2021 Catalogue released by Grant Morgan The Inglis Classic Sale has been a remarkable source of high-class horses for OnTrack and my clients. With the 2021 catalogue now available online, focus begins to turn to countless hours of research to unearth the next Brazen Beau or Savanna Amour. I’m looking forward to returning to the Riverside Sales Complex at Warwick Farm next February. It’s a remarkable complex with all the bells and whistles. I must admit to being sentimental. I’ll always miss the old Newmarket complex which holds so many fond memories for me. Since 2013, I’ve purchased just 12 yearlings from the Inglis Classic Sale. This isn’t a terribly large number. I very much consider myself as a small player and I think that gives me an advantage in some ways. But numbers don’t lie in this game. It’s been an incredible sale for me and I’m looking forward to growing my results in 2021. Highlight lots of the 12 yearlings purchased by Grant Morgan at the Inglis Classic Sale since 2013: BRAZEN BEAU (Inglis Classic 2013 - $70,000)
INVINCIBLE HEART (Inglis Classic 2014 - $56,000)
SAVANNA AMOUR (Inglis Classic 2015 - $100,000)
TEST THE WORLD (Inglis Classic 2015 - $40,000)
IMPREGNABLE (Inglis Classic 2015 - $40,000)
DREAM MASTER (Inglis Classic 2015 - $60,000)
BARODA (Inglis Classic 2018 - $150,000)
The 2021 Inglis Classic Sale features 803 lots which will be sold over three days 7-9 February at the Riverside Sales Complex at Warwick Farm. 21 new stallions represented at Gold Coast by Grant Morgan An interesting group of first season sires will be represented with their first yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale in January 2021. In terms of numbers, Hellbent (39 lots), Russian Revolution (35 lots), Pariah (28 lots) and Merchant Navy (25 lots) will be prominent players. Yarraman Park’s Hellbent sets out to emulate the deeds of his barnmate father I Am Invincible. Unlike his dad, Hellbent was a winner up to Group 1 level after collecting the William Reid Stakes at his final start. Whilst I Am Invincible was a winner up to only Group 2 level, a CV lacking a Group 1 win has been no hindrance to a glittering stud career of rags to riches. “Vinnie” will be represented by 55 yearlings at the Gold Coast sale and looks almost certain to provide the sales topper. The Danehill sireline will continue its strong foothold with new representatives by Redoute’s Choice, Fastnet Rock and Sntizel joining the fold. Newgate Farm’s Russian Revolution (by Snitzel) is sure to be well sort after. Standing off a $44,000 service fee, Russian Revolution has covered huge books of mares with 226 and 224 covers in his first two seasons. Arrowfield Stud's Pariah (by Redoute’s Choice) comes off a lower fee base of $16,500 and covered 143 and 100 mares in his first two seasons. Merchant Navy (by Fastnet Rock) covered a massive first season book of 247 mares at Coolmore Stud. Merchant Navy is the only dual hemisphere Group 1 winner having captured the prestigious sprint double of the Coolmore Stakes (1200m) at Flemington and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot. The full list of first season sires at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale is:
Gold Coast sale grows in 2021 by Grant Morgan Already mammoth in size, the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale in January 2021 will be staged over a marathon 7 days, following the release of the online sale catalogue. The 2021 catalogue features 1273 yearlings in book 1 and book 2, with a further group of yearlings to be offered in book 3. Book 1 yearlings will commence selling on Tuesday 12 January, culminating on Saturday 16 January (5 days of selling). This represents an increase of 1 day of book one selling, with the book 1 sale previously held over 4 days with a traditional Wednesday start. Book 2 yearlings will be sold on both Sunday 17 January and Monday 18 January (2 days of selling). This doubles the selling days of book 2 from 1 to 2 days. In terms of numbers, the 2020 catalogue of book 1 and book 2 totalled 1065 yearlings, so basically we are seeing a further 200 yearlings added to the sale over two additional selling days. It would seem both Magic Millions and vendors alike are keen to get in early for 2021 in what has been a very turbulent 2020.
