Inglis Easter Kicks Off Three-Day Run

Heading into this season’s Inglis Easter Yearling sale, rainy conditions covered much of the Sydney area, but the gloomy conditions outside certainly did not keep many of the game’s key players at bay, with buyers converging from all over the globe for the three-day sale, which kicks off Tuesday afternoon. On hand Sunday and observing many of the 550 yearlings which comprise this year’s catalog was a typically strong domestic buying bench, including trainers Gerald Ryan, Gai Waterhouse, David Hayes, Peter Moody; James Herron advisor to Dr. Edmund Bateman and his wife Belinda; Anthony Cummings and stable client Julia Ritchie; and John Hawkes, fresh off a win in the G1 Tooheys New Golden Slipper with Mossfun (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}). 
    In addition to Australian buyers was an International group of returning and first-time patrons. Arriving in Newmarket in the day’s leading up to the sale were several high-profile figures on the American breeding and racing scene, including B. Wayne Hughes, who was accompanied by Spendthrift’s General Manager Ned Toffey. Spendthrift will mark its debut as a seller at this year’s Easter sale in the form of Lot 120, a Tapit half-brother to multiple Grade II winner Kauai Katie (Malibu Moon) and Grade III scorer Winding Way (Malibu Moon). Bred on Southern Hemisphere time, the chestnut colt is offered by Arrowfield Stud during the opening session of the sale. Also representing Team U.S.A. at Easter this year are noted bloodstock agent John Moynihan, regular advisor to Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Farm and West Coast-based bloodstock agent Jason Litt. 
    Among the returning European contingent in attendance were Shadwell’s Angus Gold; Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida; Grant Pritchard Gordon; long-time Easter patron Adrian Nichol; Team Coolmore, including visiting members MV Magnier, Paul Shanahan and Demi O’Byrne; Highclere’s John Warren, also bloodstock advisor to The Queen, and bloodstock agent David Redvers. Notably absent in 2013, but expected back for this year’s renewal of the sale was Sheikh Mohamed’s bloodstock advisor John Ferguson. 
    “On the buying front we have got a really good turnout,” said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster. “We have got a couple of North American’s, plenty of European’s, Asians and a good turn out from the local buyers. I do not think there is anything to complain about on the buying front as all the right people are here.” 
While pleased with this year’s overall catalog, Inglis representatives admitted it was a tall order to expect a repeat of last season’s figures. In 2013, the sale was headed by a pair of yearling which realized in excess of A$4 million, including a $5-million son of Redoute’s Choice (Aus). 
    “I am not sure we have got yearlings that are going to make A$4 or 5 million like we did last year, so I do think we have to temper the expectations when it comes to the gross proceeds from the sale and the average,” admitted Webster. “I think both of those might be under a bit of pressure. But I certainly think there is going to be a strong middle market and, hopefully, that will translate into a very healthy medium and a good clearance rate. In which case we will have happy vendors and, hopefully, happy buyers.” 
    As for this year’s slightly trimmer catalog, Bloodstock Director Jonathan D’Arcy said, “A greater depth of pedigree and recent racetrack results will lead to increased returns on drafts by top stallions More Than Ready, Street Cry (Ire), Northern Meteor (Aus), Sebring (Aus) and High Chaparral (Ire).” 
While the sale’s company would surely welcome another $5-million slam dunk akin to the 2013 edition of the auction, D’Arcy pointed out that scenario is unlikely, but there remain horses to fit all price points and afford all segments of the buying bench to land the ‘big’ horse. 
    “The Golden Slipper winner Mossfun sold here at Easter for A$85,000 shows you don’t need to spend a fortune at Easter,” he offered. “We offer some of the best bred and conformed yearlings in Australasia.” 
Webster added, “Hopefully, [buyers] will see what they like and we have a good competitive sale.” 
With all three sessions originally slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. local time, Inglis pushed back the start time of Tuesday’s session to 1:00 p.m. to accommodate funeral services for jockey Nathan Berry, who shook the racing community with his untimely death last Friday.–Christina Bossinakis