A colt by the promising young sire I Am Invincible (Aus) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was hammered down for A$540,000 (US$386,220) to establish a new record at the Inglis 'The Star' Ready2Run Sale at the auction house's Newmarket complex Tuesday. Buyers from across the Pacific Rim in addition to domestic clients contributed to a session which grossed A$5,949,00 for 86 horses reported as sold. The average of A$69,174 was off marginally from last year's A$71,036, while the median of A$52,500 improved by 5%.
“In just its third year since inception, The Star Ready2Race Sale is achieving results ahead of the benchmarks for this type of sale in Australia and reflect its select nature,” said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster. “Introducing a new product to any market is challenging, which is why we have committed to five to ten years of investment to ensure the success of the sale. We are pleased with the diversity of the buying bench with particularly good competition from Australia, Singapore, China, Macau and Hong Kong, and we are confident that as local awareness of the sale increases, Inglis' commitment to this sale format will reap greater rewards for our clients,” Webster added.
I Am Invincible, the sire of Group 1 winner Brazen Beau (Aus) and the undefeated Super One (Aus) supplied the day's headliner when YuLong Investments gave the record-setting price for lot 84, a half-brother to Godolphin's stakes-winning Haptic (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). The November foal, who breezed a furlong over soft Canterbury turf in :10.85, was consigned to the sale by Cheveaux Bloodstock.
Representing YuLong Investments, Mr. Zhang explained the reasons for his purchases, which totaled A$1.2m for 12 lots overall.
“Firstly, to purchase horses for the Inglis China Australia Cup next year, so I'm buying horses for a syndicate in China who are relying on me to select horses for them for this race, and I know I am taking some good horses back to China for them,” said Zhang. “Secondly I've picked up some good horses to be trained in Australia, like Lot 84. I think he's a very good type, he will go to Darren Weir's stable in Melbourne, and hopefully the horse can achieve something in Australia. I'm very confident that with our involvement in Australia plus all the support from Inglis and my good trainers like Darren Weir and others in New South Wales and Victoria that we will achieve a lot of success,” continued Zhang.
Lot 128, a colt by the late O'Reilly (NZ) whose second dam is the outstanding Hong Kong galloper Elegant Fashion (Aus) (Danewin {Aus}), is set to race in that jurisdiction after trainer Manfred Man went to A$280,000 on behalf of his client T. Lee. Muskoka Farms consigned the Oct. 1 foal, a son of the stakes-winning Classy Fashion (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus).
The Macau Jockey Club supported the Ready2Race Sale from the island nation, as Club members spent A$475,000 on eight horses with the assistance of Inglis' Mark Dodemaide and John Didham.
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