All eyes on Inglis Australian Weanling Sale
With just a few weeks remaining of the 2019-20 Australian racing season, the top ten Australian-based sires on earnings have all surpassed the $10 million barrier and all but one – I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) – will be represented at the two-day Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday.
In some cases, their numbers may be small. Three-time champion sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), virtually assured of a fourth premiership, has just one lot on offer but the colt is very well-credentialed.
Currently second this season, Pierro (Lonhro) will have ten lots for sale. Fourth on the list, Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice), has a sole filly. Fifth leading sire Sebring (More Than Ready) will be represented by seven lots followed by Fastnet Rock (Danehill) (one), Zoustar (Northern Meteor) (five), Rubick (Encosta De Lago) (14), Exceed And Excel (Danehill) (three) and rounding out the top ten, Written Tycoon (Iglesia) has four.
Among the 18 sires showcasing their first crops are international gladiator Highland Reel (Galileo), the winner of seven Group 1s, plus the exciting dual Group 1 stakes winners Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) and Russian Revolution (Snitzel).
COLTS
Buyers will not have long to wait to check out the first crop of Merchant Navy and Lot 9 is one of three colts that make this writer’s top 25 lots based on pedigree. He is the half-brother to Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) victor Sonntag (Teofilo). His dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Flavour (Rubiton), both from the three-time Listed winner Ice Cream Sundae (Sovereign Red). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/9
Lot 50 is also by a first crop sire, the I Am Invincible stallion and William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Hellbent. This colt is out of the triple Group winner and three times Group 1-placed Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice). She is a half-sister to Hong Kong legend Silent Witness (El Moxie) and is three from three as a producer too. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/50
Merchant Navy steps up again with Lot 96, a colt with superb bloodlines. His dam is a Group-placed Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare while his granddam is the Group 3 stakes winner Florentina (Redoute’s Choice), herself a half-sister to Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Gathering (Tale Of The Cat). One of the premier families in the stud book is represented here. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/96
Exhibiting the strength of the first crop sires is Lot 123 by Pariah (Redoute’s Choice), the dual Group winner and runner up in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). This colt is out of the well performed Curragh and Newbury dual Group 3-winning Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) mare Astrophysical Jet. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/123
Champion filly and three-time Group 1 victress Private Steer (Danehill Dancer) features as the granddam of Lot 161, a colt by Merchant Navy. This colt is the first foal of five times winner (including in Brisbane) Clockwork Orange (More Than Ready). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/161
Lot 174 is by the evergreen former champion and sire of 170 stakes winners, Exceed And Excel. This colt is from a Pierro half-sister to two stakes winners, namely Good Project (Not A Single Doubt), winner of the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in Perth, and World Airlines (Umatilla), a ten-time winner in Singapore. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/174
No time to catch your breath as Lot 175 may well be the sale-topper, being the only Snitzel in the sale. Since the catalogue was published, the colt’s dam, Group 3 Sydney stakes winner Crafty Irna (Starcraft), has produced the Perth two-year-old winner Snickerdoodledandy (Snitzel). His granddam Zirna (Deputy Governor) scored at Group 1 level in New Zealand before heading to Singapore to win three of their biggest races. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/175
So You Think (High Chaparral) is enjoying a first rate season and sits just outside the top ten on earnings and is represented by Lot 204. This colt is from a winning Fastnet Rock mare, herself the daughter of the very well performed Randaroo (Gold Case), winner of six graded races at all of the best American tracks. She was twice Grade 1 placed as well. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/204
Lot 210 is the Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) half-brother to Bella Vella (Commands), who really came of age this past May with a big win in the Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville. His winning dam is a half-sister to three American Listed winners. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/210
The only Fastnet Rock lot up for grabs is Lot 315. He is the first foal of Montoya’s Secret (High Chaparral), winner of the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), herself a half-sister to Group 3 stakes winner Delago’s Secret (Encosta De Lago). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/315
Lot 346, by Zoustar, has some very attractive bloodlines. His dam is an Exceed And Excel daughter of Star Of Giselle (Reset), a triple Group winner and half-sister to Solicit (Street Cry), a five-times Group winner and three-times Group 1 placed. Star Of Giselle’s granddam is a dual Flemington Listed winning Danehill (Danzig) mare from Kapchat (Centaine), winner of the Winfield Classic (Gr 1, 1500m). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/346
