The third-highest priced horse ever sold at Oaklands was the star attraction on another stunning day of trade as the 2022 Premier Sale continued its surge.
It took until the ninth last lot of the evening for the fireworks to reach their crescendo when an I Am Invincible x Fine Bubbles colt offered by Widden Stud sold to Coolmore Stud for $950,000.
The colt, which was bred by Sun International and offered on their behalf, was on the radar of many of the biggest players in the industry but it was Coolmore who came out supreme in a stunning bidding battle.
The Coolmore team is hoping the colt is their next Home Affairs, their current star 3YO Easter Yearling Sale graduate who won last year’s G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes before defeating the World’s Best Sprinter Nature Strip in last weekend’s G1 Black Caviar Lightning.
“We’ve had a great run with Home Affairs, he is obviously red hot right now having won the Lightning last week and we came here with the intention of buying the best colt we could find at the sale and physically he really stood out,’’ Coolmore’s Colm Santry said.
“He was a great mover, we really liked him, the pedigree was good, we didn't think we had to go as far with the price but we did and we are very glad we got him.
“Looking at him he could be a two-year-old. He's very mature, got a great girth on him, great shoulder, great big hip, but he was a magnificent mover for an I Am Invincible colt which gave us the tick of approval for him.’’
For Antony Thompson of Widden – who leaped Blue Gum Farm to end the day as leading vendor by aggregate thanks to the colt’s high price – the result was incredible.
“I didn’t realise he’s the third-highest at this sale ever but that’s a great result, huge. We’re very, very happy with the $950,000,’’ Thompson said of the colt.
“He'd had a stack of parades, he’s a horse that everybody who saw him, loved him and I know there’s a few disappointed underbidders as well.
“He was the standout colt and the colts syndicates had all done a lot of due diligence on this horse, I mean they do have that sort of firepower when they team up on these star colts and to see him go to Coolmore who seem to be really leading the charge in that department is great.
“This horse really fits into that sweet spot around Home Affairs for them, a colt of similar price and when they won their own race the Coolmore Stud Stakes with him last year it was one of Tom Magnier’s finest days. They see the similarities here, the way he’s bred and the way he looks, it was no surprise to see them go again.’’
It was an extra poignant result for Widden, who only 12 months ago announced their expansion into Victoria.
“When we said we were coming to Victoria we were serious about it and we said we’d bring some proper horses, from the stallions to the yearlings we’d offer for sale here at Inglis Premier and I think we’ve shown that this week,’’ Thompson said.
“We’re very serious about our commitment to the Victorian industry and I think this is a pretty good example.’’
The Day 2 second-top lot – and highest-priced filly of the sale to date - also came late in the day when Legend Racing’s Bon Ho paid $550,000 for an I Am Invincible x Endean Rose filly of Silverdale Farm.
The horse will remain in Australia and be trained by Team Hawkes.
“I was very keen to buy this filly, she was the pick of the sale for me, she came strongly recommended to me by [Inglis’] Jonathan D’Arcy as well as a number of trainers and very good judges, so I really was very keen to get her,’’ Mr Ho said.
“She’s a lovely filly with a strong pedigree. I was able to view video footage of her on the Inglis website the past couple of weeks and I also loved the way she moved. She wasn’t cheap but I’m very pleased she’s mine now.’’
Silverdale’s Steve Grant added: “We’re absolutely ecstatic. She was very popular - on-farm inspections were good but when she got to the complex here, she was working extra hard but it didn’t phase her, she thrived on it and she sold accordingly.
“She’s a tough type to get her way through what’s been a busy week for her.
“She walked like a gun, even in the pre-parade before she went in she was really stretching out, she was really doing the job like a machine.’’
Day 2 ended with key metrics all increased year-on-year with the average ($163,948) and median ($145,000) up 14% and 32% respectively.
The strength of the middle market continued to shine – 131 lots have sold for $200,000 or more so far (a 64% jump on 80 after Day 2 last year) while there has also been a 26% rise in lots to sell for $300,000 or more, up to 44 from 35 last year.
The third-top lot of Day 3 was a Snitzel x Amelia’s La Bout filly which sold to Clinton McDonald along with Domenic Romanelli for $475,000.
She was offered by Segenhoe Stud on behalf of her breeder Amelia Park in WA.
“She’s a beautiful filly, she was always a big, elegant filly but the past two months of her prep she developed all her substance and strength,’’ Segenhoe’s Peter O’Brien said.
“She always had a great action, she had 13 scopes so we knew she was very popular. We were hoping for $300,000-$350,000 so to get north of $400,000 was exceptional.
“Everything we bought here has sold, we can’t ask for more than that. It’s been very busy, inspections were terrific, we hadn’t sold at Melbourne for a couple of years but we’ll be back next year for sure.’’
For McDonald, it was the filly’s calm demeanour that attracted him to her so much.
“She is just always cool. She never turned a hair in the back parade ring. There were a couple of horses going off, but she just kept at her job, head down, bum up and kept moving,’’ McDonald said.
“She has a great attitude, she has got a great physique and I thought she was a nice filly.
“We were probably out of gas at $400,000 but I really wanted her so I went to $475,000.’’
To view our Sale Day Live Review Show from today’s action, CLICK HERE.
Lots 531-793 have been catalogued for Day 3 of the sale, which begins at 10am tomorrow at Oaklands.
The first 60 lots conclude the Main Book before the Showcase Session begins at lot 591.
To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.
Day 3 action will again be broadcast live on the Inglis website and Facebook page via our Sale Day Live coverage, hosted by Caroline Searcy and Katelyn Mallyon.
To enquire on a passed in lot from the opening two days of the sale, contact Will Stott on 0408 126 952.
PREMIER SALE STATISTICS END OF DAY 2 (2021 stats in brackets)
Sold: 411 (398)
Clearance Rate: 85% (86%)
Average Price: $163,948 ($143,195)
Median Price: $145,000 ($110,000)
Top Price: $950,000 ($1,100,000)
Gross: $67,382,500 ($56,991,500)
