Sydney trainer Gerald Ryan bought the first seven figure yearling on the final day of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale at Newmarket on Thursday.
Ryan paid $1.3 million for a bay colt by Fastnet Rock out of Gimcrack Stakes winner Defiant Dame on behalf of American buyers. The yearling was sold on the account of Coolmore and went through the ring as lot 403.
Defiant Dame is the half-sister to former smart sprinter Hidden Warrior, himself a Group III winner.
The colt was the seventh $1 million plus yearling sold in the past three days. The $1.6 million paid for lot 147 – a colt by Fastnet Rock out of Perfect Persuasion, purchased by the Queen’s Bloodstock agent John Warren remains the top lot of the sale.
William Inglis managing director Mark Webster said the pleasing part of the sale was the strong middle market.
“The middle market was very strong,” he said.
“I still think the top of the market was quite good as well. The number of yearlings making a million or more compared to other sales in the region is still well ahead of what everyone else can do.
“The other thing is we are not relying on any one buyer. The buying bench has been quite diverse with a couple of big buys for the Middle East, but we have had Americans, Hong Kong, Chris Waller buying, Gai Waterhouse, Peter Moody, Gerald Ryan and some syndicators have been able to buy as well.”
Fastnet Rock was the leading stallion in the sale with 41 yearlings sold for an average of $300,000.
Summary
437 lots were catalogued for sale with 44 lots withdrawn. 328 lots were sold at a clearance rate of 83%. Gross amount for the sale was $82,942,500 at an average of $252,873 and a median price of $190,000. The top lot (Lot 149) was sold for $1,600,000.
By Owens Wong
