The most extraordinary digital sale the world has ever seen concluded this evening as the Inglis Digital April (Late) online auction grossed a mammoth $10,721,799.
On a spectacular, record-breaking evening:
*The 80-strong Arrowfield broodmare reduction that headlined the catalogue grossed $6,555,650 at an average of $81,945 and 100% clearance rate, headed by the regally-bred Awakening (Snitzel x Fenway) IF to Maurice which sold to Yulong for $415,000
*The 11-strong Hudson Conway reduction – whose top lot was Stakes winner Pondus, selling to Michelle Payne for $390,000 - recorded an aggregate of $1,245,510
*In total 7 lots realised $300,000 or more in the April (Late) Sale and 26 sold for $100,000 or more
*The overall gross of $10,721,799 eclipsed the previous record of Inglis Digital, set in June last year when $6,295,250 was achieved
*Tonight’s result took the Inglis Digital platform’s overall gross to $203,455,771 since 2018.
Arrowfield’s John Messara, who admitted to being “apprehensive’’ ahead of the sale, was delighted with today’s results.
“I couldn’t be happier, really, we’re very happy, these are great overall results,’’ Messara said.
“It was a very good afternoon, we all sat together in a room in the office, the bloodstock team and Paul and I and watched it all unfold, it was most enthralling and as expected, most of the action occurred in the final half our or hour.
“Given it was a first for a major stud to offer such a big reduction of high-quality broodmares online and we didn’t know how it would work out, sure we were apprehensive. We were hoping to get reasonable results but in the end, overall, we’re really pleased.
“[Selling with Inglis Digital], it’s a very efficient way of selling and quite cost effective too. We also accommodated the many buyers who wanted to inspect the mares on the farm, we had a huge number of inspections and we welcomed those and we also provided a lot of information online for the buyers, as did the Inglis team, so overall we can’t ask for much more.’’
Top lot Awakening - a sister to recent dual Stakes winner and G1 placegetter Williamsburg - has a date with Written Tycoon once she foals down her Maurice foal, a mating Yulong’s Sam Fairgray believes will be “ideal’’.
“Physically she and the other mares we purchased will all suit Written Tycoon really well so it’s exciting to get them,’’ Fairgray said.
“Awakening is out of a G1 winner and a sister to a G3 winner and G1 placegetter, in foal to Maurice who is one of the most exciting up-and-coming stallions out there.
“She’s from the Joie Denise family which is a great family to get into. She’s by Snitzel out of a High Chaparral mare, out of a Zabeel mare, out of a Danehill mare, you can’t go wrong with those sire lines.
“We’re really pleased to get Awakening and we’ll be up at the Chairman’s Sale next to see if we can get some more high quality mares to take back to Yulong and support our stallions.’’
The second top lot of the Arrowfield reduction – and the sale overall – was Bring Me The Maid, which sold to Cunningham Thoroughbreds and Clarke Bloodstock for $395,000 in foal to The Autumn Sun.
Bring Me The Maid will likely be sent to young Newgate stallion and Inglis Easter graduate Wild Ruler this season.
“Jim [Clarke] and I are always on the hunt for quality, sharp mares with that Australian commercial appeal and Bring Me The Maid, as a Golden Slipper placegetter and multiple G2 winner certainly fits that mould,’’ Mitch Cunningham said.
“The Autumn Sun is a bonus, we’ve bid and missed on a few of his yearlings this year so to have her carrying a foal of his is great for us and this package is exactly what we’re after.
“As for the future, I think she’s bang on for Wild Ruler. We’ve seen success with Russian Revolution and we think Wild Ruler profiles very similar as a pre-Christmas winner and a G1 winner.
“We’ve used Inglis Digital quite a bit, we’re big supporters of the platform and will continue to be so.’’
The other significant element of the April (Late) Sale was the Hudson Conway reduction, which grossed $1,245,510.
The 11 horses will now try to go on and achieve further racetrack success, which so many graduates of the Inglis DIgital platform have in recent times.
This season alone more than 2000 Australian races have been won by Inglis Digital graduates including recent winners such as She’s Extreme (G1 Champagne Stakes), Bella Vella (G3 Irwin Stakes) and Gundec (Listed Bendigo Guineas).
The top lot of the Hudson Conway horses was Stakes winner Pondus, which sold to Michelle Payne for $390,000.
“The clients I bought him for, they’re people who want to have a bit of fun and would love to target some Country Cups like Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo etc and then see where the horse ends up after that,’’ Payne said.
“The price certainly pushed us a bit and we weren’t sure just how far we’d have to go but we were quite keen to get him.
“The clients have got some young horses with me but wanted something up and running and ready to race. We’ve been trying for a while to purchase the right one but hadn’t found it and thought Pondus was perfect for everyone.
“I love buying off Inglis Digital, I mean it’s heart-in-mouth stuff when it keeps extending with every bid toward the end but it’s fun, it’s easy and it’s a great way to move horses on or to fill your stable on a regular basis.’’
Nick Williams of Hudson Conway agreed.
“The platform is terrific, it’s totally transparent for buyers and sellers and it’s the way of the future and it’s here in front of us now,’’ Williams said.
“We thought, as usual, today’s was a really good result and we’re very pleased.
“I’m sure the new owners of all our horses will have a lot of fun with their purchases in coming weeks, months and years to come. Michelle [Payne] especially has got herself a very good horse there in Pondus, I look forward to seeing them enjoy plenty of success with him.’’
Buyers’ attention now switches to Riverside for a week-long collection of sales.
It all begins on Sunday with the HTBA May Yearling Sale, for which 287 youngsters have been catalogued.
The Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series then takes centre stage with the Australian Weanling Sale (May 4,5), The Chairman’s Sale (May 6) and Australian Broodmare Sale (May 8) at Riverside.
To view the catalogues, CLICK HERE.
The Inglis Digital May (Early) Sale will begin in the middle of next week’s action at Riverside, with the sale scheduled for May 6-11.
Entries close next Wednesday, May 4 at midnight.
To enter, CLICK HERE.
