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Yearling by Vinery Stud-based first-season sire set to head to Hong Kong.
Wattle Bloodstock's Peter Twomey was impressed with the colt by Vinery Stud's first season sire Star Turn (Star Witness) when he saw him as a yearling at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale earlier in the year, so he was happy to be able to secure the youngster for $250,000 at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale on Tuesday.
The colt - who breezed in a time of 10.42 seconds and was offered as Lot 23 - was snapped up by Wothington Bloodstock and Scone Bloodstock for $140,000 as a yearling and Twomey, who purchased the colt in conjunction with Hong Kong-based trainer Caspar Fownes, he said the he had really improved since he was offered as a yearling.
"He really improved from when he was a yearling," said Twomey. "I remember seeing him at the Inglis Classic Sale and I liked him then, but over the past sort of seven months he has really improved.
"I bought the horse for Hong Kong trainer Caspar Fownes and I was looking for a real powerhouse of a sprinting type, but also one that has improved. We have had the advantage here of seeing it breeze-up and seeing it as a racehorse and hopefully he will keep going in the right direction. "
Twomey said he was impressed by the quality of horses at the sale and believed the auction had really improved over the years.
"I was really impressed with the horses at this sale and I think the sale is really heading in the right direction," said Twomey. "Compare the sale with five or six years ago the improvement in quality at this sale is just immense. We are seeing that people are selective, picking and choosing the ones they really like."
The colt was offered by Valiant Stud and he is the second foal out of three time-winning Keeper (Danehill) mare In The Moment.
In The Moment herself is out of Listed-placed Autumn Moments (At Talaq), making her a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Autumn Jeuney (Jeune) and the dam of Listed scorer Little Brown Horse (Waterford Road). Further back the colt's third dam is Group 3 scorer Autumn Leaves (Salmon Leap).
Star Turn is covering his fourth book of mares at Vinery Stud at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST). Valiant Stud meanwhile sold five juveniles for $762,500 at an average of $152,500.