It’s been a long wait but Stonehouse Thoroughbreds’ Ryan Arnel is looking forward to when six of his yearlings are offered at the July 16 Inglis Gold Sale at Oaklands.
The Eddington-based farm is offering four colts and two fillies.
Of the four colts, Arnel says there are definitely a couple which would be ideal purchases for traders.
“The Manhattan Rain (Dance of Choice) and the Starspangledbanner (Highleigh) are two very nice horses,” Arnel said.
“I think the Manhattan Rain and the Dissident (Roman Sandals) are two good trading options.
“This sale tends to be one of those where a lot of the trading type of guys are looking for something to trial up or go into. The Manhattan Rain colt is both Super VOBIS and VOBIS Sires nominated.”
Arnel said he really liked the Manhattan Rain’s dam, Dance of Choice which is by Stratum. This is her first foal.
“I know she didn’t have a huge race career herself but she is very well related and the pedigree matches very nicely and I am really keen on that match and where it actually goes,” he said.
Arnel said there had already been plenty of interest in the grey Starspangledbanner colt which is out of a So You Think mare, Highleigh, a half-sister to gelding Danleigh (Mujahid/Graceful Lily)) which won nine Group races, including four at the highest level and $2.5 million in prize money.
“It’s a very well-known family,” he said.
“We would be expecting this boy to be in the mould of a mile-plus horse.”
He said he had fielded a lot of inquiries about the colt which gives him confidence he’ll be in a demand and a good seller.
A Cable Bay (Miss Eddy) colt, which Arnel describes as a good type, completes the male side of the yearlings being sold by Stonehouse.
The two fillies on offer from Stonehouse are by Palentino (Finishing School) and Press Statement (Dubai Fortress) – both also good types, according to Arnel.
Arnel reveals a lot of people might think there are some C grade yearlings in the Gold Sale, but he said they have some good types that will go under the hammer.
“Quite a few of ours we would have been pushed into Melbourne Premier and they would have found a spot in that sale, but it was simply because of the numbers that we weren’t able to prepare them for Melbourne Premier,” he said.
“The numbers were just too great to prepare them.
“We had to drop down to the Gold Sale.”
Arnel agreed Palentino’s first crop of yearlings had achieved some healthy sale results.
“They have been represented quite well and this filly is quite a nice type and he (Palentino) is a nice type himself and has thrown some very nice horses,” Arnel said.
“We have had a couple come through the system at Melbourne Premier, as well as post sales and spelling and what not.
“We are really happy with the types and they seem to be very smart horses, that’s for sure.”
Stonehouse’s Cable Bay (Miss Eddy) colt is sure to attract plenty of interest with buyers. His yearlings are the oldest of the shuttle stallion’s progeny in Australia, but he has been well represented at UK racetracks.
“They are looking like early types so it wouldn’t surprise if they showed a bit early on,” Arnel said.
Asked whether he thought they would still get Melbourne Premier type of prices, Arnel said: “We would love to for sure. But we are very realistic and I own a lot of these myself.
“I am very much about meeting the market and we understand there are tough times at the moment. What we might have once thought were 30 or 40 grand horses, we understand they might be more down to 10 or 20 grand.
“We are going to go there and we are going to meet the market. They will be there and we’ll let the market dictate their price.
“Hopefully the buyers aren’t too shy and speaking to other Victorian breeders and vendors, there are going to be some nice horses here and people really want this sale to be live because of the simple fact that they have got some nice types of horses.
“There will be some great buying opportunities for some good types.”
Arnel said any live auction would always be preferable over the digital format.
He said when he buys horses, including weanlings, it was a case of trusting your own eye more than anything.
“You do want to see them at the end of the day and you are willing to go that little bit extra if you have seen them,” Arnel said.
To view the entire draft click here
