First Light go big for Pierro colt with in-form Busuttin and Young
Syndicator already has Derby dreams with $575,000 session topper on day two of Premier
First Light Racing made the biggest purchase of its existence when the Group 1-winning syndicator secured a Pierro (Lonhro) colt in conjunction with Busuttin Racing and Paul Willetts for $575,000 on day two of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale yesterday.
Bloodstock manager for First Light Racing, Ash Dowley, said she was shaking having fended off prominent owner Brae Sokolski for the well-related colt.
“(I was) very nervous,” Dowley said.
“We bought him in partnership with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, recent Blue Diamond winners, and we’ve had great support from them so we had a lot of confidence to go as high as we did with a team of our owners and Trent and Natalie as owners as well.
“He is a star colt in our eyes so we’re pretty excited.”
By Pierro out of the More Than Ready (Southern Halo) mare Pass The Parcel, the colt – who was catalogued as Lot 349https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/349 – is a half-brother to the Nick Ryan-trained Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) placegetter Express Pass (Wandjina).
The result continued a brilliant sale for leading vendor Blue Gum Farm, who also consigned the sale-topping Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt for $725,000 on Sunday.
“He is a colt that when we first looked at him, we only looked at him for about 60 seconds, me and Paul Willetts,” Dowley said.
“We looked at each other straight away and said ‘put him away’ and then we whispered to each other ‘this is the best colt we’ve seen all year’ so we’ve worked pretty tirelessly in the last 48 hours putting a group of owners together to buy him.
“We’ve had wonderful support and we’re very excited, we were just so blown away by this colt.”
First Light Racing celebrated its maiden Group 1 victory in 2018 when Aristia (Lonhro) won the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) and Dowley believes their expensive purchase could be a contender for the colt’s equivalent to the race.
“Pierro isn’t your natural two-year-old sire so he looks to be your typical late two-year-old, three-year-old mile plus, Derby prospect and that’s what Pierro has shown, they get a bit of distance,” Dowley said.
“They need a bit of time so we’ll be patient with him, we won’t be pushing him too early and he looks like a perfect 1600-metre plus type.
“He’s perfectly conformed, he’s a big, strong colt, with a big girth on him and a big hindquarter.
“It’s the way he moved that really struck us. He’s got the most fluent walk about him and the most incredible attitude we’ve seen in a colt as well, and we know that takes them a long way.
“He’s like a five-year-old gelding out there. We know he’s been really popular. I’ve been down to see him three or four times and every time he stepped out of the box, he just walked along with no issues.”
On the hefty price tag the syndicate had to pray, Dowley said she wasn’t surprised.
“We did (expect him to cost that much),” Dowley added.
“To us we looked at him and thought he was a half a million dollar colt so we knew we had to be pretty strong on him.
“We went two bids over what we initially thought but we loved him that much we didn’t want to go home without him.”
The colt’s dam, Express Pass, was a two-time winner and is a half-sister to Magic Millions Guineas (RL, 1400m) third Happy Hussey (Hussonet) and Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) fourth Prix Du Sang (Red Ransom).
Further down the page is four-time Group winner So Gorgeous (Brief Truce) as well as Wild Queen (Loup Savage), who is the granddam of Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Kementari (Lonhro).
Player comes out on top for Written Tycoon colt
Mark Player is hoping “lightning can strike twice” after buying a son of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) with agent Rob Roulston for $400,000 yesterday, the second time in as many years he has purchased a colt by the stallion at the Premier sale.
The International Thoroughbred Solutions principal secured the Blue Gum Farm-consigned colt, who is the first foal out of the seven-time-winning Group 2 scorer Miss Promiscuity (Magnus), who won three of her first five starts for trainer Peter Moody. He was catalogued as Lot 313. https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/313
“He was a first foal so he was a very neat colt and reminded me of a Capitalist-type of colt, short-coupled, very athletic terrific walk and very strong chestnut colour,” said Player of his latest acquisition.
