The Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Summer Book got off to a strong start in Sydney yesterday, with the average and median both rising by more than 30%. A total of 136 horses changed hands from 162 offered for a buyback rate of 16%, which was up slightly more than three points from the corresponding session last year. The average jumped 32.6% to A$45,169, while the median was up 35.7% to A$38,000. The gross was down A$496,000 to A$6,143,000, but with 63 fewer offered on the day.
“The team here at Inglis, in cooperation with our vendors, have set about lifting Classic to a new level,” said Inglis managing director Mark Webster. “With support from a larger and more diverse buying bench it was clear to everyone here today that we are well on our way to achieving that goal.”
Webster added, “The new February time slot has also proven popular with vendors and buyers. I am delighted for the average and median to be up by more than 30% on last year, but even happier to achieve a clearance rate through the ring of 84%–we know this will only improve further as the sale continues.”
The top price of the day, A$310,000, was well clear of last year's A$105,000 sale-topper, and was the highest price at the sale since 2007. That sum was paid by James Harron Bloodstock and Snowden Racing for Lot 31, a New Zealand-bred colt by Per Incanto (Street Cry {Ire}) from Sledmere Stud. Per Incanto was a Group 3 winner and champion sprinter in Italy. He made two starts in the U.S. for Shadwell Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, winning an optional claimer off an 11-month layoff prior to finishing up the track in eighth in the GIII Westchester S. Per Incanto is represented by his first Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds this season and has had five winners. Lot 31 is out of Da Vinci Code (NZ) (Danasinga {Aus}), an unraced half-sister to Group 3 winner Tootsie (NZ) (Pins {Aus}).
Arrowfield's Smart Missile (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) has been one of the most highly sought-after first-crop yearling sires so far at this year's Australian yearling sales, and a colt by that G2 Todman S. victor registered the second-highest price of the day yesterday when fetching A$200,000 from Lyndhurst Farm. Consigned by Bell River Thoroughbreds, Lot 41 is out of Dashie Diva (Aus) (Dash For Cash {Aus}), who has produced one winners from two to race. Smart Missile also sired the highest-priced filly of the day, lot 123, who sold to trainer Mike Breslin for A$110,000. The daughter of Hansuyen (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) is a half to Group 2 winner Champagne Harmony (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}). Hansuyen is a full-sister to Group 1 winners St Reims (NZ) and Champagne (NZ).
Another young sire son of Fastnet Rock, Hinchinbrook (Aus), currently sits second on the Australian first-crop sire table only to the deceased Beneteau (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), and that Yarraman Park resident was also represented by a six-figure yearling yesterday in the form of Lot 170. The bay colt from Fairview Park Stud was hammered down to Aquanita Racing for A$115,000. He is out of Kianben (Aus) (Jan Murray), who has produced three winners from five to race and is a full-sister to the stakes winner Nan Tien (Aus).
A pair of yearlings brought A$105,000 yesterday. The first through the ring was lot 44, a colt by Magic Albert (Aus) purchased by Magus Equine. Bjorn Baker and Trainers Connections later went to that sum for lot 160, a filly by Beneteau.
The day's six-figure transactions were rounded out by a trio at A$100,000: a colt and a filly, each, by Not A Single Doubt (Aus), purchased by trainer Mick Price and James Harron, respectively, and a colt by Duporth (Aus) bought by McEvoy Mitchell.
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