Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) members spent $4.19 million at this week’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale which was up 41% on its expenditure in 2016.
Bluegrass Bloodstock’s Lenny Russo kicked off trade for FBAA with $100,000 for Lot 10 – a Magnus half-brother to five winners who will be trained by Shea Eden at Cranbourne.
Russo bought Group 1 winning Magnus sprinter Malaguerra for $32,000 at Oaklands in 2013. “Shea is a gun trainer on the rise and this is a good Magnus,” Russo said. “He’s an exceptional mover with a great temperament and has all the attributes of Malaguerra.”
Another Bluegrass buy with Eden was the grey colt by Artie Schiller related to LR Widden Stakes winner Secret Land. He cost $50,000 from Tatura vendor Rushton Park.
Russo has forged a winning relationship with Dave Azzopardi from Dream Thoroughbreds and they bought colts by Ocean Park ($80,000) and Foxwedge ($45,000) at Oaklands.
The Ocean Park chestnut is from G2 Sir Tristram Classic winner Due Diligence and will be prepared by Trent Busuttin. The Foxwedge will join the sale’s record-breaking $1.40 million I Am Invincible colt at Ciaron Maher’s Caulfield stable.
Blue Sky Bloodstock’s Julian Blaxland had another seven-figure shopping list for Aquis Farm topped by a $350,000 Written Tycoon colt from Bombora Downs. He is a three-quarter brother to G2 Danehill Stakes winner Rich Enuff.
Aquis Farm will send its $120,000 Medaglia d’Oro – Love to Tell filly to Gai Waterhouse and the $150,000 Not a Single Doubt – True Malt filly to Lindsay Park.
Belmont Bloodstock bought fillies by Reset, High Chaparral, Stratum & Mossman but the highlight was the All Too Hard filly purchased by Little Kwok Hing Hung on Tuesday.
The $500,000 price-tag was a profitable exercise for Belmont Bloodstock’s Damon Gabbedy and leading owner-breeder Robert Crabtree. They purchased the filly’s dam Fuhrnatic in foal to All Too Hard for $40,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Sale.
Fuhrnatic’s 3yo filly Fuhryk (Star Witness) won the G3 Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caulfield a fortnight before the Premier Sale and the mare foaled a Magnus colt in October.
Sheamus Mills Bloodstock weighed in with $300,000 for a Foxwedge – Bardego filly among a half-dozen buys at the Melbourne Premier. She is a half-sister to Delago Bolt (LR Black Opal Stakes) and current Kiwi star Volpe Veloce who won 7 in a row prior to a last-start loss in the G2 Sir Tristram Classic.
Mills and his clients were also on good terms in the vendor box selling 18 of the 20 they offered during Premier I at an average of $160,000. The Premier II stats saw 6 of the 8 lots changing hands while averaging $62,000.
Among the better results was the Star Witness – Junipers colt sold to Cloud 9 trainer Brent Stanley for $125,000. Mills had paid $26,000 for Junipers on behalf of owners Simon Bilalis & Dan Gangi when she was carrying the colt at the 2015 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.
There were 13 FBAA members on the Premier Purchaser list and among their buys were; Peter Ford (Fiorente colt – $105k), Laurel Oak Bloodstock (Excelebration colt – $120k), Pinhook Bloodstock (Dawn Approach colt – $27k), Mark Pilkington (Pierro colt – $60k), Commercial Bloodstock (Eurozone colt – $35k), Randwick Bloodstock (Starcraft filly – $60k), Jeff Gordon (Fiorente filly – $45k), Boomer Bloodstock (Epaulette colt – $120k), DGR Thoroughbreds (Dundeel colt – $140k).
Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) was formed in 1998 to maintain, improve and develop the standards, status and services of bloodstock agents throughout Australia. Its members operate with the utmost integrity and professionalism and are bound by the strict Industry Code of Conduct.
The list of FBAA members can be viewed at: www.bloodstockagents.com.au
BLUE SKY BUY
Aquis Farm’s Medaglia d’Oro – Love to Tell filly to be trained by Gai Waterhouse