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Record breaking Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale concludes at Riverside

A filly by Newgate Farm's Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) topped a record-breaking Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale on Sunday when she was bought by Michael Freedman Racing for $300,000.

The one day sale saw large increases in the aggregate, average and median, with the sale topping filly offered by Bell River Thoroughbreds as agent as Lot 57. She is a half-sister to the Listed winning gelding East Indiaman (Hinchinbrook) being out of the dual winner Dashie Diva (Dash For Cash).

"She's always been a lovely filly. We had her set to go to Classic but she had a tiny chip in the hind fetlock which I was never going to remove until a couple of prominent and well-known vets told me that it needed to be removed as it was in an awkward spot, so we did and she ended up here but as it's turned out, it hasn't deterred the result that we were going to get for her,'' Andrew Ferguson of Bell River Thoroughbreds said.

"I was apprehensive for sure, it was a bit like the colt at Classic, I was apprehensive then too but the Inglis team, they're getting the buyers here, it's a great buying bench and as we saw at Classic, he made beyond my expectations and this filly has done the same.

"The job Inglis is doing in getting these people to the sales, we're getting rewarded as vendors by bringing them here and this is just another result we've been rewarded with.

"There were quite a few big names on her and for someone like Michael Freedman to pick her up, it's pretty exciting.''

Freedman, who has enjoyed significant success with progeny of the sire already, was thrilled to secure the filly.

"She's a good physical, she's athletic, I'm really glad to get her,'' Freedman said.

"There's some clients at the stable who have missed out on getting a horse by the stallion earlier in the year so there's definitely an appetite to get involved in a filly or colt by him and this is probably the last time this year to do so.

"She's a mid-October foal so she might just be one you'd have a look at in the spring but probably more like doing something more serious with her in the autumn.''

The filly was one of six lots to sell for $100,000 or more.

NEW SALE RECORD! @BR_BellRiver get a huge result at #InglisHTBAMay with their Extreme Choice x Dashie Diva filly (lot 57) selling to @MFreedmanRacing for $300k. An awesome result all round! pic.twitter.com/nIdNosy688

— Inglis (@inglis_sales) May 1, 2022

Epaulette colt fetches $120,000

The sale's most expensive colt was a son of Epaulette who sold for $120,000 to David Pfieffer Racing, Oliver Koolman and Dragon Bloodstock.

Offered by Goodwood Farm as Lot 221, the colt is out of the winning Sebring (More Than Ready) mare Rosa's Magic, making him a brother to the three-time winner Military Magic.

The colt's second dam is Group 3 winner Rosa's Joy (Rory's Jester) who produced fellow Group 3 winner Rosa's Spur (Flying Spur).

"It was a great result. We've had some ups and downs with the horse, when we had to withdraw him from the Classic Sale it was devastating because he was so popular there but he's come back now and looks even better and stronger and he sold accordingly. I'm very happy,'' Goodwood's Kerrie Tibbey said.

"He's going to a great home, it's just wonderful.

"A nice horse sells, no matter where it is but the market and buying bench here is certainly very strong. It's been a great day. He was very popular here all week, it's been a fantastic experience.''

Pfieffer added: "I think this sale has gone to a new level. It is harder to buy at every sale and you've just got to do your best.

"I think Epaulette has always been a stallion who has flown under the radar a bit and this horse caught our eye very early in the sale (during inspections) and we always had him in our sights.''

Figures show huge gains
When this year's HTBA May Yearling Sale concluded large gains were seen in aggregate, average and median with the gross of $5,354,750, for 213 lots sold, a new record for the sale. The median of $17,000 was up 70 per cent on last year's figure of $10,000 while the average had increased 36 per cent to $25,499.

Darley shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel) finished the sale as the leading sire by average (3 or more lots sold) - his three yearlings averaging $64,833, with a top price of $100,000.

Michael Freedman Racing was the leading buyer having bought the top lot and spending a total of $345,000 on two yearlings. Paul Perry meanwhile bought six yearlings for a total spend of $280,500.

Kingstar Farm was the sale's leading vendor selling 13 lots for $540,500 at an average of $41,577. By average, Bell River Thoroughbreds led the way with the three yearlings they offered all selling for $328,000 at an average of $109,333.

"This is a very important sale as it offers a broad cross section of vendors the opportunity to access a liquid market with a huge number of prospective buyers involved through a live auction at a world-class facility," Sebastian Hutch, chief executive of Inglis Bloodstock, said.

"The results today are very pleasing, with turnover up on last year despite a significant reduction in the number of horses offered, as well as dramatically improved figures for the average and median, while the clearance has been solid and will continue to improve.

"This sale has a very important association with the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association and we are particularly grateful to those Hunter-based vendors who have elected to support this sale with quality in quantity in 2022, which lays the platform for further development in this market in coming years.

"It is especially satisfying to get such a good result for the Ferguson family with their Extreme Choice filly, given the incredible support that have shown for us in the last few years and hopefully she can go on to be a great ambassador for the sale for Michael Freedman and his owners.''