Australia, 27 June 2008

The William Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale concluded today with the average rising further on yesterday’s strong figure.

Overall, the Select Weanling Sale generated turnover of almost $7.7million. The average rose to $33,732 by the conclusion of the Select sale, representing a 31% climb on the Select Weanling Sale from 2007.

Another pleasing aspect of the sale was the overall clearance of 80%.

Coolmore Stud offered the day’s highest priced lot, a chestnut colt from the Group Three winning Royal Academy mare Charmview, which sold to Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $500,000.

In fact, Coolmore sold seven of the top 10 lots during the select session, finishing as easily the leading vendor.

In all, the Jerrys Plains operation sold 30 weanlings for $2.5million at an average of $85,283.

“This was one of the best drafts we have ever taken to a weanling sale and we got the desired result,” Coolmore Australia General Manager Michael Kirwan said.

“We bought some really nice horses to the sale and it was very pleasing to see the strong competition for them.”

Encosta De Lago was responsible for three of the top four lots sold today – each offered by Coolmore – while his barnmate Fastnet Rock was also amongst the action, with a colt from the Bluebird mare Blue Music (from the family of Golden Slipper runner-up Von Costa De Hero) the second highest priced lot of the day, going for $285,000 to Michael Wallace Bloodstock (NZ).

“There has been good competition across the two days and overall we are very happy with the results from the Weanling sessions in this new time slot,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

“Vendors who brought nice horses to the sale were rewarded, which was also pleasing to see.

“We now look forward to the Breeding Stock Sale on Sunday, where we have some truly outstanding mares being offered – mares that would in fact be welcome at any major sale in the world.”

Select Weanling Session Statistics - Lots 1 to 333

Lots Catalogued 333
Gross Value $7,690,950
Lots Sold 228 79.2 %
Top Price - Lot 144 $625,000
Lots Passed In 60 20.8 %
Average Price $33,732
Lots Withdrawn 45 13.5 %
Median Price $14,500

General Weanling Session Statistics - Lots 334 to 397

Lots Catalogued 64
Gross Value $244,750
Lots Sold 47 85.5 %
Top Price - Lot 336 $24,000
Lots Passed In 8 14.5 %
Average Price $5,207
Lots Withdrawn 9 14.1 %
Median Price $2,500

Top lots, sessions one and two