The sale topping Medaglia d’Oro mare, Villa San Michele, purchased by Yulong for $260,000 (Segenhoe Stud)
“遍寻我所到过的国家，从未有一个节日庆典能够被全民所热爱，能够将全民凝聚在一起。墨尔本杯就是有这种魅力，它使我震惊不已。”
It was more ‘ebay’ than ‘old fig tree’, but Sunday’s Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale has proven to be a resounding success, finishing with an average of $41,058: just 2.1% down on last year’s – COVID-19 free – chapter.
Capping an “extraordinarily successful” weekend of sales for Inglis after four mares reached the seven figure mark in Friday evening’s Chairman’s Sale, the Broodmare Sale saw 25 entries sell for $100,000 or greater.
There is something novel about watching the prices ticking over online, rather than an auctioneer calling the play (live, or on screen), but there’s no denying the end result was hugely pleasing, given the urgency of innovation in this time of coronavirus.
Ultimately, Inglis has sold 933 yearlings and broodmares in a little over a month, grossing $108 million at an average of $116,000: to a viewing audience of nearly 100 countries.
Indeed, it was a ‘world’ player who had the greatest impact on Sunday with Yulong’s Chinese-based, Mr Yuesheng Zhang, purchasing 10 lots for $1,043,500, including the sale topping Medaglia d’Oro mare, Villa San Michele, for $260,000.
Offered by Segenhoe Stud – which would finish the sale’s leading vendor by aggregate ($1,150,500 for 11 sold) and average ($104,591) – Villa San Michele is in foal to Deep Field and hails from the family of Redoute’s Choice.
“Overall we bought some very nice mares by really good stallions … in foal to some very appealing young horses and proven stallions,” Yulong’s Sam Fairgray enthused. “It’s great to get mares by Street Cry, Redoute’s Choice, More Than Ready and the like to support the Yulong stallions.”
Clearly a fan of the digital format, Fairgray adds: “Vendors are very good with the information they share … you can do your research and it works really well”.
Segenhoe’s Peter O’Brien was of similar mind.
“We supplemented some of the better mares into this sale and they sold brilliantly,” O’Brien points out. “It’s not often you get a mare like Villa San Michele that ticks every box and we’re delighted she’s going to Yulong.
“They (Yulong) have been such great supporters of the farm, buying weanlings, yearlings and broodmares off us for a long time and we wish them every success.
“The sales in recent weeks have been a huge credit to Inglis – their professionalism in the leadup to the sales and throughout has been exceptional in light of the challenging circumstances. The quality and ease of the overall format is tremendous.”
Sunday’s sale also saw the unreserved dispersal of Luskin Park Stud’s 16 mares following the death last year of highly popular stud proprietor and former NSW Police Minister, Paul Whelan.
Luskin Park would sell the second highest price lot – the stakes winning Foxwedge mare, Kentucky Miss – to Wilf and Rosemary Mula’s Aston Bloodstock for $250,000.
“It’s an emotional thing having a dispersal sale like this, but we’re thrilled for Wilf and Rosemary … we’ll be cheering her progeny on from the grandstand and lounge room for many years to come.”
By the close of play on Sunday afternoon, Inglis had sold 224 mares for a gross of $9,196,910.
And while the bulk of trade was sourced domestically, along with a dozen from New Zealand and four sold to Hong Kong, it was interesting to note that the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Philippines AND Finland were all involved too.
