Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Yulong Stud spending spree shows no sign of slowing, after it spent $1.665 million on two top-quality mares at the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale on Wednesday.
Yulong went to $1.025 million for the sale-topper - the 4-year-old mare Jamaea (Headwater) - who was consigned by her owners. From 20 starts, she won three races, including the 2021 G2 Percy Sykes S. (at two) and the 2021 G2 Furious S. (at three). Jamaea also finished in the minor placings on five occasions, amassing earnings of $1,039,365.
The 4-year-old is out of the 2014 G3 Bow Mistress S. heroine Isibaeva (Johannesburg {USA}), while the mare’s grandam is the multiple Listed scorer Dragila (Encosta De Lago).
Cressfield bred and offered Jamaea at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was knocked down to Kembla Grange-based trainer Robert Price for $130,000 and was raced by a group of owners that included Bruce Noble.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. She’s been great for us and this is the icing on the cake,” Noble told TTR AusNZ. “She’s been a pretty good investment for $130,000.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. She’s (Jamaea) been great for us and this is the icing on the cake.” - Bruce Noble
“I was watching it. Inglis did a great job and we’re very, very pleased with the result.
“It’s a bit sad to see her go, but we can’t wait to see her first foal on the ground.
“There was nothing of her, but she always put in, I never saw her not try, she always tried her heart out.
“We hope to find another one, but whether that can be done remains to be seen.”
Bruce Noble with brother Ken Noble | Image courtesy of the Australian Turf Club
Noble said he planned to celebrate the occasion by taking Robert Price out for dinner.
Jamaea won on debut at Kembla Grange in January 2021, beating odds-on favourite, the subsequent Group 3 winner and Group 2 placegetter Festival Dancer (Choisir), as well as the five-time winner and Listed placegetter Fox Fighter (Foxwedge).
At the last of five starts as a juvenile, Jamaea took out the G2 Percy Sykes S.
Co-trainer Luke Price told TTR AusNZ Jamaea had a great will to win.
Jamaea was purchased by Yulong Stud for $1.025 million | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“She was a tiny filly, but from day one, there was something about her. With her attitude and action, she was just a natural runner,” he said.
“She took us on a great ride. We had the option to go to the Golden Slipper, but we elected to bypass that and go to the Percy Sykes and it paid off; we won our first million-dollar race with her.
“We probably missed out on seeing the best of her because of wet tracks.
“I’m so glad she made the money, she deserves it, and it’s great for her owners.
“I’m so glad she (Jamaea) made the money, she deserves it, and it’s great for her owners.” - Luke Price
“She’s off to a good home and we are looking forward to seeing her progeny in years to come... who knows, we might end up with one or two.”
Yulong’s Sam Fairgray revealed Jamaea would be served by the newest first-season sire on its roster, Diatonic (Jpn).
“We want to give Diatonic some really nice mares in his first season to give him the best possible chance and we think Jamaea is perfect for him,’’ Fairgray said.
Diatonic (Jpn) | Standing at Yulong Stud, image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She’s an attractive race mare with a great record, a multiple Group 2 winner and performed at both two and three so we’re delighted to have her.”
Five-year-old mare Brookspire - a half-sister to the 2020 G1 Railway S. heroine Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and the Listed winner Ruettiger (Duporth) - will also join the huge broodmare band at Yulong Stud, after it went to $640,000 to secure her. She too was offered by her owners.
By Hinchinbrook, Brookspire boasts an excellent pedigree, being from the Zabeel (NZ) mare, Be Inspired, who was twice-placed and is a sister to the Group 3 winner Rainbow Styling (NZ) and the Northam maiden winner Midnight Special - the dam of the stakes winners Demonetization (All Too Hard), Neverland (Big Brown {USA}) and Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}). Be Inspired is also a three-quarter sister to Meine Pretender (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) - the dam of three stakes winners, and a half-sister to the 2011 G3 Birthday Card S. victress Zingaling (Redoute’s Choice).
