Australia, 1 March 2010

Exceed And Excel colt tops session with clearance rate of 74%

The 2010 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale got off to a strong start on Monday, with the opening day’s trade up $2 million on the corresponding session from 12 months ago.

More than $9 million was traded in the session, with the average of $71,488 representing a 30% rise on the opening session last year. The median of $60,000 was a 33% gain on 2009.

Victorian based buyers found themselves competing with a strong contingent of interstate investors, with the buying bench bolstered further by representatives from Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa, who were successful on some of the day’s higher priced lots.

Mick Price teamed with Blue Sky Thoroughbreds to secure the day’s top priced yearling, a grey Exceed And Excel colt for $300,000. Offered by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, the colt is the first foal from Group Two VRC Sires Produce winner De Lago Mist from the family of Wanted and Blue Sky’s impressive G3 winning two-year-old Shrapnel.

McDonald Racing went to $200,000 to purchase Burnewang North Pastoral’s Stratum filly from Spinning World’s Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes winning daughter Coupe.

“The day one clearance of 74.12% has been comparable to the sales conducted so far this year,” said Inglis Bloodstock Director Peter Heagney. “The rise in average is exceptional but there is still a lot of selling ahead of us.”

Top buyers on the opening day were Denise Martin with 5 lots at $585,000, Guy Mulcaster Bloodstock (3 lots for $330,000); Robbie Griffiths (5 lots for $350,000) and Ricky Yiu (3 lots for $330,000).

Day 1, Session 1 Statistics

Catalogued: 185
Withdrawn: 15
Sold: 126 (74%)
Passed In 44 (26%)
Gross Amount:$9,007,500
Highest Lot: (Lot 86) $300,000
Average: $71,488
Median: $60,000