The 2007 William Inglis & Son Australian Select Broodmare Sale in Sydney on Tuesday proved that those with money to buy mares with proven progeny records are going to be rewarded.
At this point, you think of John Ferguson, Demi O’Byrne etc, and fellow European Adrian Nicholl. He has stayed in Sydney following the recent Easter yearling sale and on Tuesday he won the battle for outstanding matron Procrastinate, who has proven something of a legend in the auction ring at Newmarket-based Inglis & Son.
Bidding ebbed and flowed until eventually BBA Ireland's Nicholl won the day with the final nod at Aus$660,000 (US$550,200) to secure the Group winning daughter of Jade Hunterin foal to Galileo.
“She’s an amazingly outstanding producer this mare,” Nicholl enthused. “I purchased a Galileo filly (Personify) out of this mare and she went on to stakes success. I also tried to get Patasi but she went for too much money. Which is a pity because I’m convinced she’ll win stakes races too. As the yearling prices would indicate, Procrastinate produces fantastic types and I’m hoping she’s carrying a filly this time around. I think Procrastinate will go to Coolmore and visit Encosta de Lago this spring.”
Procrastinate’s love of the Inglis sale ring started in 1992 when she was sold at the Easter Yearling Sale. She has been somewhat of a permanent fixture at Easter since. All her yearlings which have sold at public auction have followed her through the Easter Sale ring, highlighted by the Redoute’s Choice colt which was purchased by Darley Australia for Aus$2 million ($1,633,000) last Thursday. Her Easter tally now stands at Aus$6,110,000 ($5,093,300) as a mom, with an average of Aus$763,750 ($636,331). Her first yearling, who went on to become the champion South African mare Laisserfaire ($575,000), recorded victories in five group I events, while her other stakes horses include the now Yarraman Stud based stallion and stakes winner Foreplay ($625,000), as well as current race fillies Personify ($650,000) and Patasi ($1,600,000).
But she was just one of the well sought after broodmares sold on a day which saw 202 hips sold for Aus$10,315,850 ($8,598,000) at an average of $75,298. This brings the overall sale total, with three sessions remaining, to 251 lots sold for $21,522,600, averaging $85,747.
Coolmore Stud proved that you have to pay a premium for group winning Danehill mares and didn’t hesitate to bid up to Aus$840,000 for the well-bred Lady Marion (Hip 593). Speaking on behalf of Coolmore Stud, the winning bidder Colm Santry said: “She (Lady Marion) is by Danehill, she has a filly foal at foot by Encosta de Lago and is in foal to Zabeel, three of the most dominant stallions in this part of the world. She’ll probably go back to Encosta de Lago this spring.”
Taking a look through the results of last week’s Easter Yearling Sale it becomes evident through the average prices paid for both Encosta de Lago and Zabeel at $644,487 and $399,375 respectively, that both value and quality are available at every level.
Other sale highlights include the $620,000 paid by leading Victorian stud, Eliza Park, for Commands Nothin’, an Inglis 2-year-old Classic winner by Commands and in foal to Encosta de Lago. Sold as a yearling at the 2003 Inglis Sydney Classic for $24,000, subsequent family developments has seen this family pedigree become a much sought after commodity in the sale ring. Ain’t Seen Nothin’, the half-sister, went on to capture three stakes races and realise $460,000 at last year’s Broodmares Sale, while Polar Success, Elvstroem and more recently Haradasun, captured events at the elite level.
“I wasn’t going home without this mare,” Eliza Park principal Lee Fleming said. “We focus on quality and that’s exactly what this mare is. Quality plus. I’ve purchased horses from all over the world and this mare wouldn’t look out of place on any catalog page.”
Highlighting the value to be had at this sale was an unbroken 2-year-old filly by Danehill Dancer from the multiple Group winning Bluebird mare Blue Storm, knocked down to Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $105,000. According to Belmont’s Damon Gabbedy, there’s plenty of upside to his latest acquisition. “She’ll be broken in and we’ll see how she goes. But even if she doesn’t stand up to racing, I reckon she’s worth the $105,000 on broodmare residual alone,” Gabbedy points out. “The yearling half-sister (by Fusaichi Pegasus ) was sold to Woodlands Stud last Tuesday for $440,000 and another of her half-sisters Steflara (AJC Breeders Classic) was purchased for big money recently by Darley.”
William Inglis acting managing director, Jamie Inglis, pointed out that the broodmare sale goes from “strength to strength” and was again pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the buying bench. “This sale truly holds value at both ends and I feel that’s reflected by the buyers who picked up some lovely types today. One minute you can be selling a Lady Marion for $840,000 and the next a full sister to multiple group I winner, Umrum, for $60,000. A clear indication is the buyer participation today from South Africa, Europe, the UK, New Zealand and every state of Australia.”
The third session of the 2007 William Inglis & Son Australian Select Broodmare Sale continues at Newmarket Wednesday.