Sells for $115,000 on day one on Sunday - the second highest price recorded at the sale.
The sole offering in the sale by Newgate Farm's leading first season sire Capitalist (Written Tycoon) topped the first day of the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale on Sunday when bought for $115,000 by Andrew Lafontaine and Peter Macvean from the draft of Ponderosa Park.
Catalogued as Lot 160, the colt is the first foal out of Group Three placed Sebring (More Than Ready) mare Chateau Griffo who is herself a daughter of the stakes placed Moulin Rouge (Commands). The colt will trained at Moe by Craig Blackshaw.
Lafontaine and Macvean have been racing horses together for more than 15 years.
"He's by Capitalist, out of a Stakes-placed mare, he's a cracking type with a nice page so we're really pumped to be taking him home,'' Lafontaine said.
"We've been racing horses with Craig for a few years now and have given him some cheapies but we wanted to give him a proper horse and we think this is the one.
"We came here wanting to buy one of the best horses in the sale, we had a few on our list and our limit was $100,000 but we basically knew that we would need to dig a bit deeper to get our hands on a Capitalist colt, so we did and we're pretty happy we did!
"Capitalist can do no wrong, he's going from strength to strength so hopefully this colt can add to that in years to come.''
Ponderosa Park sold two yearlings on Sunday and the farm's Paul Kelly said that the Capitalist colt had exceeded expectations.
"We're very happy with the price, he was on the market early enough for trainers to get on him and we'd hoped he'd roll up toward the $100,000 mark but never did we think it would exceed that, let alone reach $115,000 so we're thrilled,'' Kelly said.
"He'd be the best horse we've ever put through a yearling sale…he grabbed everyone's attention and it was a great bidding battle with 360 Bloodstock the underbidder.
"Full credit needs to go to the staff at the farm, they do a great job and have done so especially with this colt and we can't wait to get back here tomorrow where we have four more to offer, including a beautiful Merchant Navy filly.''
Capitalist stood his first three seasons at Newgate Farm for a fee of $55,000 (inc GST) and this year 106 yearlings by the sire have sold at auction for a total of $20,899,000, at an average of $197,160 and median of $120,000. The top price of $1,050,000 came at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for a son of the sire and the highest price for a filly was $720,000.
Two further lots sold for $100,000, the first of these being a filly by Vinery Stud's All Too Hard (Casino Prince) who was bought by John Sadler from the draft of Blue Gum Farm. Offered as Lot 33, the filly is the seventh foal out of winning mare Savsenga (Reset) who has produced three winners to date including the John Sadler-trained juvenile Starry Legend (Zoustar) who has won two of his three career starts to date.
The filly's third dam meanwhile is multiple Group One winner Intrepidity (Sadler's Wells).
"We've got a very healthy opinion of Starry Legend and if he goes on to do what I think he's capable of doing in the spring or next autumn, he really could enhance this filly's page,'' Sadler said.
"I really liked this filly as well, she's going to be a lovely addition to the stable.
"I'd say she'd be up and running by this time next year and hopefully she can go on and make a name for herself in her own right, which I certainly think she can.''
Blue Gum's Phil Campbell – who enjoyed a 100 per cent clearance rate today from 12 yearlings offered – added: "She's a nice running type of filly, a particularly good mover and I think they'll have plenty of fun with her.
"We're tickled pink with the sale, we sold her for a good client Phil Wilton and she's been raised on the farm all the way along.
"We're very happy with what's been achieved so far and tomorrow looks to be another strong day too.''
Later on in the day Mark Cook and Rod Scott went to $100,000 to secure a colt by Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (High Chaparral). Catalogued as Lot 140, the colt is out of the unraced mare Bluegrass Danni (Danetime) who has produced five winners to date and is herself a sister to multiple Group 2 winner Marasco (Scenic).
The colt was offered by Bombora Downs and Christoph Bruechert said that the breeder, Raymond More, was thrilled with the result.
"Raymond is thrilled, he's so excited, we're all very happy with that,'' Bruechert said.
"He sold very well. For such a strong horse he moves quite lightly and I think that's what attracted people to him.''
The colt was purchased by long-time friends Mark Cook and Rod Scott, who met at Inglis' former complex at Newmarket more than 20 years ago.
Scott, who is based on the mid North Coast, said: "We're delighted to get him. I wasn't planning on spending that much but sometimes you've just got to go with your instinct.
"He developed so well even here on the complex, even from Thursday to this morning he just kept getting better. Mark is a great judge, it's great working alongside him so hopefully we have some fun with this colt.''
Overall on Sunday, 121 of the 151 lots offered were sold for a clearance rate of 80 per cent. The aggregate sat at $2,297,250 while the average was $18,986 and median was $11,000.
The 2020 renewal was held in July and saw 178 of the 248 lots offered sold with the aggregate sitting at $2,647,900 and average at $14,876 and median of $10,000.
The second and final day of the sale will run on Monday.
