Yulong flex muscles again on Inglis Digital
Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m)-winning mare Winning Ways (Declaration Of War) became the third-most expensive horse to sell online in Australia this year after she was purchased for $700,000 by the Lucky Vega Syndicate as the Inglis Digital August (Late) Sale came to a close yesterday.
Offered by Ridgmont Farm (as agent), the seven-year-old is headed to Victoria where she is likely to visit Yulong stallion Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) this season.
Only Sierra Sue (Darci Brahma) ($1.55 million) and Wandabaa (Wandjina) ($800,000) have sold for more than Winning Ways at a digital sale this year.
“She’s a really nice mare for him, his pedigree and her pedigree will work well together,’’ Yulong’s chief operating officer Sam Fairgray said.
“She was a high-class race mare and was just another mare [Yulong owner] Mr Zhang wanted to get to support Tagaloa so he’s very happy.
“When he sees mares he thinks are worthwhile for him and the broodmare band, we’ll keep trying to buy them, we’ll keep looking at what becomes available and at this time of year you also get some nice fillies off the track going to these sales so we’ll keep an eye on those as well.
“We had to stretch a little to get to the $700,000. It was around the price I thought we’d need to get to, probably a touch more than we thought though.’’
The sale’s second-highest lot was the Ciaron Maher-trained Incredulous Dream (Press Statement), who was bought by existing part-owner James Bester for $465,000.
“When I knew the horse was going to be offered for sale I put together a group of friends and partners and when it came to the bidding, we’d basically reached our limit of what we could pay for her, she certainly stretched the budget,’’ Bester said.
“The plan now is to put her in foal and then depending what date she goes in foal, that could leave us the option of racing her for another 90 days and giving her a Queensland campaign over summer to see if we can enjoy some racetrack success with her before we get to meet what will no doubt be her gorgeous foals.
“She’s suitable for such a wide range of stallions, it would really depend on what my partners in her want to do with the budget. I mean she could go from a Home Affairs at $100,000 service fee to a Farnan at a $50,000 service fee or to a horse like Wild Ruler with a $35,000 service fee.’’
The Swettenham Stud-offered Quintello (Intello) will be covered by Russian Camelot (Camelot) after being purchased by the stallion’s majority owner John Wheeler for $295,000.
“I’ll give her a spell now and see if she wants to race again likely in the new year and then maybe go to stud next year,’’ Wheeler said. “On paper she is a perfect match for Russian Camelot so that’s the plan at this stage but I’m in no rush with her.
The August (Late) Sale grossed $4,765,000, at an average of $21,659.