Factors such as the extremely high Australian dollar may have kept a lot of international buyers away from the Inglis Australian Yearling Sale which concluded last Thursday in Sydney but we were still pleased with our gross of Australian $370,000 (NZ $480,000) for our three yearlings.
Once again it was very satisfying to see our draft catch the eye of some of the most astute yearling selectors in the business. Grahame Rogerson bought the O'Reilly half brother to group winner Larry's Never Late for Lloyd Williams owner of Melbourne cup winners Efficient, What A Nuisance and Just A Dash. Last year's Melbourne Cup winning trainer Mark Kavanagh purchased the Zabeel filly from Chatto Creek while Paul Moroney signed for the Darci Brahma colt from Southern Cry.
On the domestic racing front, Acquit (Towkay-Out on Bail) was successful over 1600m at Riverton on Easter Monday.
Our focus now shifts to the National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale which starts at Karaka on Monday 3 May. As they say timing is everything with horses and the farms decision to mate the broodmare Kim Possible with the sire Stratum has paid off with the stallion siring the Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and any number of promising youngsters. And as if Kim Possible who sells as LOT 798 on Wednesday 5 May didn't already have enough going for she happens to be from the family of Black Mamba, Roman Emperor, Rios and co.
LA client Don Gordon's decision to disperse the majority of his breeding stock offers buyers a great opportunity to buy into that wonderful family Don has developed from his taproot mare Phareno.
Other standouts in the LA draft are two weanlings with Premier pedigrees; a Savabeel half brother to Eloa from the family of Alamosa and an Elusive City half brother to Lady Igauzu from the family of Aspinal and Grand Dancer.
LA's draft will be available for inspection at Karaka from Friday 30 April or here at the farm beforehand. Please contact Sam on 0274 853400 for more details.
