Frankel Filly Tops Day 2 Weanlings at Inglis

A daughter of champion European sire Frankel (GB) stole the show for the second day in a row at the Inglis Great Southern Sale, selling June 9 for AU$475,000 (US$320,198, AU$1=US$0.6741) to the stallion's biggest Australian supporter. Chinese businessman Zhang Yuesheng added the Esker Lodge-consigned filly to his enormous bloodstock portfolio on Day 2 of the Melbourne weanling sale as three other fillies sold for AU$300,000 or more during the second session. To close out the east coast live sales breeding stock sales for 2023, a filly by Newgate Farm's Golden Slipper (G1) winner Capitalist (AUS) sold for AU$460,000; a daughter of Arrowfield's Japanese shuttler Maurice (JPN) fetched AU$400,000; and a weanling by champion Australian sire Written Tycoon (AUS) sold for AU$300,000 at Oaklands Junction. A So You Think (NZ) filly also made AU$200,000 Friday, one of 10 weanlings across the two days to reach that mark. Juddmonte's Frankel also sired the Inglis record-breaking AU$875,000 filly who was sold on Thursday. Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch was pleased with how the market at the Great Southern sale, which saw AU$9.825 million ($6,623,033) change hands during the select weanling session at an average of AU$44,863 ($30,242). The clearance rate was 70%. "It was obvious from pre-sale inspections that we had some really nice weanlings here. We spoke before the sale about being confident that the top end of the market would be good and the fillies in particular," Hutch told ANZ Bloodstock News. "It is always exciting when you get a sale like this and find that the conformation of those lots who appeal to you on pedigree is consistent with what you would hope it to be. In the case of the Maurice filly, the Capitalist filly, the Frankel filly and the So You Think filly today, they were four very good weanling fillies and they sold abundantly well, so it's a great sign for the market from that point of view." As Hutch and his counterpart at Magic Millions, Barry Bowditch, have pointed out as the sales season has gone on, the year-on-year metrics are down, but not unexpectedly so, given the economic climate which on Tuesday saw the Reserve Bank of Australia increase interest rates for the 12th time in 13 months. "I think we have been spoiled over the last couple of years with the clearance rates being at the level that they have been," Hutch said. "Across the weanling sale series, for example, between Sydney and Melbourne we are going to turnover north of AU$22.8 million and, while it's not at the level we were at 12 months ago, it's not a long way off it. "The weanling part of this sale is going to turnover AU$9.8 million, it's a lot of money, particularly in a market that is primarily pinhooker driven and people are somewhat understandably looking towards next year's yearling sales without absolute clarity about the make and shape of what the market is going to be and that affects how they go about their bidding." Frankel Filly Irresistible for Yulong Yesterday's Frankel session-topper added to Yulong's association with the filly's family, having recently bought her dam on the Gold Coast. The filly is the third foal out of Murasaki (Dubawi (IRE)), a winner over 1,500 meters in France who was sold back in foal to Frankel for AU$500,000 at last month's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. The filly's breeder Darren Dance, who sold eight weanlings at the Great Southern Sale, was delighted with how his Melbourne offering panned out. "I've never been busier at a sale in terms of inspections, we were run off our feet and the right buyers were here and that turned into results in the ring. To sell eight from nine in the current market, I couldn't be happier," Dance said. "This Frankel filly, she's a very straightforward weanling, lovely type, she was so popular during the week, everybody who looked at her loved her and she sold accordingly." He added: "(Her price of AU$475,000) is really good money in any market and I think it helps that Frankel is probably the sire of the moment right now. "They've all been selling well, so we're delighted with the outcome.'' Yulong chief operating officer Sam Fairgray said: "Mr. Zhang loves Frankel as a stallion. He's a fantastic stallion and she's out of a Dubawi mare, that cross has been very, very good, so that was one of the attractions and she is a really neat filly, so we were pleased to add her to the team." The Frankel-Dubawi cross has produced 27 winners from 32 runners and boasts a 21% stakes winners-to-runners ratio, highlighted by Epsom Derby (G1) winner Adayar (IRE), Meydan group 1 winner Dream Castle (GB) and Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Homeless Songs (IRE). Unlike the two high-priced Frankel colts Yulong purchased at the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast for AU$925,000 and AU$725,000 respectively, Fairgray said the filly could be reoffered at a yearling sale next year. Veranskova Tops Mares Session at AU$510,000 The Great Southern Sale wrapped up with a broodmare session which was topped by the group 3-placed mare Veranskova (AUS) (Written Tycoon) who was bought by agent Andrew Williams for AU$510,000 on behalf of Peter Collier's Konj Pty Ltd. Trained by Cindy Alderson, who also sold the mare under the Alderson Racing banner, the rising 6-year-old Veranskova won four of her 13 starts and almost AU$300,000 in prize money. She is also a half sister to the stakes-placed Miss Vixen (AUS) (Foxwedge (AUS)). "She's a lovely strong mare, classy and purchased for Peter who is an existing long-term client and good friend,'' Williams said. "I thought she fitted in the four-to-five hundred (thousand dollars) range so we had to go a bit further than planned but we're thrilled to have got her. "It's been a great couple of days; Inglis has done a tremendous job in attracting some lovely well-bred fillies and quality colts here and it's been really strong, especially at the top.'' The broodmare session generated AU$2.125 million ($1,432,463) in turnover, with 27 mares selling at an average of AU$78,704 ($58,054) and a median of AU$40,000 ($26,964). The New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Weanling and Broodmare Sale will round out the Australasian season next Friday.