Whilst the three sales companies have done a wonderful job of completing sales with the assistance of online auctions, they will never completely replace the full value of a traditional live sale. Magic Millions, William Inglis & Son and New Zealand Bloodstock will each be very eager to welcome live buying benches to each of their sales for 2021. William Inglis & Son will conduct its Classic Sale at their Warwick Farm headquarters over three days (7-9 February, 2021). New Zealand Bloodstock is set to stage its annual yearling sale series at Karaka (Book 1 – 24, 26 January 2021) and (Book 2 – 27-28, January 2021). First yearlings selling in 2021 for Cambridge Stud stallion by Grant Morgan Almanzor (FR) has big shoes to fill when attempting to match the deeds of Cambridge Stud stallions of the past. Sir Tristram (IRE) and son Zabeel (NZ) broke all records between them when in residence under previous Cambridge owner, Sir Patrick Hogan. Now with new ownership and management, Cambridge is looking to regain its foothold in the Australasian stallion market with Almanzor leading the charge. Still New Zealand owned by Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the Cambridge team is now headed by former Godolphin Australia boss Henry Plumptre. With his first Southern hemisphere yearlings selling in 2021, Almanzor has been well touted by many as being a big chance to make it in the South, and also the North. Alamanzor is a son of Wootton Bassett (GB), a name not all that familiar to Kiwi or Aussie racing enthusiasts. It may pay to take notice of him now. Wootton Bassett was recently acquired by Coolmore and will stand the coming Northern Hemisphere season in Ireland at a fee of 100,000 pounds (more than 190,000 in Kiwi dollars). Named after the UK township near the Lambourn training centre, Wootton Bassett the sire has achieved massive results off low service fees in nine seasons at his former French home of Haras d’Etreham in Normandy. A son of former Kiwi shuttler Ifraaj, Wootton Bassett started at 6,000 euros and rose to 40,000 euros at his peak in France. Wootton Bassett is the sire of 14 stakes winners and 12 more stakes performers including Group 1 winners Audarya, Wooded and his principal performer, Almanzor. Almanzor was champion 3yo colt in Europe in 2016 with Group 1 victories in the Prix du Jockey Club (2100m) at Chantilly, Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) at Leopardstown and the Champion Stakes (2000m) at Ascot. In all Almanzor won 8 races from 11 starts, which included 3 victories at two headed by the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux (1600m). Standing at 16.1 ½ hand high, Almanzor is certainly an imposing individual who oozes quality. Some of New Zealand’s best mares have been sent to Almanzor and the majority of these will be available at Australasian sales rings in 2021. No doubt he will be most heavily represented in the New Zealand Bloodstock ring at Karaka, with the company’s annual yearling sale set to be staged from 24-28 January, 2021. Almanzor stands at Cambridge Stud in 2020 for NZ $30,000. Guthman-Chester shines at the Gold Coast Lightly raced five year-old Senrima Tide has strung together back to back victories thanks to another polished display by underrated young Gold Coast jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester. Ontrack Thoroughbred’s Grant Morgan was quick to heap praise on the talented young rider. “We are very fortunate to be able to use Jag here at the Gold Coast. I think he is very underrated,” said Morgan. “If he wanted too I’m certain he could become the dominant rider here at the Gold Coast and fill the void left by Dan Griffin. “But he’s also got the talent to be successful in the City. But whilst he is available at the Gold Coast on a Saturday I think you would be mad not to book him.” After scoring at his last two runs at the Gold Coast over 1400m, the son of Ocean Park has now won 4 of 18 starts. Senrima Tide is prepared by John & Chris Meagher from their Eagle Farm stable which is managed by experienced horseman Andrew Kermond. The slightly built Senrima Tide will now be rewarded with a short break in the paddock at Kilto Park. “We’ve used Kilto to freshen horses before mid prep and it’s worked very well,” said Ontrack’s Grant Morgan. “We achieved great results with Cymbalism who was a lightly framed mare that the stable turned around. Cymbalism concluded her career with a stakes placing before being sold for good money as a broodmare” “He’s enjoying his racing now and full credit must go to Team Meagher for getting him back in form and feeling good,” said Morgan. Ocean Park has gradually built up a strong foothold in the New Zealand stallion ranks since entering stud. Standing at famed Kiwi nursery Waikato Stud, Ocean Park is the sire of Group 1 winners Kolding and Tofane, along with Group winners Oceanex, Another Dollar, Star of The Seas and Out of The Park. Senrima Tide is a member of Ocean Park’s first crop which arrived in 2014. More 'Horse & Wine' planned for Australasia Bookings are now open for our very popular 'Horse & Wine Tours' to the Hunter Valley for 2021. A second Hunter Valley tour has been added to our regular roster. The first Hunter Valley Tour in 2021 will be conducted in the Autumn, Sunday 18 April – Thursday 22 April 2021 (4 nights). The regular Hunter Valley Tour conducted during the Spring has been confirmed for Sunday 10 October – Thursday 14 October 2021 (4 nights). The Hunter Valley Horse and Wine Tour has been a fixture on the OnTrack calendar of events for the past 15 years. Ontrack managing director Grant Morgan said that he expects demand for high quality tours within Australasia to increase significantly in 2021 and beyond. “Our tours to both the Hunter Valley and New Zealand have always booked out and been incredibly popular,” said Grant Morgan. “With COVID changing the way we all travel, I expect that demand to grow significantly. “With our Royal Ascot and Hong Kong tours on hold for the foreseeable future, our focus on our Australasian tours will increase. In anticipation of an Australian/New Zealand travel bubble, Ontrack has also scheduled two tours to New Zealand for 2021. The first New Zealand tour has been scheduled to co-incide with the Group 1 New Zealand Derby meeting at Ellerslie. This tour will be staged Thursday 4 March – Tuesday 9 March 2021 (5 nights). The regular Spring tour of New Zealand has been confirmed, Thursday 25 November – Tuesday 30 November 2021 (5 nights). Each of the 2021 OnTrack Hunter Valley and New Zealand Tours will be limited to just 20 guests. Bookings are now being taken for each of the tours. Visit www.ontrackracingtours.com for more information. |
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