Strong competition from a wide range of buyers throughout the weanling sessions on the first day of the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale saw buyers secure 162 lots at a healthy clearance rate of 85%.
Pinhookers, bloodstock agents, stud farms and leading interstate trainers were all active, with the progeny of both proven and young sires finding plenty of admirers in the Newmarket ring.
Waterford Bloodstock heads the buyers table at the end of day one, having purchased three of the top eight lots for a total of $380,000, includingLot 71for $130,000. Waterford's Mike Rennie outbid Peter Ford for the daughter of Pierro from the stakes-placed mare Light Express, helping Coolmore Stud's resident sire lead the sires table by average (3 or more sold) for the second consecutive year.
"We found some really nice weanlings by a nice selection of new and proven stallions," said Waterford Bloodstock's Mike Rennie.
"The Pierro filly in particular was a really quality filly. She's very athletic and very attractive and she'll be re-offered in 2017 along with our other purchases," Rennie said.
Graeme and Barbara Gathercole were very busy with their bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills signing for five weanlings for a total of $340,000, including the sale topper by Magnus.
Graeme, Barbara and Sheamus outbid leading Perth trainer Simon Miller at $160,000 for Berkeley Park Stud's Magnus x Flowerdrum filly(Lot 51)(pictured Joan Faras).
The filly is a half-sister to three winners including the stakes-performed San Choi Bao and will be trained by Gathercole from his Mornington stables.
"I love her breeding, I love the way she walked, I knew she was going to be mine. I feel like she will make a lovely mare one day also," said Barbara Gathercole.
"This will be the first horse by Magnus in the stable, but she had everything we look for," Gathercole said.
The result helped render Berkeley Park Stud the leading vendor by average (3 or more sold), having sold all four of their offerings for an average of $76,875.
This result is not the only reason Berkeley Park Stud has to celebrate after their 2012 Easter offering Chautauqua proved he is the world's best sprinter with a thrilling victory in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong this evening.
"We've done very well, all the horses have gone over their reserves, some well and truly, and we're really pleased," said Berkeley Park Stud Manager, Neale Bruce.
"Inspections have been very busy, and it helps when the horses are the ones that buyers want," Bruce added.
David and Alison Hush of Davali Thoroughbreds had been very busy parading their entire draft over the last few days and that activity was transferred into the sale ring with Alison saying "we've sold five out of five of our weanlings, it's good, competitive buying here and it's great for the vendors to have such hot competition,"
"We are delighted with our results, the Choisir colt[Lot 37]in particular was immensely popular, he had paraded 40 times before lunch time yesterday," added Alison Hush.
Spirited bidding on the select sale quality colt saw Sheamus Mills outstay multiple underbidders, including Amarina Farm, Newgate Farm, Peter Ford and James Harron. A final bid of $150,000 purchased the colt which is set to be re-offered at next year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
An average price of $42,449 was recorded through the Platinum Session, while top prices of $65,000 and $56,000 were also recorded through the Select and General Sessions, underlining the persistent competition at today's weanling sale.
"Vendors who supported the sale with their premium weanlings have achieved fantastic results, and there are many other breeders who wished they had done so," said Inglis National Bloodstock Director Jonathan D'Arcy.
"The strength of the yearling marked has flowed positively through to the weanlings, and we look forward to offering many of those sold today in 2017," D'Arcy said.
Complete vendor, buyer and sire statistics for today's session can be viewed atinglis.com.au Photos of the sale's Top Lots are available on the Inglis Facebook page,InglisBloodstock
Top Lots
Day Two of the auction will kick off at 10am starting with Gooree Park Stud (Lots 215 to 240) and Think Big Stud's (Lots 241 to 278) Reductions, followed by Bell View Park Stud (Lots 279 to 303) and Bell River Thoroughbreds' (Lots 304 to 326) Dispersals, Stallion Shares (Lots 327 to 334) and Select Broodmares (Lots 335 to 442).
The remaining three days of the2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Salewill be broadcast onInglis Sale Day Live,plusOnline BiddingandMake-An-Offerwill again be available.
2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale | Day One
2016 (2015 in brackets)
Inglis Weanlings - Platinum Session
Catalogued: 125 (149)
Offered: 107 (123)
Sold: 88 (104)
Clearance: 82% (85%)
Average $42,449 ($47,796)
Median: $25,000 ($31,000)
Top Price: $160,000 ($230,000)
Gross: $3,735,500 ($4,970,750)
Inglis Weanlings - Select Session
Catalogued: 49 (91)
Offered: 45 (83)
Sold: 42 (67)
Clearance: 93% (81%)
Average: $15,857 ($12,427
) Median: $10,000 ($10,000)
Top Price: $65,000 ($82,000)
Gross: $666,000 ($832,600)
Inglis Weanlings - General Session
Catalogued: 47 (31)
Offered: 37 (27)
Sold: 32 (25)
Clearance: 86% (93%)
Average: $11,391 ($4,804)
Median: $6,500 ($2,000)
Top Price: $56,000 ($22,000)
Gross: $364,500 ($120,100)
