Exciting 3YO Basquiat (Snitzel) will continue his racing career in Singapore after selling for a sale-topping $290,000 in today’s Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
Offered by Chris Waller Racing in conjunction with Coolmore, Basquiat was the subject of significant buyer interest before finally being knocked down to Bevan Smith Bloodstock.
Smith was purchasing on behalf of Singapore trainer Michael Clements, who will train Basquiat when he arrives up in Singapore early next year.
It was only earlier this week the Singapore Turf Club announced its fixtures for the period April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 which included the doubling of its Stakes races from 10 to 20, as well as the reinstatement of four iconic race series’.
“The announcement up there this week has instantly given more confidence to the Singapore market and bringing back those better Stakes races has already fielded more interest up there and I have no doubt that will continue to increase at coming sales,’’ Smith said.
“Basquiat is a really nice horse, already a proven Stakes horse down here in Australia and he’s got the runs on the board so you would expect he’d be a horse that would be more than competitive up in Singapore.
“He’s been well educated and being a 3YO, there’s a nice 3YO Series in the middle of the year there in June/July with some really good sprint races, so they’ll be an obvious target at this stage.
“The $290,000 was the absolute top end of our valuation for him, I didn’t have too many, if any, bids left in me but he’s a class horse who is well bred, very good looking and who made a lot of money as a yearling so we knew we’d have to get to that upper end of the valuation to secure him.’’
Basquiat was one of two Waller/Coolmore horses offered in the November (Late) Sale, with Cool Kaap realising $135,000 to the bid of Lindsay Gough Racing.
Coolmore’s Racing Manager Charlie Spicer-Jenkins said: “We have sold a number of horses through the Inglis Digital platform and once again we are grateful for the time and effort their team has put in to promoting these talented horses.
“We had confidence in what we were offering to the market and while they don’t suit our business model, we are sure that both Basquiat and Cool Kaap will be successful for their new connections.
“Inglis Digital is a perfect way to showcase quality bloodstock to a diverse buying bench. We wish all the new owners the very best of luck with them and thank Chris Waller and his staff for their efforts in getting them to this point.’’
The sale’s second-top lot was popular James Cummings-trained galloper Criaderas, which sold to Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan for $155,000.
Criaderas was one of two horses Morgan purchased from the Godolphin draft, also securing Frosted 3YO Exonumia for $75,000.
Morgan has eyes on the $2m The Big Dance at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day next year as the primary target for Criaderas, who is already four-times Stakes placed.
“Races like the Tamworth Cup and Gunnedah Cup early next year stand out already as possible ways for him to get into The Big Dance but we’ll sit down in the next little while and work out a plan,’’ Morgan said.
“To be honest I feel incredibly privileged to be able to buy a horse like him. I only said to my fiancée just then, four or five years ago I’d spend $80,000 on a horse and not be able to sleep as a result but today I spent $230,000 so I’m very lucky for the support.
“But it all revolves around the prizemoney. No way in the world would we be spending this sort of money like this if the prizemoney wasn’t there from Racing NSW.’’
Morgan admitted the $155,000 he paid for Criaderas was over budget but that he was intent on buying the 6YO.
“If we didn’t get him at that price, we were out, done, there was nothing left,’’ Morgan said.
“I already had to ring the client up and ask to go one more as it was but I’m just so excited to have him coming to my stables.
“I love Inglis Digital, I’ve been using it for a great while now as both a buyer and a seller and it’s just so straight forward, very easy and so cost effective.’’
Criaderas and Exonumia were part of a 19-strong draft for Godolphin in the auction, which grossed $778,500 accumulatively.
Godolphin Australia’s Racing and Bloodstock Manager Jason Walsh added: “To have three six-figure lots, we were very pleased with the results overall. There were certainly a few individuals among the draft that definitely exceeded our expectations which was fantastic.
“We’d like to thank the purchasers and underbidders for their continued support and to those lucky enough to take one or more of the horses home with them, we wish them all the best moving forward with them.’’
Overall, the November (Late) Sale grossed $3,395,950, with nine horses realising $100,000 or more.
With just one sale for this year remaining, the success of the platform continues to be boosted by its graduates’ racetrack results.
So far this season, Inglis Digital graduates have won 1139 Australian races for $17,681,030 in prizemoney including four Stakes races in the past three weeks – G1 VRC Oaks (She’s Extreme), G2 Lee Steere Stakes (Massimo), Listed Keith Noud Hcp (Holyfield) and Listed WA Carbine Club Stakes (Minsk Moment).
Entries for the December Online Sale are now open and will remain so until midnight on Wednesday December 7.
The Inglis Digital December Sale will run from December 9-14.
To enter, CLICK HERE.
