But the move by Victoria's Burnewang North to put all its stock into weanling sales this season has already paid off handsomely.
Burnewang North principal Cathy Hains said she was "absolutely delighted" with the results at last week's Magic Millions National Weanling Sale where the farm claimed the position of the second leading vendor by aggregate and average.
They presented 19 weanlings to sale and received an average lot price of
$98,647 for an aggregate $1,677,000 and clearance rate of 89%."We were really pleased with the results and it was an exciting sale with the quality of our draft as a whole duly noted by competitive buyers," Hains said.
"With four of our horses selling for over $160,000, that shows the quality of the draft as a whole. The market can now position them where they will be most compelling and hopefully they will make a significant profit for their new owners, either on the track on in the ring.
"We were thrilled to see Lot 171, the Pierro colt out of Feeling Positive, go to experienced Victorian operators, Kulani Park's Rhys and Chloe Smith, for $225,000. Based on the Mornington Peninsula, they are a top end professional operation that will place the horse in the best-suited (yearling) market."
Another Pierro colt offered by Burnewang North on Day 1 was purchased by Victorian bloodstock buyer Suman Hedge from the black-type filled Kapchat female line for $160,000.
On Day 2 of the sale Burnewang North sold the Pierro out of the stakes-placed European mare Maree Basse, catalogued as Lot 304, to Aquis Farm for $200,000.
"It was a great thrill that he was bought by Aquis Farm as they are excellent commercial operators," Hains said.
Aquis Farm chief executive Shane McGrath said the Pierro colt would likely be retained to race.
"He came from a great farm in Cathy Hains in Burnewang, who are good supporters of ours. There aren't a lot of Pierro colts around and he will go into our Aquis racing system," McGrath told ANZ Bloodstock News.
Hains said breeders constantly had to weigh up the variable and trends within the sales environment to ensure they maximised returns in an often tricky industry.
"I believe the entire business is a gamble, from the time you plan your matings two or three years before they hit the sale ring, to achieving a viable pregnancy, to a live, healthy and athletic foal. It's a game of chance, and considering all the variables, you need luck every step of the way, as so much can happen," Hains said.
"We were fortunate to take some lovely foals to the sale and while we achieved some strong results, we will continue to live and learn. We need to be consistently fine-tuning our product."
Burnewang North will offer the remainder of its weanling crop at the upcoming Inglis Great Southern Sale. The strong draft of eleven weanlings is by a selection of some of Australia's very best sires including Zoustar, Written Tycoon, Dissident, So You Think, Street Boss and Toronado.
The full draft(as well as eight fillies and mares) can be seen at inglis.com.au.
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