In what was yet another big result for the Inglis team, New Zealand's champion 2-year-old of the 2023-24 season—Velocious—sold for a seven-figure sum July 30 in the Inglis July (Late) Online Sale.
Sold by Albert Bosma's syndicate Go Racing, the 3-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon was bought by her sire's owners Yulong—who signed off the purchase for AU$1,625,000 (US$1,044,851, US$1=AU$0.64) as Walnut Farm.
Having won her opening two starts as a juvenile, including the Counties Challenge Stakes, Velocious went on to claim her champion title with further victories in the AU$1 million Karaka Millions 2-Year-Olds and Sistema Stakes (G1)—ending her juvenile campaign with four wins from just six outings to claim the New Zealand champion 2-year-old title.
However, returning as a 3-year-old, the filly would not reach the heights of her juvenile days as she produced down-the-field efforts in both the Gold Trail Stakes (G3) and Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (G3).
"She's a really good-looking filly, so we've got to thank Albert Bosma, Matt Allnutt (Go Racing manager), and the team (at Go Racing) for giving us the opportunity to sell her," Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch told ANZ News.
"I suppose from their point of view, her racing career has probably ended a little prematurely. She was a fantastic champion 2-year-old in New Zealand and I guess they'd have hoped she could've raced for a little while longer but it wasn't to be, and so after they're looking to maximize their value with the filly at the appropriate time and they thought Inglis Digital was the right way to do that and it's worked out incredibly well."
Originally purchased by Go Racing for NZ$190,000 from the Inglewood Stud draft at Book 1 of the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, Velocious would go on to earn US$598,093 from her six wins and a placing in 13 starts and Hutch revealed her sale price of AU$1,625,000 Wednesday was well above the reserve.
"The final result was actually a long, long way above what the reserve was on the filly which is an illustration of the nature of the competition and it's also further illustration, if it was needed, that the demand for quality bloodstock in Australia remains strong," Hutch said.
Yulong's chief operating officer Sam Fairgray revealed that Velocious was likely to visit Yulong's new shuttle stallion, 2024 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner More Than Looks , for her first mating. It is not the first time Yulong has invested in the family with the operation having acquired Velocious' dam Parmalove for AU$730,000 on Inglis Digital last year.
"Actually Mr. Zhang has followed her for a few months now to see what was happening with her and when she finally came onto the market he was very keen to explore those options,'' Fairgray said.
"I think she'll likely visit More Than Looks, it appears to be a really nice mating there."
Wednesday's second-top lot was the group 2-placed broodmare Comica—offered in foal to Ole Kirk—who sold to Two Bays Farm for AU$220,000. The 7-year-old was offered by Merton Creek Thoroughbreds.
In total, five lots realized six figures in the July (Late) Sale—Velocious, Comica, Royal Mule (AU$200,000), Wild Belle (AU$155,000), and Express Yo'self (AU$100,000)—helping its gross reach AU$4,849,350 (US$3,118,053).
