The dust has settled after a record breaking Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where the median price soared by 25% to $100,000, so we’re taking a look at the performance of first season sires with a surprise name at the top of the list.
Aquis Farm’s Lean Mean Machine had three yearlings offered in Book 1 and all were sold at an average $225,000, a phenomenal result from a fee of just $17,600.
His top seller was the colt from Group III winning Exceed and Excel mare Kulgrinda that made $380,000 for Sledmere Stud when secured by Ellerslie Lodge/ Bryce Heys. The half-brother to Group III placed Poseidon’s Pool was a successful pinhook having been bought for $110,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Glastonbury Farm draft.
Lean Mean Machine had another big win with Silverdale Farm’s colt from Eloquent Ruby that made $230,000 when knocked down to L Smith / Boomer Bloodstock. He too was a pinhook winner, sourced from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft at Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $85,000.
A multiple Group II winning son of Zoustar, that was also Group I placed in the VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, Lean Mean Machine is the first son of Widden Stud’s champion sire to go to stud.
He stood his first two seasons for Aquis in Victoria before relocating to their Queensland base last year where he covered 96 mares.
The Autumn Sun (Arrowfield), Trapeze Artist (Widden) and Justify (USA) (Coolmore) are the heavy hitters in this division and fill the next three slots, albeit take into consideration their very best yearlings are offered at Magic Millions and Inglis Easter.
The Autumn Sun had the highest individual result for a first season sire with his filly from Talimena fetching $550,000 for Valiant Stud when bought by Glenn Burrows Bloodstock and she was also the highest priced filly of the entire sale.
Widden Stud’s Trapeze Artist had the highest aggregate of the first season sires at Inglis Classic with 17 yearlings selling for $2,860,000, ahead of barnmate Written By, who had 17 sell for $2,041,000.
Darley’s Harry Angel (IRE) made a big impression at Classic and his colt from Chicquita that was offered by Torryburn Stud and bought by Roughwood Park for $460,000 is now his highest priced yearling sold so far in Australia.
Arrowfield Stud’s value Snitzel son Showtime did better in the Highway Session of Inglis Classic where he was the leading sire by average with seven yearlings averaging $95,751.
His top seller was also the equal highest priced horse sold in the Highway Session with the colt from Kiss Me Sophie making $200,000 for Rheinwood Pastoral when bought by Richard and Chantelle Jolly.