“He was a really good mover who had a bit of presence about him and every time I saw him he just seemed to be doing the right things.
“I’m not sure who the competition was, but hopefully they are good judges and hopefully we will come out of it looking like we’ve got the right horse and I’m pretty confident that we have.”
The bidding hit $360,000 when the pair made the decisive move to go straight to $400,000, which proved a winning tactic.
“I think sometimes you have all these theories about how to bid and what to do I just thought, ‘let’s try to land a knockout blow at this stage’,” Player said.
“You get a feeling you are down to only beating one person and when you are down to tens you don’t want to get caught on the wrong leg.
“I just thought it was the right thing to do at the time and hopefully it was.”
The move also came about having observed the willingness of the buying bench at Oaklands Junction being prepared to go above and beyond in order to secure their chosen stock.
“You do wonder when you’re going to get a turn (to bid),” he said.
“You have to be prominent with where you stand, so you can get the eye of the auctioneer or one of the bid spotters. There is just really good competition.
“The optimism surrounding the industry is great – we are in great times for racing. We have got great infrastructure and great people involved in the industry at the moment and with the strong prize-money, racing and breeding is in a really good place in Australia.”
Player has respected the experienced Roulston’s judgment for many years and was pleased to join forces with the Melbourne-based agent on the colt who is by Victoria’s leading stallion.
“There was a good team of people behind it and Rob Rolston and I really loved him,” he said.
“He’s a terrific judge and has been for a long time, so when we are on the same horse we have a bit of luck and hopefully we will be this time.”
At last year’s Premier sale, Player purchased recent Hawkes Racing-trained debut Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m)-winning Written Tycoon colt Ole Kirk for $675,000 on behalf of Neil Werrett and partners.
Blue Gum leading vendor third time in five years
Blue Gum Farm’s Premier Session sale came to an end with an Exceed And Excel (Danehill) colt making $280,000, which capped a brilliant 2020 Melbourne auction for the Euroa-based stud to claim the title as the leading vendor for the third time in six years.
The Phil Campbell-led operation sold 23 lots for an aggregate of $4,505,000 at an average of $195,870, including the top lots of both sessions.
The figure was only bettered by Blue Gum Farm’s 2016 draft which grossed $4.71 million, a consignment that included stakes-winning graduates Ducimus (Snitzel), Jukebox (Snitzel) and Vinland (Sebring).
“It’s unbelievable, that’s our second highest gross ever,” Campbell said.
“We had a beautiful bunch of horses and they sold terrifically well. They’ve found great homes and the colt (Lot 349) was the top lot today and he was just an absolute cracker by Pierro with a great page and great physical capabilities.
“We just couldn’t be happier with today and yesterday’s results. It’s been a great sale.
“There’s so much work put in by so many people from the time the horses are born all the way through their weaning process, growing them out into young yearlings, into yearling preparation.
“Wendy Smith and Chris Kent back at the farm deserve so much credit for these results. The work they do to have the horses conditioned to put up with what they have to go through with the showing and the way they perform up here people are happy to bid on them and buy them.
“We just can’t thank the people at home on the farm enough, we are privileged to be working with them and we can’t wait to get stuck into the next lot of yearlings.”
Campbell also said this year’s Premier sale demonstrated that the buying bench who attended Oaklands Junction would support those breeders who brought quality yearlings to auction.
“I think Inglis is to be congratulated with the buying bench that they have assembled. There’s been talk about viruses and the stock market crashes but the top end bloodstock has held up unbelievably well,” he said.
“We couldn’t be happier with the buying bench they’ve assembled here. We bring our best yearlings to this sale and we come here knowing the people are going to be here to buy the horses if you’ve got the right product.
In his mind the results experienced by most vendors ended any suggestions – if indeed they were still being made – that the Premier sale should be held earlier in the year.
