Concorde Park - Last APG Sale

25th February, 2008

At $41,000, a Blissfull Hall half-brother to champion millionaire, Lombo Pocket Watch, topped the inaugural sale of Lombo Standardbreds yearlings at Concorde Park, Shepparton, last Sunday.

The colt, late in the catalogue of colts and fillies, has joined the local stable of Geoff 'Marto' Martin, for Tracey Hogan.

"Although a December foal, he was a splendid colt, correct and beautifully presented," Martin said.

The sale averaged just under $12,000, and only six lots were retained by the vendors, of which two were sold after the auction.

"It was a genuine reduction sale, in keeping with the express instructions of the vendors," Peter Bourke said.

Mr Bourke is the chairman of Australian Pacing Gold, the selling agents.

After a slowish start - so often the case at sales - frequent bids of $20,000 were offered and accepted.

Local trainers John 'Bulldog' Nicholson and Tony Peacock were active, with each buying two $20,000-plus lots.

Nicholson vigorously sought a Modern Art-Mary Mazzini colt ($20,000) and a Northern Luck-Espeshlimade Lombo filly ($37,000), the top priced female.

Peacock went to $26,000 for a Blissfull Hall-Lady Lara Lombo colt and to $24,000 for anther Blissfull Hall colt, from Lady Titian Lombo.

Sydney's champion trainer successfully bid $32,000 for a Modern Art colt from Lady Casey Lombo.

Another Sydneysider, Andrew Grover, a virtual newcomer to the industry, paid $28,000 for a Jennas Beach Boy from Lombo Silhouette, both to join the Shepparton stables of Daniel Jack.

A large crowd attended the sale, the last Australian Pacing Gold yearling auction of this year.

Large Increase in Sydney Gold Average

19th February, 2008

In keeping with the Australian Pacing Gold yearling sales average increases this year, the Sydney Gold sale last Sunday featured a massive 23 per cent increase on average.

This follows the 24 per cent increase in Brisbane a week earlier, and the 20 per cent rise in this year's Melbourne auction.

The 179 Sydney lots, from a catalogue of 213, averaged $15,086, with many of the draft going interstate. The 175 pacing lots averaged $15,274 (up by 24%), while the 4 trotting lots averaged $6,875 (up by 29%).

The sale, at the Inglis complex at Randwick, followed a yearling parade the previous day.

Sydney businessman Andrew Grover paid $75,000 for the top-priced lot, a filly by the in-demand first-season import, Art Major, from Her Sparky Self, a 1:58.8 mare who earned more than $221,000.

Mr Grover, a newcomer in the field of ownership, is a client of rookie Victorian trainer, Daniel Jack, who will also prepare his $45,000 Art Major filly from New South Wales Oaks winner, Scent.

Big-name Victorian trainer Peter Tonkin went to $72,500 for an Art Major filly from Come Together.

Other big-spending Victorians included Trent Bromley, John Caldow, Jayne Davies, Andrew Gath, Gavin Lang, David Murphy, 'Bulldog' Nicholson, Freddy Taiba, Sean Triplett and Warwick Stud.

Queensland trainer Luke McCarthy will prepare the two lots bought by his partner, Belinda Lamb - Art Major-Left For Me colt ($38,000) and Life Sign-Benevolent colt ($32,000).

Other Sunshine Staters who were active include Shane Graham, Tony Price, Vicki Rasmussen and Ricky Thurlow.

Substantial purchases were also made by Ray Cahill, Daniel Cordina, Glen Messenger, R.E.D. Harness Racing, Shane Grice, and the Zumbo Stables.

Stringent bio-security procedures were in place before-and-after the sale, but despite this, the mood was upbeat from the large crowd.

Established and first-time vendors were impressed with the conduct of the sale, and their results.

This was the first Gold sale for Roger Bazley, who sold elsewhere last year.

"I got more than I wanted for my offerings," he said. "The roll-up was good, many old faces among the new ones, and I can't fault the organisation."

John Gibson, whose family's Success Stud at Young was represented by both led-in champions at the Saturday parade, said the sale was a triumph for the local standardbred industry.

"Despite a number of unavoidable obstacles, this was a great sale, and speaks volumes for the future of the New South Wales racing-and-breeding industries," Mr Gibson said.

"For us, it was a wonderful result, and it was good to see so many smiling faces at the end of the day."

Wayne Lamb, who conducts Golden Gait Stud at Canowindra, said his family's stock sold well.

"I guess it's always a good sale if you do well, which we did, but it was pleasing to see an increase in average and the great promotion of the sale rewarded with so many first-time buyers, as well as a big roll-up from interstate," he said.

Prominent owner, Rob Nalder, a Board member of Harness Racing New South Wales and the NSW Breeders & Studmasters Association, said the considerable interest from people who live outside this State proved the strength of NSW broodmares and maternal families.

"Full credit to the vendors, for turning their young horses out in such immaculate condition," he said. "Times sure have changed, and for the better!"

The final Australian Pacing Gold sale for 2008 will be held this Sunday at Concorde Park, Shepparton, from 2pm, with an outstanding catalogue of potential stars consigned by Lombo Standardbreds.

Full results of the Sydney Sale are available on the APG website at www.apgold.com.au.

APG – Brisbane Sale Average Up By 24.2%

11th February, 2008

The Brisbane leg of the Australian Pacing Gold sales took place at Gatton on Sunday, with 58 yearlings going under the hammer.

Queensland buyers came out in force to support the sale, resulting in some spirited bidding which saw the sales average skyrocket by 24.2% to $9,293.

Six of the 58 lots to go through the ring fetched $20,000 or higher, with the sales topper being a P B Bullville colt out of Down The Catwalk, which was purchased by Dotcom Internet P/L for $36,000. Consigned by Burns Bloodstock, the colt is a full brother to the eight time winner, Citicat, and is a half brother to a further four winners, including three in 1:58.

Jeroen Nieuwenburg was also active in the bidding ring, picking up three of the day’s top lots, including:

• A Rustler Hanover colt out of Miraculous Miss for $30,000. The first foal of his Presidential Ball dam, the foal is closely related to a host of top performers, including Maximillion, Masterson and Sand Pebbles;
• An Art Major filly out of Under Privileged for $27,000. Earlier in the day, this filly had received the prestigious Stan Fyfe Memorial Award for the best presented filly; and
• A Village Jasper colt out of Never Home Candy for $21,000. This colt is a half-brother to the $135,000 earner, Who Said What.
• Other top lots included a Lotsa Clout Colt out of Armarella that was sold to Gary Bond for $21,000 and an Elsu colt out of Vogue Franco that was purchased by Luke McCarthy for $20,000.

APG’s General Manager, David Boydell, was delighted with the result.

"I really have to thank both the vendors and the buyers for the way they embraced the sale. Bio-security requirements forced a last-minute change of venue, but everyone just seemed to take it in their stride," said Mr Boydell.

"Hopefully the 24.2% increase in average prices was seen as some reward for all the vendors who worked so hard to get their yearlings ready for the sales, despite all the uncertainty and added work brought about by Equine Influenza."

"It’s also very promising from an industry perspective that so many buyers were looking to purchase the quality lots that were on offer. It shows that people believe that the EI crisis is almost a thing of the past and are looking to the future."

Full results of the Brisbane Sale are available on the APG website at www.apgold.com.au