Boomer purchases five yearlings on the second day
Having purchased four yearlings on day one at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Boomer Bloodstock's Craig Rounsefell - who is buying on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club - upped the ante on the second day and final day of the auction - purchasing five yearlings on Wednesday.
The most expensive of the quartet was a colt by former Darley shuttler Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado) who Rounsefell paid Gooree Park Stud $725,000 for.
The colt is out of unraced Comic Strip (Red Ransom) mare Comical Smile, making him a half-brother to Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner and now Twin Hills-based sire Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) and Listed-winning duo Surge Ahead (Danehill Dancer) and Kiss From A Rose (Encosta De Lago).
Comical Smile herself is a half-sister to Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and late Widden Stud sire Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago), Group 3 winner Queen Of The Hill (Danehill) and Listed winner Rabbuka (Giant's Causeway). The colt was catalogued as Lot 389.
"This colt was one the most impressive physicals in the sale,” said Rounsefell. “He had so much quality and was incredibly athletic with a powerful walk. He is by Medaglia d'Oro who is the sire of this season's Hong Kong star Golden Sixty and is from a huge family, being a half-brother to three stakes winners including Smart Missile from the family of Northern Meteor."
Earlier in the day, Rounsefell went to $700,000 for a son of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) from the Tyreel Stud draft.
The bidding opened at $200,000 and Rounsefell had to beat off stiff competition to secure the yearling.
Catalogued as Lot 291 and offered by Tyreel Stud, the colt is out of 2015 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m)-winning Written Tycoon (Iglesia) mare Written Dash, who has already produced a stakes performer in Osamu (Exceed And Excel). Further back this is the family of Group 1 winner and Newgate Farm-based sire Sizzling (Snitzel).
Osamu was purchased by Aquis Farm for $1.7 million at last year's edition of the Easter Sale and he has since finished second in the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) for trainer Chris Waller.
Tyreel Stud have sold three yearlings out of Written Dash for an aggregate of $2,880,000 - a good return for the boutique farm having purchased the mare, in conjunction with Damon Gabbedy's Belmont Bloodstock, for $410,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale from the Newgate Farm draft.
"He was a well grown, athletic colt with all the quality that I Am Invincible puts into his stock,” said Rounsefell. “Out of a fast Group 3-winning mare from one of the top boutique nurseries in Australia, Tyreel Stud he is an ideal horse for Hong Kong."
Later on in the afternoon, Rounsefell continued to spend big - parting with $600,000 for colt by Arrowfield Stud's three-time champion sire Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) from the Segenhoe Stud draft.
"This colt looks like a robust racehorse, a very strong, sound and tough-looking colt,” said Rounsefell. “He is the second purchase we have made off Segenhoe who continually produce outstanding racehorses. Being a November foal and coming from a later maturing family, he will continue to develop and grow through the breaking in and pre-training process, which is ideal for the Hong Kong Sale program."
Catalogued as Lot 489, the colt is out of Houston Benfactor (Encosta De Lago), who is herself a sister to Group 2 winner Sovereign Nation and a three-quarter-sister to Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago) - the dam of Hong Kong Group 3 winner Thewizardofoz (Redoute's Choice).
The Snitzel / Encosta De Lago cross has proved to be a successful one - producing two Group 1 winners; Summer Passage and Invader.
Rounsefell also purchased a colt by Fastnet Rock (Danehill) out of unraced Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) mare Diana's Star, who is herself a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner and now sire Dissident (Sebring), for $460,000. The colt was offered by Segenhoe Stud and catalogued as Lot 408.
The agent also secured a colt by Sebring (More Than Ready) for $550,000 on day two of the Inglis sale. Catalogued as Lot 435 and offered by Edinglassie Stud, the colt is out of German-bred stakes-placed Anabaa (Danzig) mare Fashion, making him a half-brother to Listed winner Zoustyle (Zoustar).
Rounsefell said, despite the uncertain economy, there was still plenty of competition in the middle market.
“The nice types I identified for my other clients in the middle market were extremely difficult to buy, with strong competition across the board for both colts and fillies,” said Rounsefell.
“Not only has this sale demonstrated the resilience of Australian breeders and buyers, but it has also shown the incredible adaptability of the market to adjust quickly to a new sales format. Mark [Webster], Sebastian [Hutch] and the Inglis team have set the benchmark for sales success under incredibly tight restrictions."
