Inglis commenced their four day Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale on Sunday and proceedings got off to a solid start, though not quite matching the vibrancy of the corresponding day last year. The opening day also featured the Blue Riband session, comprised of yearlings expected to excel in their Classic year and beyond.
Topping the day's trade was son of Snitzel (Aus) (Redoute's Choice (Aus) bought by Hong Kong based Little Kwok Hing Hung for A$620,000. This top price, while slightly below the 2016 opening day topper of A$675,000 contributed to a total of A$13,755,500 spent on 111 of the 137 yearlings offered. This produced a respectable 81% clearance rate (down from 90% in 2016), an average of A$123,923 and a median of A$110,000. Inglis' Victorian Bloodstock Manager Simon Vivian expressed his satisfaction with how day one fared out commenting, “It's a very satisfying start and knowing the quality that's still to come, we can go into the next few days with an absolute degree of confidence. The top part of the market is very strong, the median is quite amazing when compared to last year and while the clearance rate started a little soft early, the buyers found their feet as the day progressed which was great to see.”
Little Hung, an emerging force in racing, is starting to form a serious affiliation with Snitzel colts at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Last year Hung bought the Premier sale-topper, by the same sire, for A$700,000. Now named Ducimus (Aus), the colt is unbeaten in two runs and showed star potential by winning a listed race at Flemington Feb. 18. Hung had to dig deep to secure lot 68 on Sunday acting alongside bloodstock agent Justin Bahen for the Milford Thoroughbreds offered son of Mightier (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}).
In the last year Hung has been active at sales in Japan and Ireland and after seeing off competition from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Hung commented, “We had our heart set on him after all the inspections we did. He's a strapping colt, big boned, great girth and hind quarter. He's a sensible colt, he's got a brain on him and you really need that. Hung continued, “I knew he'd be popular, and when two people want the same thing at an auction, you need to be strong and we were.''
Vendors Millford Thoroughbreds enjoyed a 100% clearance rate with their three colts offered and they also ended up as the day's leading vendor by average with their trio averaging A$310,000 each. “All three colts, we couldn't and didn't expect those sorts of figures, nothing like them at all,'' Millford's co-principal Jarrod Byers said. “It's a huge result. The hard work starts at home with prepping these horses for sale so to the entire team back at the farm, a huge congratulations. They all deserve this type of result.''
There was quite a price gap to the next highest lot and it was a filly, lot 63 that was knocked down to Paul Moroney Bloodstock for A$320,000. The grey daughter of I Am Invincible (Aus) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was offered by Swettenham Stud and is the first foal out of the stakes winner Members Joy (Aus) (Hussonet). I Am Invincible was also responsible for the next highest when a son of the Yarraman Park Stud stallion, lot 16, was offered by the same stud and bought by Paul Perry for A$300,000. The colt is out of the four-time winner Ladies Dancing (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) who has bred two winners from two runners including the stakes winner Stagnite (Aus) (Danehill Express {Aus}).
Millford Thoroughbreds was one of 36 vendors to enjoy a perfect clearance rate on Sunday, with Maluka Thoroughbreds selling all seven they entered (the highest of the day) while Woodside Park sold five from five and ended the day as the leading vendor by aggregate at A$975,000 while the leading buyer by lots purchased and aggregate was McEvoy Mitchell Racing with five yearlings for A$710,000. The Blue Riband session was again a success, averaging A$134,692 with a clearance rate of 84%. Selling resumes Monday at the earlier time of 10am local time.
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