Manolo Bling tops Inglis February (Late) Online Sale at $275,000
Manolo Bling (Grunt) topped the Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, which closed on Wednesday, when selling to Highgrove Stud’s Ron Gilbert for $275,000.
The four-year-old mare was offered by Anthony Freedman Racing on behalf of Rob Cummings and the mare’s ownership group.
Gilbert confirmed Manolo Bling would be transferred to Kelly Schweida’s Queensland stable and continue racing until the end of the season before joining the farm’s broodmare band.
“We’ll mix things up with her, new trainer, new surroundings, sometimes that helps these mares switch on a bit more again so we’ll try that but either way, she will go to stud later this year,’’ Gilbert said.
“I haven’t sat down and given a stallion much thought yet to be honest but being stakes placed and out of a family as good as this, she could be going to one of the top-end stallions.
“I don’t normally buy race mares like her to breed with, I normally buy mares in foal because it’s closer to a result but I just really liked the look of this mare, I liked the family, I liked her pedigree, she’s won over $400,000 and she’s already stakes placed and just really fitted the mould so I’m really happy to have her.
“She was at the top end of the budget, I thought she was a $250,000 mare and if someone had gone another bid to $280,000 I probably would have been out of play but I got the win so it’s great.”
The second-top lot in the sale was the Newgate Farm-offered three-year-old colt North England (Farnan), who sold to Lofty Thoroughbreds for $200,000.
A further three lots realised six figures in the sale – the broodmares Absolute Flirt (Stratum), with an Anamoe (Street Boss) filly at foot, made $160,000 to Jorshan Investments, Sense Of Honour (Pride Of Dubai) in foal to Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) sold for $150,000 to Ivan Danzo and Reeh (Sebring), in foal to Switzerland (Snitzel) and with a Unite And Conquer (Hinchinbrook) filly at foot, realised $120,000 to Blue Oak Equine.
In total the sale grossed $4,783,100. Entries are now open for the March (Early) Sale, and will remain so until midnight on March 4. The sale will run from March 6-11. To enter click here.