Phoenix winner Volcanic Rock tops Inglis Digital sale for $365,000
The son of Hinchinbrook becomes the most expensive racehorse sold on thriving platform
Listed-winning two-year-old Volcanic Rock (Hinchinbrook) became the most expensive racehorse sold on Inglis Digital when Mark Ruff’s Bulla Thoroughbreds went to $365,000 to secure the gelding at the June (Late) Online Sale, which closed for bidding yesterday evening.
The winner of The Phoenix (Listed, 1500m) last month, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Volcanic Rock was offered by the colts syndicate of China Horse Club and Newgate Farm.
Out of the Group 3-placed Heat Of The Fire (Strategic), Volcanic Rock is a half-brother to Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Furnaces (Exceed And Excel), who also twice finished runner-up in Group 2 company.
“We were really impressed with the energy and effort that the Inglis Digital team put in to promote Volcanic Rock,” Newgate principal Henry Field said.
“We had plenty of interest from the launch of this sale last week, with enquiries from Hong Kong and locally. We’re delighted with the result and that he’s been purchased by such good people.
“He’s a quality, progressive youngster and it was reassuring to see that premium level racing stock have a market online.’’
Volcanic Rock backed-up in the J J Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1600m) following his Phoenix win, finishing tenth behind Converge (Frankel). His current record stands at two wins from four starts, with earnings of $112,500 in prize-money.
Bromfield and Bahen combine for duo
Bromfield Park and Bahen Bloodstock teamed up to purchase a pair of five-year-old stakes-winning mares – Love You Lucy (Love Conquers All) and She’s Alight (Tavistock) – for $320,000 and $250,000 respectively.
Love You Lucy, winner of the Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) last year, finished her racing career with an unplaced effort in the Spear Chief Handicap (Listed, 1500m) last month, while She’s Alight won the Jungle Dawn Classic (Listed, 1400m) in December.
“It’s getting close to the breeding season now and we thought it was among the last of the opportunities to buy a few quality mares,” Bill Pearce of Bromfield Park said.
“Both mares will go to Vinery Stud and from there we will work out which stallions to send them to, it’ll probably be a proven, sprinting sire and with their pedigrees there are plenty of options.
“Love You Lucy has a good race record with wins in the Dane Ripper and Silk Stocking, I actually travelled to Toowoomba to inspect her and I was quite impressed.
“It’s a great story – her trainer Bill Squair is in his early 80s and he paraded her for me, I think it’s the only Group winner he ever had and all the connections really love the mare.”
A winner of eight of her 28 starts, earning $392,000 in prize-money, Love You Lucy is out of twice-winning mare Whitechapel (Giant’s Causeway).
The dual stakes winner by Love Conquers All (Mossman) was offered by breeder and part-owner Leo Goggins, who is excited to follow her progeny.
“I foaled her down myself – we just breed a few every now and again but we usually breed to race,” Goggins said.
“My wife and I raced her with our six kids and three mates. We love this mare, she’s been great to us. The kids have built sheds and done up their houses with their share of the prize-money – although I can’t recall them paying the bills!
“They and my 13 grandkids were all over the auction tonight, watching it count down and I have to thank the Inglis Digital team who have been wonderful to deal with.
“We felt she deserved her chance in the breeding barn and can’t wait to follow her career.”
Pearce is excited by the future prospects of WA Listed winner She’s Alight, who was also placed in the Starstruck Classic (Listed, 1600m) last year.
“I just loved the pedigree,” Pearce said. “She’s by Tavistock and out of a great Cambridge Stud family of Our Tristalight, who was by Sir Tristram.
“I’ve been breeding thoroughbreds for about 15 years and it’s always great to add a nice mare like this to the broodmare band.”
Out of Keep Alight (Keeper), She’s Alight was offered on behalf of Terry and Lyn Dowling of White Diamond Bloodstock.
Eight lots sold for $100,000 or more in the June (Late) Sale and among them was WA stakes winners Massimo (Sessions) and Money Matters (Canford Cliffs), who will remain stablemates with both geldings purchased by Gangemi Thoroughbreds for $150,000 apiece from Durrant Racing.
Massimo has twice won at Listed level and has also been placed at Group 3 level, while Money Matters landed the Roma Cup (Gr 3, 1200m) last month.
The Hawkes Racing-consigned four-year-old gelding Born a Warrior (I Am Invincible) was purchased by Gall Bloodstock for $145,000, while Not a Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare Sanadaat, who is in foal to Microphone (Exceed And Excel), was bought by Steve Gardiner for $125,000.
Melmeth delighted with Sale performance
The June (Late) Sale recorded $5.63 million in turnover, making it the second-highest grossing sale in the history of the platform, while it is also the ninth consecutive Inglis Digital catalogue to gross $2 million or more and the 41st to surpass $1 million.
The results delighted Inglis Digital business manager Nick Melmeth, who said: “Yet again, there were lots of great results from today’s sale. The interest levels around each sale continue to grow and the volume of activity on this sale was just phenomenal.
“Inglis Digital has steadily built an incredible database of more than 8,000 registered bidders, and we have a dedicated team that works really hard to service our vendors and buyers, which seems to be working well given the volume of repeat business from clients and a continued increase in additional new users.
“We are very committed to effectively servicing the digital market, this is our 13th digital sale of the year and we’ll operate at least another 11 between now and the year’s end.
“We are very grateful for the support of the market and are really excited by the future of the platform.”