What’s a Horse Really Worth?

Tara Madgwick - Monday May 31

The difference between the price a horse makes as a yearling and then 12 months on when he’s found to be a limited racehorse was highlighted by an interesting winner at Port Macquarie on Monday.

Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle enjoyed immediate success with two year-old Fastnet Rock gelding Jet Pack, who was able to win a 1200m maiden beating older horses at his first start for his new trainer.

Jet Pack was a $325,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft for China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock/Stonestreet in 2020, but after two sub-standard runs for Peter and Paul Snowden he was re-offered in the 2021 Inglis Digital February (early) Online Sale where Nathan Doyle picked him up for $45,000.

Jet Pack made $325,000 as a yearling and 12 months later $45,000 as a tried horse.


His sale description was honest and accurate.

Description

Jet Pack is an attractive two-year-old gelding by Fastnet Rock and is a full brother to highly credentialed sprinter Kaepernick.

He has had two starts and has not shown the ownership group enough to keep proceeding with him. He has however trialled well in Sydney winning at the Randwick trials.

He is a horse that should improve given more time and will suit country racing.


While the yearling market is what drives service fees and creates demand for elite broodmares as we saw last week at the phenomenally successful Magic Millions Broodmare Sale, the digital sales are where the true worth of actual regular run of the mill racehorses is established.

Sold as weanlings and yearlings, thoroughbreds have the all important ‘dream’ intact, meaning the buyer MAY be taking home a champion racehorse or even better a future champion sire as all of these horses have never been ridden, but at the digital sales for tried horses, the dream element is gone leaving just the reality of a racehorse and what he can win.

Is it any wonder so many country trainers are active at the digital sales given you can pay a fair price for a known commodity, rather than paying overs for a dream.

Better to let the big investors chase the dream and swoop on the value coming out of the flip side.



 

Advertisment

Race Result - Barrier Signs Mdn Plate 1200m

Port Macquarie Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:12.72
1
Jet Pack
- 2g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Volcada (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Ashley Morgan 56.5
2
0.4
Bladnoch
- 4g All American (AUS) x Enthrall (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: G Middleton Rdr: L P Rolls 59
3
0.5
Two Gems
- 3f Real Impact (JPN) x The Look (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: Clayton Gallagher 57
4
1.6
Just Like Lisa
- 3f Choisir (AUS) x Princess Tyla (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: D I Atkins Rdr: C Lever 57
5
4.9
At Midnight
- 3f Zariz (AUS) x At Twilight (AUS) (Holy Roman Emperor (IRE))
Tnr: T & P Vigouroux Rdr: Ms M Weir 57
6
5.6
Flying Scotsman
- 3g Olympic Glory (IRE) x Paisley (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: T J Bartley Rdr: J Penza 59
7
6.7
Lysandra
- 4m Better Than Ready (AUS) x Zaripova (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: Joel & Wayne Wilkes Rdr: P Scorse 57
8
7.4
Onehero
- 3g Kaphero (AUS) x One Wink (AUS) (Perugino (USA))
Tnr: Joel & Wayne Wilkes Rdr: Ms L Day 59
9
8.0
Shades Of Frisco
- 3f Dane Shadow (AUS) x Lady Frisco (AUS) (Frisco View (USA))
Tnr: D & R Simonetta Rdr: Jayden Barrie 54
10
8.6
Broad Outlook
- 3g No Nay Never (USA) x Kissable (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: L J Fairhall Rdr: Ms S Clenton 59
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
Consistency Key On Day One of 2025 Breeze Ups
After the rescheduling of dates for NZB’s anticipated 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups, Day One kicked off on Monday at Te Rapa Racecourse with consistent times, weather and track conditions.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Melbourne Cup Next for UK Raider Onesmoothoperator
Winner of the Group III Geelong Cup last year at his first Australian appearance, UK trained stayer Onesmoothoperator (USA) had not won a race since then but was back in the winning groove last night take out the $750,000 Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).