The Inglis Premier Yearling Sale got underway with the first of four sessions yesterday in Melbourne, Australia. Gains were realized in high price, gross, average and median, and competition for local Victorian buyers was intense, with much countrywide and international interest. At the end of the day's trade, 112 yearlings had changed hands for A$10,581,000, compared to the 115 that sold for A$9,072,500. The average jumped 19.7% to A$94,473, while the median was up 33.3% to A$80,000. The buyback rate was the lone negative on the stats sheet; it was up 11 points to 25.8%.
“It is very satisfying to see the diversity of buyers who assisted our day one average to increase 20%, and especially pleasing was a 33% increase in today's median price,” commented Inglis Victorian Director Peter Heagney. “As we still have many quality yearlings to offer we are confident that the sale should continue to remain buoyant. Having said that, I have no doubt there will be good buying throughout the remainder of the sale.”
Last year's sale failed to see a yearling go over the half-million mark, but that situation was rectified early in yesterday's session when lot 44, a filly by popular sire Snitzel (Aus), was knocked down to South African trainer Brett Crawford and a client for A$560,000–just A$10,000 short of the sale's record price set in 2006. Consigned by Yallambee Stud–who ended the day as leading vendor with 10 sold for A$1.55 million–the bay is the third foal out of the unraced Belle of the City (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}), herself a daughter of the multiple stakes-winning Tonicity (Aus) (Blazing Sword {Aus}) and a half-sister to stakes winner Cecconi (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). The filly's second, third and fourth dams have all produced stakes winners, and it is also the family of G1 Golden Slipper winner and successful sire Stratum (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).
Snitzel was also responsible for lot 3, a A$210,000 filly sold to Sheamus Mills Bloodstock.
The session's second-most expensive youngster, also a filly, is also headed to South Africa after being purchased by trainer Joey Ramsden, in partnership with the same client that signed for lot 44, for A$340,000. Lot 67 is by first-season sire Foxwedge (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and is the third foal out of Carlton Show (Aus) (Hold That Tiger), a half-sister to a stakes winner and a stakes-placed winner that has produced two stakes horses. The September-foaled bay was consigned by Supreme Thoroughbreds.
Foxwedge ended the day as the session's leading first-season sire by average (A$190,000). Other first-season sires represented included Sepoy (Aus) (A$165,000); Pour Moi (Ire) (A$123,500); Smart Missile (Aus) (A$113,333); and Helmet (A$85,000).
Black Caviar's sire Bel Esprit made it a trifecta of fillies to top the session when his lot 14 fetched A$260,000 from the Victorian-based Cloud 9 Thoroughbreds. Consigned by Swettenham Stud, the August foal is a half-sister to the multiple group winner Arinosa (Aus) (Dash For Cash {Aus}).
Also bringing A$260,000 a short time later was lot 27, the first of three colts purchased by Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu during the session. Lot 27 is by Not A Single Doubt (Aus) and was consigned by Bell River Thoroughbreds. He is a full-brother to Lionize (Aus), a stakes-placed winner in South Africa. Yiu later went to A$250,000 for lot 112, a bay colt by popular first-season sire Sepoy (Aus). The Yallambee Stud graduate is a strapping bay out of a half-sister to the stakes-winning Caprizzi Strip (Aus) (Distorted Humor).
The first Northern Hemisphere crop of G1 Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) were well received at last year's European yearling sales, and that Coolmore shuttler was represented by a colt that fetched A$230,000 from trainer McEvoy Mitchell yesterday. The bay is out of the winning Red Ransom mare Blushful, a daughter of G1 Australia S. winner Stella Cadente (Aus) (Centaine {Aus}). In fact, it is a very productive family; 2-year-old stakes winner Brilliant Bisc (Aus) (Elvstroem {Aus}) and dual stakes winner Aeronautical (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) appear under the second dam.
Day two of the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale begins today at 10:30 a.m. local time. For a video wrap of yesterday's action, click here.
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