A busy three days of selling at the 2020 Inglis Classic Sale has come to a successful conclusion for Lime Country Thoroughbreds (LCT).
LCT’s Jo Griffin could not have been happier with the results achieved concluding with a 100% clearance rate across the three days for the 15 horses offered, the biggest Classic draft yet presented by the boutique Southern Highlands based farm.
LCT finished 7th by aggregate with total sales of $1.67 million, an average of $111,333 and median price of $100,000.
“As always we worked with our owners to give the buying bench the confidence to bid. Our clients set very realistic reserves and let the market decide the price on the day, the market duly spoke and delivered in spades!” said Jo Griffin.
“We were particularly happy to achieve good results for new clients Kia Ora and Swettenham Stud, who entrusted us with some lovely yearlings to sell.”
The highest selling lot on Sunday was a Shalaa (IRE) ex Define colt (Lot 91) picked up by Bruce Perry Bloodstock & Lib Petagna for $180,000.
Bruce was delighted with the purchase which will remain in Australia to be trained by Kris Lees at Newcastle.
“He’s a lovely balanced horse and a really good mover with a lot of presence about him,” said Bruce Perry.
Also, on day one, two lots sold for $100,000 including a Pride of Dubai ex Cassandara Shadow (NZ) colt that was knocked down to Lionrock/BenKwok/Bevan Smith Bloodstock.
“We are extremely pleased to get this horse. He's a great natured and very athletic and ticked all the boxes.
“Lime Country do a great job preparing horses and it’s great to get one off them,” said Bevan Smith.
On day two, LCT had the first horse into the ring and the American Pharoah (USA) colt from Madison Quays got the sale off on a good note when fetching $160,000 to the bid of Ardross Bloodstock.
They sent seven yearlings through the ring in total on Monday with two of them fetching $200,000. Astute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer was smitten with the All Too Hard ex Nakataan (NZ) colt (Lot 339) he secured.
The horse will initially be prepared by Ballarat based horseman Archie Alexander before going on to be trained in Hong Kong by Richard Gibson.
“Lime Country has only been in Australia for a few years and we are really happy to buy this horse from them.
“Their horses always look a million dollars and parade really well. As a buyer you like to work with professional people that know their horses,” said Louis Le Metayer.
The newly launched Breeze Up Bloodstock purchased the other $200,000 lot from the LCT draft on day two which was a colt by Deep Field from Reggae.
Another highlight of the session was the sale of a Fastnet Rock x Pas de Deux (IRE) filly to one of the world’s most astute judges Neville Begg.
She will be trained by his son Grahame at his Mornington base in Victoria.
“We really like her. She’s a very athletic filly and good moving.
“She comes off a wonderful property. There have been some great horses reared on that land and hopefully this filly will be another one,” said Grahame Begg.
Day three finished with a bang with all lots offered selling including the much admired lot 547 a Nicconi filly out of Gr.1 winner Velocitea to the bid of Paul Moroney Bloodstock for $180,000.
Next on the agenda for LCT is the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where they will present 11 yearlings and you can see them here.
