Redoutes' Choice Colt Tops Inglis Premier Sale's Second Session

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Trans-Tasman super buyer Graeme Rogerson paid top price of Aus$320,000 for a strapping colt by boom Arrowfield Stud stallion Redoute's Choice (Danehill -- Shantha's Choice) during Monday's second session of the three-day Inglis premier yearling sale in Melbourne Australia. The colt is out of the unraced Arazi mare Opulence, who is a half-sister to Godolphin's group I winner Lend a Hand (by Great Commotion), which stands at Overbury Stud.

Redoute's Choice was standing at Aus$33,000 when this yearling was conceived.

Rogerson, who has the gift of the gab and therefore manages to get many, many cashed-up people to follow him, purchased the colt (who initially left the ring unsold, after failing to meet his reserve), for a negotiated Aus$320,000. The money proved another winning pinhook result for Riverslea Farm's Steve Irwin, who purchased the colt as a weanling (from the Coolmore consignment) at the Inglis Australian select weanling sale for Aus$75,000.

The second day of the sale saw the Encosta de Lago tide stemmed a little as Redoute's Choice, who currently leads the 2-year-old and second crop tables in Australia, roared back to popularity. Trainer Rogerson also paid Aus$260,000 for day two's top filly, too -- a daughter of Redoute's Choice out of the Bold Revenue mare Miss Behave (a winning half-sister to Canada's 1996 champion 3-year-old filly Silent Fleet). The filly was consigned by Bellerive Stud.

Cumulatively over the two sessions, the Aus$22,247,500 (U.S.$17.7 million) gross was up 22% on last year and the Aus$59,011 average was up 21%.

Inglis managing director Reg Inglis said: "The results prove that Victoria has now come of age amd there is no glass ceiling as far as prices achieved is concerned."

One horse even passed-in for Aus$500,000. The global boom clearly is still very much in effect.

Among the sires, Arrowfield's Redoute's Choice and Coolmore's Encosta de Lago accounted for all 12 yearlings to bring Aus$200,000 or more over the two sessions of the Inglis premier sale. Redoute's Choice sold three (of five offered) for Aus$920,000 at an average Aus$306,667.

Encosta de Lago sold 24 (of 26 offered) for Aus$3,775,000 (including the top-priced Aus$480,000 colt) at an average Aus$157,292. Distant Music (among those with three or more sold) averaged Aus$71,250 for 6 sold to lead the freshmen.

The lone Fusaichi Pegasus   colt sold for $180,000.

New Zealand-based Postponed's lone sale entry sold for $150,000.

Collingrove-based Bianconi's lone entry sold for $130,000.

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