b4breeding

Buyers gave a very clear signal they are willing to pay for quality racing colts. When the stars aligned – nice type, proven sire, good performing family – the prices were much better and more consistent across the middle range than we have seen for years. The middle range appears (haven’t done the maths yet) to have beefed up especially in the $30-40,000 range, which is what was missing previously.

Some very high prices will capture the limelight, but a strong middle market is what caught my eye.

The downside is that fillies again were heavily discounted (although there were some notable exceptions, and I think the fillies average price will also come up quite a bit). But you know how sceptical I am about “averages” and what they tell us, so I will do my own analysis.

Newer sires were hardly present, and those that were had an uphill battle.  A beautiful very big filly by Big Jim (Lot 128) went for just $7000 – all she needs is time.

A Gotta Go Cullect colt out of a Bettor’s Delight mare (Lot 22) from a decent family went for $15,000 – the Bettor’s Delight damsire factor not helping enough to overcome the view of Gotta Go Cullect as a “cheapy” sire.

The Tintin In America filly (Lot 80) was passed in at $7000, but had a highish reserve on her and Leanne Edwards was quite keen to take her home and try her out. (Just an aside: The Tintin filly in the Brisbane sale went for $19,000).

Changeover had a colt and a filly in the sale – the colt sold for $20,000 and the filly passed in a $6000.

The Sportswriter colt (Lot 7) from a 2 win mare was sold for $20,000 – very hard to get a line on how he is being received until after the Christchurch sale.

Rock N Roll Heaven’s colt (Lot 50) went for just $22,000, and his filly (Lot 110) could hardly get a bid, although buyers know the Highfields Bloodstock team will have a high reserve on all their fillies, so may not bother bidding.

As always, breeders will do the hard yards and take the knocks until newer sires are more proven, but even in the case of a sire who is showing up well (like Changeover) it is clear that buyers and the Austalasian Classic Sale in Auckland are not interested in paying higher unless the sire proven and regarded as among the elite ones or a filly is from one of the top families.

There will always be exceptions, as my Real Desire colt showed last year when he sold so well. But they will be few and far between.

The sale has again, I guess, found its niche.