“It’s the right time for our racing, people are happy to be here with all the great racing that’s going on here in Melbourne, it’s a traditional date,” he said.
“Other sales have got their traditional date. I honestly didn’t see any room for change. I honestly believe that if you bought the horses here at this time of the year, they’d sell well and this has been proven to be the case.”
Moroney finally gets his Provocative filly
Mike Moroney missed out on preparing Group 1 winner Provocative (Zabeel) but the leading trans-Tasman trainer did not want to make the same mistake with the talented mare’s first foal went through the ring yesterday.
With the assistance of his brother and agent Paul, Moroney’s Ballymore Stables went to $400,000 to land the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) filly who was consigned by Victorian farm Three Bridges Thoroughbreds.
“I thought there was a lot of residual value from a breeders point of view,” Moroney said.
“But I love the filly on type, as did Paul, who is on the way to Las Vegas, otherwise he would normally do the bidding.
“Paul bought the mother as a yearling as well – I was actually meant to train her – but she was just one that got lost in the mix, but we have finally bought one out of her.
“It is a magic cross – Snitzel out of a Zabeel mare. There is a fair bit of Snitzel about her which is a big help, but I just really loved her from when I first saw her.
“I think she looks as strong as her mother did at the same stage, I was there when Paul bought her, she’s more of Snitzel in the temperament as the mother was a bit highly strung and his filly seems a lot more laid back.”
Agent Paul Willetts purchased the filly’s Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m)-winning dam Provocative for $1.2 million at the 2017 Inglis Chairman’s Sale from the Newgate Farm draft.
The high-priced mare was part of Three Bridges Thoroughbreds’ plan to “be playing at the top-end” of the market.
“We paid $1.2 million for the mare, which is a lot for us, with two clients. We just know that now and in the coming years that the pointy end of the market is where you want to be,” vendor Peter Liston said.
“Buying a Group 1-winning Zabeel mare, we know it is going to take a while to pay her off, but we have a lovely I Am Invincible colt who is outstanding and the mare’s in foal to Exceed And Excel.
“I think we might even get out with the I Am Invincible colt next year – he is pretty special.”
Catalogued as Lot 376https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/376, the filly’s extended family includes Tasmanian Derby (Gr 3, 2200m) winner Betwixt (O’Reilly), who is her second dam.
There was plenty of competition for the filly who was on the market from the $200,000 mark after having 14 hits on x-ray in the lead-up.
“She had a setback when she was a foal and coming into this prep she has just blossomed and I am sure MIke’s got the patience (that will help her),” Liston said.
“She might get a run at two, but she will be a three-year-old and I am sure with that cross, she will be a star for him.”
Newhaven Park top vendor average list
Newhaven Park made strong claims to take home the title of leading vendor by average early on day two, selling their third and final lot, a filly by the sire of exciting two-year-old Hanseatic, Street Boss (Street Cry), to Henry Dwyer for $320,000.
“We chose to come here as they are all Super Vobis-nominated which I think is important because the buyers here basically want to buy Vobis-nominated horses and they were all by Victorian stallions so we bought them down here to Premier,” Newhaven Park’s John Kelly said.
“She was very popular from the first time that we showed her – I don’t think we showed her to a person that didn’t like her.
“She’s been very well admired and she had lovely clean x-rays, number one scope and sold accordingly.
“It is the perfect time to sell a Street Boss, Hanseatic is still the Slipper favourite – so it’s a great time. The sale has been terrific and I think Inglis should be congratulated on the quality of the buying bench they’ve got here. The complex improves every time we come back and it’s been a great market if you’ve got a horse they like.”
The New South Wales farm also sold Lot 8, https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/8 a Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) colt, for $120,000 to Busuttin Racing and Lot 115, https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/115 a colt by Street Boss, to Ciaron Maher Racing for $250,000.
The Street Boss filly was the most expensive of Dwyer’s purchases early on day two, with the soon-to-be Ballarat-based trainer buying three of the first 11 lots through the ring.
