The recent Inglis Digital Online auction, concluding on Wednesday, witnessed 303 lots (70 per cent) out of 431 finding buyers, with 128 lots (30 per cent) passing in. The auction generated a total gross of $4,665,420 with Lot 227 claiming the highest sale price at $1.3 million. The average recorded was $15,397, with a median price of $4,000.
Zoustar share tops sale
At the most recent Inglis Digital sale, a share in the highly-coveted Zoustar commanded attention as Julia Ritchie's Bangaloe Stud secured it for $1.3 million. Sharing the limelight with reigning Champion Sire I Am Invincible for current season stakes winners, Zoustar has produced notable Group 1 winners this season, including Zougotcha, Joliestar, Climbing Star, and Ozzmosis. With an impressive track record of siring 54 stakes winners and 41 stakes-performing 2-year-olds, Zoustar's allure remains unwavering.
Bangaloe Stud’s Julia Ritchie was delighted to win the fierce bidding duel which she described in a press release as "my absolute upper limit".
Julia Ritchie with Gai Waterhouse
“I was always prepared to go close to that price and in the end he’s worth it, every penny of it,’’ Ritchie said.
“That said, that was my absolute upper limit, I didn’t really have another bid in me but I think it’s worthwhile to be able to become involved in a superstar stallion like Zoustar".
Fully booked for the 2024 breeding season, the acquisition of the share ensures access to the highly sought-after stallion, regardless of his booking status. Priced at $275,000 (including GST), Zoustar's upcoming season book is already fully subscribed, matching the highest advertised fees in the country alongside I Am Invincible and Extreme Choice.
“I was always prepared to go close to that price and in the end he’s (Zoustar) worth it, every penny of it.’’ - Julia Ritchie
The offered share represents a 1/60th stake in the Zoustar stallion syndicate, entitling the shareholder to priority access annually and a share of the pooled income from nominations sold each year.
A fantastic result all round
David Redvers, Manager of Qatar Bloodstock, expressed satisfaction with the $1.3 million price-tag, stating it aligned with expectations and was a fantastic result for both buyer and seller.
“Without expecting it to happen, I think it's where I hoped he'd land. When you do the sums, it makes sense. I think it represents good value for the buyer and is equally a good result for the seller. So I would imagine both parties are happy, Redvers told TTR AusNZ.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden
“He's a stallion that has it all in front of him, he’s much younger than the other leading sires in Australia and his yearling sale results this year prove that he’s got his best crops now coming through".
To put this into context, Zoustar’s yearlings averaged $475,000 at this season's yearling sale circuit and he had seven $1m+ yearlings in total this year.
“He’s only going to continue to rise so it could be that it'll end up looking like a very good deal for the buyer in the not too distant future”, Redvers elaborated.
“He's a stallion that has it all in front of him, he’s much younger than the other leading sires in Australia and his yearling sale results this year prove that he’s got his best crops now coming through.” - David Redvers
As for the Inglis Digital platform, Redvers couldn’t speak more highly of it stating, “We had absolutely top class service from Sebastian Hutch in particular, who took charge of this and informed us right the way through.
“It was a very straightforward process and from an integrity point of view it was faultless so I couldn’t recommend it (Inglis Digital) highly enough," Redvers concluded.
A unique offering
Sebastian Hutch, Inglis Bloodstock's CEO, hailed the unique offering of equity in Zoustar telling TTR AusNZ, “it’s yet another first for the digital platform to be able to offer equity into a stallion with that sort of profile and obviously it's the first share in the horse that that has been offered for public auction.
“The equity in the horse is typically terribly tightly held so for Sheikh Fahad it was a pretty fantastic result. The response to it was really incredible, the volume of people who expressed an interest or made enquiries about the share was overwhelming and it ultimately achieved a price that the buyer was delighted with.
“I think there’s a lot of winners out of that whole experience, it gives the buyer an opportunity to get involved in a 13-year-old stallion that's almost inevitably going to be the future champion sire of Australia.
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It gives the existing equity holders in Zoustar a massive boost demonstrating the value of their share and I think it reasserts the reasons why people are confident in our market and quality bloodstock across various profiles of stock", Hutch elaborated.
The former Champion First, Second and Third crop sire continues to go from strength to strength and according to Inglis Digital is “a stallion destined to be Champion Sire of Australia in years to come.
“I think there are a multitude of reasons why it was so popular. He is six years younger than I Am Invincible and eight years younger than Snitzel which gives context to how well Zoustar has done to be as competitive as he is with those stallions at this stage of his career.
“It gives the existing equity holders in Zoustar a massive boost demonstrating the value of their share and I think it reasserts the reasons why people are confident in our market and quality bloodstock across various profiles of stock.” - Sebastian Hutch
“Should he go on to enjoy a healthy, fertile future for an extended period of time, whether it's four, six, eight years, the opportunity for buyers to reap a significant dividend from him for an extended period of time was a huge factor into the appeal.
“There is a very real possibility that horses like Zoustar are going to go further up in fee from where they are and I think that was a significant part of the appeal for people looking to invest as well”, Hutch elaborated.
Positive results across the board
Despite the high-profile filly Lazzago (Capitalist) being passed in at $800,000, the sale witnessed numerous positive outcomes. Notably, Zoustar's own 4-year-old son, Zamborghini, fetched the second-highest price of $135,000, secured by Paul Smith. This lightly raced gelding boasts an impressive record, having won four of his 11 starts and finishing third at Mornington’s metropolitan meeting on Monday.
Lazzago | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Additionally, the well-related Fastnet Rock mare Rockaroo, offered on behalf of Cannon Hayes Stud (as agent), was acquired by RF Bloodstock for $105,000. This young mare carries a cover to Darley’s leading first-season sire Too Darn Hot (GB), the sire of the G1 Champagne S, winner Broadsiding. With four foals to her name, her yearlings have commanded prices of up to $240,000.
Another noteworthy sale was that of the lightly raced Single Benefactor (Not A Single Doubt), purchased by Baystone Farm for $105,000. This winner from just seven starts is a daughter of the esteemed Houston Benefactor (Encosta De Lago) who is a three-quarter sister to Princess Coup, the dam of Argentia (Frankel {GB}), The Wizardofoz (Redoute’s Choice), and Moesha (I Am Invincible).
