The Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, flattered by the success of
graduates like last week’s Blue Diamond S. (Aus-G1) winner Reward for Effort
(Exceed and Excel) and reigning Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler (Hussonet),
kicks off Sunday. Following withdrawals, 575 yearlings are scheduled to go
through the ring during Session 1, which will run March 1-3. Wednesday’s Session
2 will offer 152 lots.
The first sale to kick off the season last year, Premier Session 1 recorded a
56 percent increase in gross and new records for average and median. The
A$750,000 paid for an Exceed and Excel colt was also an all-time mark. In total
for the Session 1, 439 lots sold at an average of A$84,353 — up 25.7 percent on
2007 — while the A$65,000 median was a 30 percent increase.
“There’s no doubt Premier was one of the great success stories of 2008, but
it didn’t just come out of the blue,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster
said. “Vendors have been bringing top quality horses to this sale for some time
and it was great to see them well rewarded.”
The 2008 sale produced 14 individual stakes winners, according to Webster.
As always, Victorian-based sires have strong representation this year.
Elvstroem has 53 catalogued, compared to 31 for God’s Own, 28 for Reset and 22
for Bel Esprit.
The full catalog and results are available at inglis.com.au.