“I love Street Boss as a stallion, particularly fillies,” Dwyer said.
“(Being out of a) Fastnet Rock mare is terrific and she’s got a lot of Fastnet Rock about her. She was a beautiful athlete, beautiful walker and I thought she was as nicer a filly as there was on the complex and a Street Boss making that sort of money suggests that physically, she is as good as there is as a filly here.”
Catalogued as Lot 274, https://inglis.com.au/sales/info/2020+Melbourne+Premier+Yearling+Sale/catalogue/274 the filly is by Darley-based stallion Street Boss and is the second foal out of the two-time winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Lotta Sugar.
Lotta Sugar’s dam Dainty (Storm Cat) is a sister to American Group 2 winner Fantasticat as well as a half-sister to the unraced mare Shootforthestars (Seattle Slew), who produced Group 1 winner Centralinteligence (Smarty Jones).
Dwyer, who prepared Ms Catherine (Shooting To Win) to win last month’s Typhoon Tracy Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Moonee Valley, also bought a filly by So You Think (High Chaparral) as well as the first foal out of his his former Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) runner-up Leotie (Darci Brahma) for $100,000 and $130,000 respectively inside the first half an hour of the session.
The Premier Session closed last night with an average of $129,162, which was up ten per cent year on year, while the median of $110,000 was up from $90,000.
Inglis general manager of bloodstock sales and marketing Sebastian Hutch said: “I think it’s fair to say we are very pleased with how the past couple of days have played out, but we are always looking to identify ways in which the process can be improved and try to establish further competitive advantage for the sale.
“The work we have done and the context and the horses and everything else, I think it’s played out really well.”
Lot 402
Breeding: I Am Invincible – Runaway Jesse by Rory’s Jester
Price: $375,000
Buyer: Ricky Yiu
Vendor: Longwood Thoroughbreds
A colt by champion sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) is bound for Hong Kong after being purchased by leading trainer Ricky Yiu for $375,000 from the Longwood Thoroughbreds draft. “He was very athletic, is a nice individual and I always want to train another horse by I Am Invincible,” Yiu said. “He ticks all the boxes and has a nice head. He walks very balanced and has good proportions. He is my cup of tea.”
Longwood Thoroughbreds’ Michael Christian said: “He was a lovely colt and he goes to one of the best trainers in Hong Kong, so we’ll be watching him on the (TV) screens. The whole family indeed has a great temperament and he has a great temperament and hopefully one day after he’s successful on the track in Hong Kong he’ll come back here to stand stand as a stallion.”
Lot 471
Breeding: Exceed And Excel – Swaane (Charge Forward)
Price: $350,000
Buyer: Clinton McDonald Racing
Vendor: Esker Lodge Australia
Caulfield trainer Clinton McDonald chimed in late in the day to secure an Exceed And Excel (Danehill) filly for $350,000 from the draft of Esker Lodge. “We just thought she was a lovely filly with good movement,” McDonald said. “She has a great temperament and we like the family, Exceed and Excel with the Charge Forward mares so she was a filly that we really liked and we’re glad we got her.”
Esker Lodge’s Darren Dance, with agent Chris Blomeley, bought Swaane for $110,000 in foal to Headwater (Exceed And Excel) in 2017. That foal made $135,000 at Premier last year. “I didn’t expect her to make $350,000. I know everyone said she was one of the fillies of the sale but it is pretty hard to $350,000 for a filly off that pedigree,” Dance said. “But from the day she was born, she came out as a lovely filly and I’ve been pretty happy to see Exceed And Excel go so well in the past six months.”
Sale results – Premier Session
2020 2019
Catalogued 524 514
Offered 462 462
Sold 367 (79%) 384 (83%)
Aggregate $47,402,500 (+4.9%) $45,167,500
Average $129,162 (+9.8%) $117,624
Median $110,000 (+22%) $90,000
Top Lot $725,000 $800,0000