scenic, Volksraad etc.

Lots 73-191 - Weanlings

Weanlings catalogued are by sires including Balestrini, Bianconi, Blackfriars, Bletchley Park, Bradbury’s Luck, Canny Lad, Carnegie, Danasinga, Flying Spur, Grandera, Helenus, Ihtiram, Invincible Spirit, Key Business, McFlirt, Octagonal, Oratorio, Reset, Show a Heart, Starcraft, State City, Stormy’s Son, Testa Rossa, Tiger Hill, Viscount etc.

Lots 192-327 - Broodmares

Mares catalogued are by sires including Bellotto, Bletchley Park, Canny Lad, Danehill Dancer, Danewin, Don’t Say Halo, Encosta de Lago, End Sweep, Is it True, Last Tycoon, Marooned, Nassipour, Old Spice, O’Reilly, Quest for Fame, Salieri, Scenic, Serheed, Sir Tristram, Strategic, Success Express, Thunder Gulch, Umatilla, Zoffany etc.

Mares catalogued have been covered by sires including Balestrini, Bearcat, Bel Esprit, Bianconi, Blackfriars, Bletchley Park, Due Sasso, Flying Pegasus, Helenus, Hurricane Sky, Ihtiram, Lords a Leaping, McFlirt, Natural Blitz, Oratorio, Redoutable, Saxon, State City, Strategic etc.

To view the catalogue follow the relevant links from the home page of the Magic Millions website or click here.
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IF THERE has been one success story among this year’s economic turmoil, it has been the outstanding figures returned at bloodstock sales countrywide.

SA’s most important sale, the Emperors Palace National Yearling Sales at Germiston in April, confounded those predicting a downturn. The aggregate rose to R199m and the average soared to a record of R398000.

The next stop on the bloodstock sales circuit is the KwaZulu-Natal Yearling Sale on July 3 and 4, again being hosted by the Sibaya Casino resort near Umhlanga Rocks.

The overall Sibaya sale, which also includes a sale for mares, weanlings and horses in training, saw a phenomenal 60% increase in turnover last year compared with 2006.

Bloodstock CEO Jan Naude is a man with his finger on the pulse of the industry. He said: “The current economic climate may result in a stabilisation of the thoroughbred bloodstock market. Nevertheless, the Sibaya sale has grown fast in popularity and we hope to build on last year’s record turnover.”

It is probable that a number of owners and trainers left the national sales with unfilled orders because of the high prices. If they wanted one of the progeny of top stallions such as Western Winter, Fort Wood or Jet Master, they had to dig deep. Averages for these three sires were R843000, R799000 and R489000 respectively.

None of this trio is represented at the KwaZulu-Natal sale . Popular stallions are likely to be National Assembly, Silvano, Al Mufti, Mogok and Kahal.

Maine Chance Farms is one of the leading studs in SA, and its 30 lots grossed R14m at the national sales. The Robertson-based outfit will consign nine yearlings to next week’s sale.

Its draft includes four daughters of Silvano and two of former champion Victory Moon.

Silvano — an outstanding global performer who won in the US, Germany, Singapore and Hong Kong — proved popular at the national sales. There should be plenty of interest in his daughter out of the Golden Thatch mare, Prussian Princess. The latter is a half-sister to J&B Met winner, Imperious Sue.

Victory Moon, a former United Arab Emirates horse of the year, has eight lots on the sale with Maine Chance offering his daughter out of Perfect Perfume on the first day. This mare has done well at stud .

Jallad, sire of the well fancied Durban July runner Russian Sage, had an R385000 average at the national sales, and buyers are sure to run the rule over his sole Sibaya representative, a colt being offered by Rathmor Stud. This youngster has to be on the short list as a possible sales-topper as he is a half-brother to Dominic Zaki’s useful filly, Surabi.

A daughter of Wolfhound, Surabi scored the biggest win of her career in the Camellia Stakes (Grade 2) on Gommagomma Challenge day last month.

A colt related to another Durban July runner, Buy and Sell, could also attract much interest when he is offered by Spring Valley Stud, while Golden Acres will be selling a half-brother (by Dupont) to Summer Cup hero Tyson.
(Source: Business Day)

A pair of juvenile fillies worked a furlong in :10 2/5 and three other fillies went a fifth slower during the preview show June 24 for the following day’s Barrett’s sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age.

The one-day session June 25 begins at 11 a.m. (PT) at the sale company’s Southern California pavilion.

A filly by Cactus Ridge out of Miz Riz (by Cox’s Ridge) and a filly by Decarchy out of Cleverness (already named A Clever Ten) each posted :10 2/5 times for an eighth of a mile.

The Cactus Ridge filly, a half-sister to stakes winner Myfriendwil, is consigned by L & R Bloodstock.

The Decarchy filly, consigned by Sam Hendricks, agent, is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Our Summer Bid.

The fastest time for a quarter of a mile was :22 by a 2-year-old by High Demand. The gelding, out of Nordic Weather, by Summer Squall, is consigned by Havens Bloodstock Agency, agent.

Two older horses worked the fastest three furlong time of :34 2/5. The time was registered by a 4-year-old filly by Robannier consigned by Havens Bloodstock as agent for Robert H. Walter Family Trust, and a 5-year-old gelding by Helmsman consigned by Hendricks as agent for Madera Thoroughbreds.

The filly is out of the stakes winning Falstaff mare Ivory Bowl and the gelding is out of the Summer Time Guy mare Lil Bit Tough.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Release

Weanlings have arrived and are now being paraded for the Australian Weanling & Breeding Stock Sale, which begins this Thursday, June 26 at Newmarket, Sydney.

The sale begins with the First Season Sire Showcase, featuring 101 weanlings by the most highly credentialled first crop sires in Australasia.

Sixty weanlings in the First Season Sire Showcase will be paraded on Wednesday afternoon from 4pm with the parade to be followed by a cocktail party on the Inglis grounds. Everyone is welcome to attend.

For those that cannot make it to Newmarket on Wednesday afternoon, TVN will telecast the parade later that evening, with additional stallion footage supplied by Sirecam.

“Already there has been tremendous interest in not only the First Season Sire Showcase, but the entire Weanling Sale catalogue,” Inglis Bloodstock Director Jonathan D’Arcy said.

“The two Tyreel weanlings (More Than Ready-Milanova filly and Tale Of The Cat-Moon Dragon filly) would be welcome in any sales catalogue around the world, while the Encosta De Lago-Charmview colt is quite a standout.

“Then there’s the draft of Fastnet Rock weanlings (10 in total) and we’ve seen right throughout this year’s yearling sales how keenly sought after his progeny have been.”

The Select Weanling Sale continues on Friday June 27, ahead of the Breeding Stock Sale this Sunday, June 29.

Already highlighted by the star-studded Tyreel reduction, the Breeding Stock Sale has continued to be bolstered by additional entries, including the Risdon Dispersal and another 13 supplementary entries.

Catalogues for both the Risdon Dispersal (which has also been sent to clients) and the 13 Supplementaries are available on the Inglis grounds.

The Breeding section features many Group 1 winners and producers, a host of other Group winners and some regally-related breeding prospects.

The international flavour of the sale was highlighted again on Saturday with G1 Golden Jubilee winner Kingsgate Native, who is from the same family as Australian Group 1 winner Aqua D’Amore.

Coolmore Stud will offer Chamour (Lot 407), a Rock Of Gibraltar three-quarter relation to Aqua D’Amore, on Sunday.

The sale kicks off with the New Sire Showcase beginning from 11am, Thursday.
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