The Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale has enjoyed a stellar year, headlined by the world’s three top rated sprinters all emanating from the Oaklands Sale, and the catalogue for the 2011 renewal is now online.
The sale will be held over four days from February 28 to March 3. Sunday February 27 is an Open Inspection Day and follows Super Saturday at Caulfield, when three Group 1 events including the Blue Diamond, Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate will be held.
Premier 1 will be held on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with 568 yearlings on offer. Premier 2, comprising 157 lots, rounds out the sale on Thursday March 3.
This sale has become renowned the world over in recent times, with 2010 a landmark year, where Premier graduates Black Caviar, Sacred Kingdom and Starspangledbanner filled the top three spots in the official Global sprint rankings. Additionally, Ultra Fantasy was an international Group 1 winner in Japan.
Since 2009 Melbourne Premier Graduates have won Group One races in South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, The United Kingdom and Australia.
These feats follow the likes of Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler and top liners Reward For Effort, Rostova, Ortensia and Littorio in recent times, not to mention the dual Cox Plate hero Fields Of Omagh.
“This year’s catalogue is undoubtedly the best we have assembled. It contains a good balance of proven sires, exciting well-credentialed new stallions and the depth of female families is outstanding,” Inglis Melbourne Director Peter Heagney said.
The online catalogue includes 83 siblings to stakes winners (up from 74 in 2010) and 92 yearlings from stakes winning dams (up from 78 in 2010).
Highlight lots in 2011 include 16 yearlings from Group 1 winners such as Perfect Promise (SAf), Apercu, Cheeky Choice, Desert Flight (Chi) and 16 youngsters that are either half, three quarter of full relations to Group 1 winners such as Divine Madonna, Boundless, Turffontein, Lashed, Serious Speed, Red Dazzler, Recast & Fashions Afield.
Proven sires represented include Redoute’s Choice, Encosta de Lago, Lonhro, Flying Spur, Commands, Choisir, Testa Rossa, Bel Esprit, Tale Of The Cat, Rock Of Gibraltar & High Chaparral while the first crop stallions are headed by the likes of Bernardini, Dylan Thomas, Haradasun, Magnus, Any Given Saturday, Purrealist and Hard Spun.
“Importantly, the success of the Premier Sale graduates ensures buyers can secure a quality yearling which has the potential to become a successful racehorse.
“I doubt there is another sale anywhere which can boast having sold the three highest rated sprinters in the world.
“We are very excited about the 2011 sale and look forward to joining with the Melbourne Festival Of Racing to present two weeks of great sales, racing and social events,” Heagney added.
All horses sold at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale are eligible for the $2.6million Inglis Race Series, which commenced in 2008 when Starspangledbanner won the Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley.
The 2011 $250,000 Inglis Premier (for 2010 yearling graduates) will be run for the first time next year on Mornington Cup day, February 16.