The Gold Yearling Sale’s reputation as being the best value-hunting auction in Australia grew even stronger on Saturday when $8000 yearling purchase Savatoxl (Kuroshio) won South Australia’s greatest race, the G1 Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville.
In a dominant performance, Savatoxl was a comfortable two-length victor, leaving some of Australia’s best sprinters in his wake including G1 winners Gytrash, Behemoth and Instant Celebrity.
In doing so, he became the third G1 winner in the past three months to have been sold through the Gold Sale, joining Australian Guineas winner Lunar Fox ($40,000 purchase) and Australasian Oaks victor Media Award ($5000 buy).
The timing of the win couldn’t have been better for yearling buyers, with this year’s renewal of the Gold Sale taking place tomorrow and Monday from 10am at Oaklands in Melbourne.
Bred by Mark and Sheryl Atkinson’s Carrington Park Stud, Savatoxl was purchased by the Alice Springs Turf Club for just $8000 at the 2017 Gold Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds.
It was a first yearling-sold G1 winner for Ryan Arnel of Stonehouse, who also sold Victoria Derby victor Extra Brut as a weanling.
“But they say you can’t claim it unless it’s from a yearling sale, so first or second, whatever you like, it’s still a bloody good feeling,’’ a thrilled Arnel said.
“What a ripper he is – he absolutely brained them.
“I remember him very well as a yearling, he was a really nice horse but Kuroshio just wasn’t the hot stallion on people’s lips at that time, which is why he didn’t make a great price, but on type he was a belter.’’
Savatoxl (pictured) has now won a staggering 16 of his 28 starts for $725,000 in earnings.
He also becomes the 62nd individual Inglis-offered G1 winner since 2018, the 31st of which could have been purchased for $100,000 or less.
There could be more of those at tomorrow and Monday’s Gold Sale at Oaklands, where Stonehouse will offer a draft of 10 yearlings.
“Look at this sale, that’s three G1 winners in not very long for a combined total of a touch over $50,000 – tell me anywhere else you could claim that one,’’ Arnel said.
“I’m really happy with our draft, there are some really nice horses in there including a Tosen Stardom colt that’s quite a strong, forward horse that people seem to like, a Pariah colt, an All Too Hard filly and a Winning Rupert filly out of Ming Zhi Cosmos.
“I would strongly urge buyers to get to Oaklands tomorrow or to sort their online bidding out and get involved because I have no doubt there will again be Group 1 winners come out of this sale for bargain prices.’’
To view the Gold Yearling Sale catalogue, CLICK HERE.
If you are unable to attend the auction but still wish to participate, online bidding will again be in use and the auction will be live streamed on the Inglis website from 10am.
Meanwhile at Rosehill today the ultra-talented 4YO Lost And Running (Per Incanto) did his Everest prospects no harm when leading in an Inglis graduates’ First Four in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes.
It was a sixth career win at just start No.7 for the John O’Shea-trained star, who arguably should be undefeated, given his sole loss was a narrow second when unlucky three starts ago.
Lost And Running – a $40,000 Premier Yearling Sale buy for O’Shea from Blandford Lodge - defeated Classic Yearling Sale pair True Detective and Dealmaker today, with the Premier Sale’s Military Zone in fourth.
Bred by part-owner Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock, who is also in the ownership of Inglis Guineas winner Midland, Lost And Running will now be spelled, with O’Shea hopeful an Everest slot holder will soon lock him in for the spring, where he hopes to contest the race at his third run back from a break.
And the 6YO grey Albumin (Foxwedge) took his career earnings past the $600,000 barrier when scoring a first black-type success in the Listed Ortensia Stakes at Rosehill.
It was a seventh career win for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Albumin, who Ryan purchased for just $75,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeder Kornong Station.
In Brisbane, Criminal Defence (Nicconi) gave young trainer Will Hulbert his biggest success to date when he won the G3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.
The Rough Habit is a traditional lead-up to the Queensland Derby, which is where Criminal Defence will likely head to next in what will be his first attempt at G1 glory.
Criminal Defence was offered by his breeders Gainsborough Lodge at the 2019 Classic Yearling Sale, the same auction that today’s $300,000 Listed Inglis Guineas winner Midland was sold at.
And in Melbourne the consistent mare Realm Of Flowers (So You Think) secured her berth in the G1 Melbourne Cup with an effortless victory in the Listed The Andrew Ramsden at Flemington.
The 2800m feature was a ‘win and you’re in’ contest for the Melbourne Cup, for which Realm Of Flowers will now be targeted towards on the first Tuesday in November.
Bred by Des Whybird’s Desharon Bloodstock, in conjunction with Russell Board’s Stableboard Bloodstock, Realm Of Flowers is a $180,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for James Bester from the Arrowfield draft.
Realm Of Flowers is trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman and has now won more than $500,000 in earnings.
