Hammer Comes Down At Newmarket

Inglis conducted its final day of selling at Newmarket with the third and final session of the Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale on Wednesday, bringing to a close 112 years of selling at its complex in Randwick as it prepares to move to Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm later this year.

Godolphin once again achieved a 100% clearance rate on the day for its 40 culls, headed by Pretends (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) (lot 442). The 7-year-old mare, in foal to Lonhro (Aus), was picked up by Yu Long Investments for A$230,000.

“It's great that the market has responded so well and we're ecstatic about the way they've sold,” said Godolphin's John Sunderland. “The buying bench is outstanding, it's diverse, it's a sign of how healthy the industry is and it's been a wonderful few days, so thanks to Inglis for making it all happen.”

Yu Long was the day's leading buyer, securing two of the session's four highest-priced lots including the topper, the A$270,000 Passion Cheval (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 426) from Vinery Stud. The 7-year-old mare is a half-sister to Calming Influence (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), who was bought by Boomer Bloodstock for A$570,000 at last week's Chairman's Sale. Passion Cheval was sold in foal to More Than Ready.

The Newstar Partnership comprised of Newgate Farm, WinStar Farm and Kingstar Farm was busy at the Chairman's Sale buying up quality mares for Newgate's four first-season sires in 2017, and the partnership signed for Wednesday's second-top lot, Shared Reflections (Aus) (Umatilla {NZ}) (lot 475) at A$255,000. The G3 Sweet Embrace S. winner, already the dam of a winner from one foal to race, was sold in foal to Smart Missile (Aus).

Another team active throughout the Easter sale, Chairman's sale and Broodmare and Weanling sale has been Aquis and Blue Sky Bloodstock, and they were shopping again on Wednesday, their haul including the stakes-placed Serein (NZ) (Postponed) (lot 473) in foal to Vancouver (Aus) for A$200,000; and the stakes-winning Silversands (Aus) (Dubleo) (lot 482) in foal to So You Think (NZ) for A$190,000.

The three-day Broodmare and Weanling Sale returned a gross of A$42,232,500 for 496 lots sold at an average of A$85,146 and a clearance rate of 87%. Wednesday's session was largely comprised of select broodmares with a small set of general broodmares and supplementary race fillies also offered. The select broodmares returned a clearance rate of 85% (131 sold) and a gross of A$6,589,500. The average was A$50,302 and the median A$26,000. Due to changes in sale format, year-on-year comparisons are unavailable.

Since Inglis's Classic Sale in February, A$245-million had been traded by the company. Inglis has sold A$165-million worth of yearlings, weanlings, racing and breeding stock at Newmarket since Mar. 30.

“It truly has been a memorable few weeks and I would like to thank and congratulate everybody involved, from the breeders, vendors, buyers and my staff for a fantastic few weeks,'' said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster. “Whilst understandably people are a bit emotional tonight at leaving Newmarket, I encourage everybody to look forward to what we have coming at Riverside Stables, because it truly is going to be a world-class precinct. It really will be the start of a new era for the company and everybody involved in the racing industry.”