Brookspire was purchased by Yulong Stud for $640,000 | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
Jamieson Park’s James Chapman bought Be Inspired, in foal to Showcasing (GB), for NZ$100,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Chapman bred Brookspire and she was consigned by Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Chris Waller Racing/Brae Sokolski paying $300,000 for her.
The mare won this year’s $1 million Magic Millions Fillies and Mares at the Gold Coast and was runner-up in the 2021 G3 Belle of the Turf S. behind Expat (NZ) (Makfi {GB}). She has amassed $931,858 in prizemoney.
Chapman, who watched the July (Late) Online Sale with great interest, told TTR AusNZ Be Inspired has been an inspired purchase, one that has been invaluable for Jamieson Park.
“It’s been a wonderful family for us, it kind of got us going, really. You need a few mares like that, that’s how you build a farm,” Chapman said.
“I bought a filly (by Exceed And Excel) at Magics this year out of Allez Bien, she’s another half-sister (to Inspirational Girl, Ruettiger and Brookspire), I just wanted to get back into the family.
“It’s just a wonderful family, just about all of her progeny have shown plenty of ability. You don’t get many as consistent as her.
“You don’t get many as consistent as her (Be Inspired).” - James Chapman
“It’s a great thrill for us.”
On Brookspire, Fairgray said: “We bought Brookspire’s half-sister Inspirational Girl at the Chairman’s Sale so it’s just about putting together a family that Mr Zhang has full belief in.
“Like Jamaea, Brookspire will also visit Diatonic this season. She’s a nice race mare who certainly sold for more than we thought she might, but again, you have to almost expect that to some extent with these nicer mares.’’
Proisir share sells for $380,000
Sean Buckley’s Ultra Thoroughbreds paid $380,000 for one breeding nomination per year, plus a pro-rata share of the pooled service, in New Zealand’s leading sire Proisir. The share was offered by Rich Hill Stud (as agent for shareholder).
A resident at Rich Hill Stud, Proisir wrestled away control of the New Zealand General Sires’ table this season from the great Savabeel. Furthermore, Proisir’s progeny has tallied NZ$4,151,650 - a New Zealand record.
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
Proisir has had four new Group 1 winners this season - Dark Destroyer (NZ), Pier (NZ), Legarto (NZ) and Prowess (NZ) - and he has five his overall, with Levante (NZ) the other.
“I love the horse, I think he’s one of the best two stallions in Australasia alongside Savabeel. I think he’s a superstar,’’ said Buckley.
“I’ll send two mares to him and I’m just so pleased to have bought this share today because he’s a sire I think is going to feature heavily for many, many years to come.’’
“I’ll send two mares to him (Proisir) and I’m just so pleased to have bought this share today because he’s a sire I think is going to feature heavily for many, many years to come.’’ - Sean Buckley
Byerley Bloodstock go to $330,000 for Clairvoyance
Nostradamus mare Clairvoyance (Nostradamus) was a supreme talent, winning seven of 11 starts, so it was little surprise to see her prove popular. The 4-year-old was snapped up by Byerley Bloodstock for $330,000, after she was consigned by Impressive Racing.
The Darren McAuliffe-trained mare fractured her pelvis at trackwork in March last year and was rushed to a vet hospital where thankfully she was saved.
Clairvoyance won her first four starts, and her lone black-type win came in last year’s Listed Pinjarra Classic.
Clairvoyance was purchased by Byerley Bloodstock for $330,000 | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
A homebred for Impressive Racing, Clairvoyance is from the winning Perugino (USA) mare Dance On Air and she herself is a half-sister to the Listed winner Caprizzi Strip (Distorted Humor {USA}).
In total, the July (Late) Sale grossed $4,672,250, ensuring July became the second most successful month in Inglis Digital history, thanks to a bumper July (Early) Sale as well as the boutique Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel) Sale which has resulted in a monthly gross of $13,283,900.
“Success breeds success and it’s certainly been a fabulous month for the platform, with the likes of Miss Roseiano ($1.275 million), Another Award ($1.2 million), Daisies ($920,000), More Aspen in foal to Maschino ($720,000) and then these results today making for some fabulous results for our clients,’’ Inglis Digital’s Business Manager Nick Melmeth said.
