The Verdict: Australia’s industry players evaluate its vibrant market – Mark Player
In a five-part series ANZ Bloodstock News speaks to some of the industry’s key players for their perspective on the incredible performance of the 2021 major yearling sales season.
We asked them for their take on what’s behind all the money that’s been flying around sales rings since January and also for their thoughts on the current general state of the Australian racing and breeding industry.
In today’s edition, Jo McKinnon asks Mark Player to cast his views on the 2021 yearling sales season and the resilience racing in Australia has shown through the challenges of Covid-19.
Player, a Melbourne–based racing and bloodstock consultant, has held various major roles in global racing having worked as head of international races, sales and development for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and as an ambassador for Great British Racing International.
Mark, what’s your view on the 2021 yearling sales in Sydney and beyond and how they have performed?
It has been a really remarkable period of about four months. I think everybody approached the sales with a degree of optimism because we are very fortunate in Australia to have racing being so well administered and prize money so strong.
There was a hope that the sales were something we could all be proud of and those hopes have been well and truly exceeded by a wonderful season, where people could come and convene and buy beautiful horses.
At the end of the day, we are so lucky racing could come through Covid so well from a racing perspective, where racing was able to keep going. That is of course due to the hard work of people on so many levels across the industry, particularly the lower level staff that have followed the rules and made sure everything has been able to operate.
I think we all agree, and are very grateful, that racing has been able to continue on.
It’s been a massive effort by a lot of people. I think they have got some recognition but the industry owes them a debt of gratitude because of the way that staff have all followed the rules and abided by the rules and understand the need for different procedures to be followed.
I suppose some of that comes back to their training, because when you are dealing with horses you are dealing with infectious diseases, from time to time, and people do follow the rules.
We are a regulated sport and people are happy to follow the rules and that’s something we should also be very proud of. Their work has led to these sales being so successful.
It’s so great to see people have invested in the stallions and broodmares and been able to put such a wonderful product in front of us that we will see racing on the track for years to come, and keep our wonderful sport so alive and vibrant.
What’s your conclusion to the flow of money here and at the other yearling sales this year?
It’s been extraordinary to see the sums of money being spent. It’s been very difficult to buy horses for clients and I think that would be a view that’s echoed by most agents around the place.
We work hard to get clients and are very lucky to have wonderful support from very good clients, but it’s been really hard to try to match what clients want with what’s available in the market, because the pressure in the top and middle end of the market has been extraordinary.
You managed to get a few at Easter but missed out on plenty also?
That’s part of the game. I was really delighted to walk away with two terrific colts.
We got a Maurice colt that we really liked and then a Zoustar colt that was beautiful and that topped off what we got at the Gold Coast.
We got a really lovely Written Tycoon colt there and a big strong Sebring colt and an I Am Invincible colt, so we have a nice spread with five colts to take home and hopefully have the luck on the racetrack with them.
Who have you been buying for?
A group of guys who we put together to try and target some colts. We are trying to buy under the radar and work away very quietly.
Everyone is trying to identify and buy these colts. How tough is it?
Yes, but it’s been great. You do sometimes have to walk out of the auditorium and think how did I miss out, but we are all used to competing on the racetrack and we back up pretty quickly at a sale when we get beaten because we are used to the disappointments on the racetrack from time to time.
How do you rate the quality of this sale (Easter) versus other years?
I think the quality of this sale has been absolutely fantastic. Inglis have done a great job but it comes down to the vendors, who have put a wonderful product in front of the buyers, and that’s echoed at every other sale right throughout the year.
Quality has been great and horses have been really well grown. I can only speak for the horses we are getting vetted, but the rate that we are getting passed by vets is extraordinarily high, which is a tribute to the studs and their staff and practices of raising horses of very high quality.
We are a very lucky industry to have such wonderful people operating right through every sphere of the industry. We are a community and we have great people.