Set up in the seventies by prominent businessman and racehorse owner Bob
Lapointe, Muskoka has a long and proud history when it comes to the education
of future stars on the track, making the transition to the Inglis Ready2Race
Sale concept a natural extension of the farm's core business.Muskoka's six lots were sold for a total of $595,000 against their yearling purchase price of $280,000. Heading the list was Lot 55, the Tale of the Cat – Dragon Maiden colt, which sold to leading Singapore trainer, Patrick Shaw, for $210,000, having made $60,000 at the Melbourne Premier Sale - Second Session.
Giving an insight into the R2R process from Day One is bloodstock agent John Hutchinson, whose company Scone Bloodstock Services, sourced the six Muskoka lots from the Sydney Classic Yearling Sale and Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale earlier in the year.
"As soon as Inglis announced the R2R sale, the Muskoka group were right behind the idea and asked me to work alongside Wendy Lapointe at the Inglis yearling sales. Wendy is both a trainer and a vet and her practical approach to the sales was outstanding I must say, having worked with many trainers and vets at sales over the years. In order to come down to the final six, nearly a thousand horses were inspected, notwithstanding the fact that we were the underbidder on twenty five occasions.
"I have been involved with Muskoka for more than a decade, overseeing the progress of John and Gary Moore's young stock in the past, which included the Champion Hong Kong Miler, Able One, for John, and the star Macau galloper, Viva Pronto, for Gary, both of which I had recommended for them from Breeze Up Sales. I think I was able to use that experience with such sales to good effect this time around.
"After the sales, as their breaking-in and further education took place, the colts were under Wendy's eye daily when at Muskoka, while the colts spent time in town with Gerald Ryan and Rick Worthington, with Gerald preparing the horses in the final three weeks leading into the breeze ups at Canterbury last month. Even so, it was always a softly, softly approach, which produced a great sale result in the end.
"When I look back on things, the whole process was a wonderful team effort at every level, and all involved deserve full credit. But that is only what I have come to expect from Muskoka all along.
"The next stage is for results on the track."
News from Muskoka Farm
