MELBOURNE
Cup placegetter C'est La Guerre and reigning Adelaide Cup hero Muir are among
headline acts in a record draft of 58 horses to be sold by Hudson Conway Racing
Pty Ltd. at the Melbourne Select Racehorse Sale that will immediately follow the
Inglis Premier Yearling Sale on March 2.
Australia's top racing analyst Deane Lester, who has provided expert comments
on all horses in the Team Williams' draft, said it was very rare that a
Melbourne Cup placegetter was offered at Public Auction.
C'est La Guerre (pictured) finished third to Viewed and Bauer in the 2008 Melbourne Cup
and last April finished third in the Chairman's Handicap (2600m.) and fourth in
the Sydney Cup (3200m.) at Randwick.
Muir won the Adelaide Cup (3200m.) in March last year to take his record to six
wins (with three thirds) from only 23 starts.
The draft includes established winners Niblick (six wins), Base (five), Vesper
(four), Elms (three), Billson (two), I'm Imposing, Integration, Kershaw,
Newell, Posted, Powlett, Revitalise and the exciting Infuse.
Click here to see the index.
Mr Nick Williams said all horses in the stable's biggest-ever dispersal
included recent city winners and placegetters plus un-raced three-year-olds by
leading sires.
He said most of the racehorses were bought for between $200,000 and $400,000 as
yearlings and there would be massive savings for buyers who would avoid the
expense of first-year costs of breaking-in fees, training fees and other
expenses that would take total costs to between $40,000 and $60,000.
Mr Lloyd Williams has a simplistic attitude to culling his big team. Any horse
he doubted would measure up to Group One standard is sold to make way for new
purchases.
His judgment was astray when he sold Subscribe who, with a name change to
Vengeance Of Rain, became the champion racehorse of Hong Kong with
stake-earnings of more than $HK75 million.
Only last Saturday, Mr Nick Williams was the first to congratulate connections
of Bolton (Zabeel-Real Success) after back-to-back city wins. Bolton's emphatic
win at Caulfield followed an impressive win at Flemington on January 21 and he
has now had nine starts for trainer Stephen Brown and new owners for three wins
and a Moonee Valley fourth.
Last year's dispersal sales included winners Hampden (seven starts for four
wins and a second), Brampton, Leading, Hume and Strumming. Hume was sold for
$22,000 and earned for his new connections almost $300,000.
Other winners for new owners included Coastal, Forecast, Global (three wins),
Indite, Thames, Vesting, Albion, Baron, Ingleby, Maling, Mews, Module (five
starts for new owners included a hat-trick of city wins), Provider, Provincial,
Remodel (three wins and two seconds in Brisbane), Traded, Whitewood, Devon and
Compelled.
Mr Nick Williams said it was pleasing that so many winners had come through the
Hudson Conway Racing sales.
"Almost all of our horses are ready to race, so in
many cases the returns have arrived within weeks for new connections," he said.
Inglis Bloodstock director, Mr Peter Heagney, said the Williams family was renowned
for buying quality thoroughbreds with strong pedigrees and the draft in the
Select Sale contained outstanding racing prospects.
"It is an excellent mix of recent city winners and placegetters and some
un-raced three-year-olds by leading sires," he said. "It really is a wonderful
opportunity for buyers to acquire read-made racehorses.
"Inglis is delighted to have the Hudson Conway draft as a highlight of its
Melbourne Select Racehorse Sale."
Hudson Conway Media Release
