Vivian looks forward to ‘best ever’ Inglis Vobis Gold catalogue
“I acknowledge there’s things we can do better and remain happy to continue the Premier review process with our vendors but I don’t think there’s cause for panic after this year’s Premier Sale which had a marginal decline in clearance and average after a sustained period of year on year growth.
“I do not see any need for a wholesale revamp and would not advocate any change in date from it’s current place in early March,” Vivian said.
The final clearance rate at the 2018 Premier Yearling Sale was 86 per cent with 438 yearlings sold at an average of $116,789 compared to $120,262 – with an 88 per cent clearance rate – in 2017.
Vivian was happy to reflect on the state’s major yearling sale but also keen to identify the reasons why buyers should be heading to Oaklands Junction tomorrow for the second edition of the one day Vobis Gold (nee Autumn) sale with all yearlings Super Vobis qualified and all Vobis Gold eligible.
“There’s never been a sale at this time offering yearlings of better physical quality. It’s a catalogue boosted by some excellent lots among our supplementary entries. They include a Spirit Of Boom colt (lot 248) offered by Rosemont and our boys on the ground tell me he’s an absolute belter,” Vivian said.
Rosemont is one of several major Victorian farms with multiple offerings and Vivian believes this is the key to the overall quality of the sale.
“Many of the leading studs approached us some time ago and said they’d prefer to sell at the Vobis Gold Sale than, for example, book two of Premier. Consequently most of them have strong drafts which is in marked contrast to years ago when this sale, or it’s equivalent, might have had 250 horses offered by 240 different vendors.
“These studs now see the Vobis Gold sale, with its obvious Vobis appeal to local trainers and owners, as a viable commercial outlet for their horses,” he said.
Vivian expects the sale to surpass the 2017 version which grossed c. $4,500,000 (average $22,593) but sees the ‘value’ factor remaining.
“I’m sure many a good horse will still be bought in that $30,000 to $50,000 range which will suit regional trainers who can then syndicate their purchases at an affordable mark for, say, ten per cent shares.
“Together with Racing Victoria and Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria, we took the Vobis Gold roadshow to the major regional centres of Warrnambool, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Cranbourne and Wangaratta. We’ve also offered those trainers a night’s accommodation in Melbourne and, at last count, we had 40 trainers locked in.
“There’s also interest from those trainers in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania who are happy to travel to Victoria to chase the Vobis money which is now so strong and growing. You only have to took at today’s meeting at Caulfield where seven of the Vobis linked races have a first prize four to eight times greater than last year’s average,” Vivian said.
Vivian believes that the state based bonus schemes remain relevant despite recent discussion that they could be counter-productive. “The reality is that they (bonus schemes) probably don’t matter if you’re buying at the top end. But while all trainers buy the animal first and foremost, there’s no doubt that the bonuses are exactly that, a bonus and an attraction if you’re looking at the middle or lower end of the market. Vobis works for Victoria, Bobs for New South Wales,” he said.
The catalogue index could well be that of any sale with most of the leading sires represented – Written Tycoon, I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Spirit Of Boom, Zoustar, Smart Missile, All Too Hard, Reward For Effort, Magnus and More Than Ready plus first season sires including Brazen Beau, Dissident, Rubick, Toronado and Wandjina.
The Vobis Gold Sale has produced some outstanding results in recent years, none better than the likes of Group 1 winner Malaguerra (cost $32,000, has won $1.7m); Lyuba (cost $2000, has won $440,000); Sirbible (cost $3500, won $325,000); Desert Lashes (cost $3000, has won $335,000) and Beau Rada (cost $26,000, has won $355,000).
Major race winners Polanski and Pompeii Ruler both came from the older Autumn Yearling Sale.
Vivian advised that patrons might experience some inconvenience tomorrow with renovations under way at the sales complex but long term they will be invaluable and may well assist in improving the atmosphere, which Vivian concedes was ‘flat’ at Premier, at Oaklands Junction.
“Following the development of Riverside Stables, Inglis has underlined its commitment to Melbourne as well with a three stage, $8 to $10 million renovation of the Oaklands complex which will be well received I’m sure.
“The atmosphere was lacking at Premier this year, I admit but these renovations and other innovations will hopefully address that. There were a number of contributing factors including the absence of key vendors and some negative industry press.
“As it turned out, no horse was easy to sell at Premier this year despite very good pre-sale inspections and our review is on-going but, in the end, with the assistance of the vendors we got the clearance to 86 per cent and the final results satisfied the great majority of our vendors I believe.
“Hopefully vendors and buyers alike will be satisfied with tomorrow’s sale. I think people will be genuinely surprised at the high quality of the stock on offer,” Vivian said.
LONHRO
Darley’s Alastair Pulford was one of many to respond to Wednesday’s ‘best horses of the past 50 years’ list and was understandably quick to point that I’d perhaps erred in leaving out Lonhro.
And he’s right. Lonhro had 26 wins from 35 starts at 74.2 per cent and won ten of the races which I described as the ‘majors’. I’ve probably always undersold him on the basis that there was an element of him coming along at the right time – post Northerly and Sunline at their peak – but I now concede he’s absolutely entitled to be on the list.