FILLIES
Underlining the quality of mares that Merchant Navy attracted for his initial crop, a further two make the top lots category among the fillies. Lot 31 is from the Listed Brisbane winner Sagaronne (Real Saga) who also placed at Group 1 level as two-year-old. Her dam, Lasoron (Oarsman), won seven including the Doomben Roses Plate (Gr 3, 2020m). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/31
Lot 35 is by Pierro and is the first foal of Savoureux (Nadeem), a six times winner including the Wenona Girl Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick and a Listed contest in Brisbane. She also placed twice at Group level. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/35
New sire Russian Revolution (Snitzel) has two prominent fillies including Lot 44, a daughter of the American import Shakeira (Freud) who won seven, her best performance being a win at Listed level at New York’s Belmont Park. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/44
The very next offering is Lot 45 and is also by a first crop sire, Champion Sprinter and Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Caravaggio (Scat Daddy). This filly is from the Flemington Listed stakes winner She Can Skate (Bradbury’s Luck) whose two foals to race are both winners including Listed two-year-old winner Jyoti (Akeed Mofeed). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/45
Group 1-placed and Listed winner Speith (Thorn Park) has his first crop on offer including Lot 71, a filly from a Sydney-winning, Group 3-placed Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) half-sister to three stakes winners including South African champion Igugu (Galileo). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/71
Lot 85, by Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) is the half-brother to Flemington Listed two-year-old stakes winner Kentucky Miss (Foxwedge). Their dam, the American import, Twelve Pack Shelly (Deputy Storm), won two Listed races in a brief eight-race career. The underbidder has a second chance when this filly’s three-quarter sister is offered as Lot 253. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/85
Lot 133 is a grey Russian Revolution filly from a winning half-sister to two Group winners, namely Virage De Fortune (Anabaa), winner of the Australia Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Moonee Valley as well as the QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and her four-times Group 3 winning and Oakleigh Plate (Gr.1, 1100m) placed sister Avenue. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/133
Lot 137 makes up the fifth lot and second filly by Merchant Navy to be featured here and is from the Group 3 Morphettville two-year-old winner Broadband (Sebring). Her granddam, Electric Dreams (Redoute’s Choice) is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Anamato (Redoute’s Choice). This is the family of Drum (Marauding) and Grand Armee (Hennessy), a very nice branch of the “Belle” family. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/137
Lot 138 is by Russian Revolution from Buckleupbuttercup (Najran), whose seven wins include a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 at Churchill Downs. She is two for two since her importation. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/138
Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1350m) and Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1350m) winner Impending (Lonhro) has five lots of his first crop here including Lot 222, the half-sister to Extra Time (Shooting to Win), winner of the Morphettville National Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) six weeks ago. Their dam, Group 2-placed Gwynethanne (Handsome Ransom), won seven. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/222
Buyers missing out on Lot 85 have a second chance with her three-quarter sister, Lot 253. This Flying Artie filly is from Flemington Listed stakes winner Kentucky Miss and her imported granddam won twice at Listed level. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/253
The stock of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) just keep winning and Lot 274 is the first foal of New Zealand Group 3 winner Let Her Rip (Rip Van Winkle) while her granddam Keeper Special (Keeper) was a Listed winner. Both dams won at two. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/274
Lot 324, a filly by Pierro, will no doubt attract much attention being the half-sister to dual Randwick Group winner and Group 1 placed Fiesta (I Am Invincible). Their dam, the Danehill Dancer (Danehill) mare Now Now, is three from four as a producer. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/324
The only Not A Single Doubt in the sale is Lot 343 and is a filly from a breed-shaping Success Express (Hold Your Peace) mare, Rhodamine, an eight times winner. The filly’s brother, Legend Of Condor, won in Melbourne and Sydney and was Group or Listed placed three times. She is closely related to NZ Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Atlante (Fastnet Rock). https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Australian+Weanling+Sale/catalogue/343
Merchant Navy looks well set to have a very good sale; strength in quality combined with good numbers could well see him fight out the leading sale aggregate total with Pierro. Russian Revolution should also fare well, with both first crop sires having covered high quality books of mares.