Murrulla Stud capped off "the week of a lifetime'' when an Unencumbered colt they offered topped today's inaugural Highway Session at Riverside Stables.
Peter Twomey's Wattle Bloodstock was the winning bidder on the Unencumbered x Malbun colt (lot 921), purchasing him for Thomas Loke's Tivic Stable in Singapore.
The colt was a successful pinhook result for owner Leon Bradbery, who purchased him as a weanling for $14,000 from last year's Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale.
For Nolan, whose Murrulla Stud also offered the Classic Book 1 sale-topper (lot 609, Brazen Beau x Pouter colt for $550,000), today's result was another reason to celebrate.
"It was big enough to top Book 1 but to do it again in Book 2 with this horse, to top both books, we've never done anything like that before in our lives,'' Nolan said.
"It's massive for the farm.
"To reach $85,000 in this Highway Session is a pretty solid effort I would have thought.''
The colt (pictured) will head to Wagga Wagga to be broken in by Trevor Sutherland before likely racing in Singapore.
"We've had some success buying superior types from Book 2 in the past and given the stable's current superstar Bold Thruster was from the Melbourne Premier Book 2 two years ago, we wanted to target this Highway Session today,'' Twomey said.
"The stable has had a lot of luck with Inglis horses in the past, Thomas loves his racing and after being broken in, if forward enough, the colt will head to Singapore around this time next year to aim toward the AusHorse Golden Horseshoe Series.''
Today's second-top lot – offered by Evergreen Stud and purchased by Blueblood Thoroughbreds – was lot 970, a Dundeel x Replacement Miss filly, which sold for $75,000.
The equal-third top lots were a pair of colts in lot 987 (Press Statement x Sin Sin Sin colt) from Kitchwin Hills and lot 867 (Duporth x Elysian Dancer) from Toolooganvale Farm, who both reached $70,000.
The Sin Sin Sin colt was purchased by Goulburn trainer Kurt Goldman, who used the $50,000 Inglis Credit Voucher he won yesterday when his Magic Albert 4YO Safe Landing won the Inglis Country Highway at Warwick Farm.
Today's inaugural Highway Session ended with a clearance rate of 85%, average of $25,264 and gross of $3,638,000, taking the entire Classic Sale gross to $49,031,250.
Overall this week 741 horses were sold at a clearance rate of 83%, statistics that pleased Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster.
"An 83% clearance figure is typical of a Select Yearling Sale and while we're looking to better ourselves and achieve greater results for our clients, I am satisfied with that figure, especially given the bigger catalogue,'' Webster said.
"The diversity of the buying bench was greater than ever before. We all appreciate everyone had to work hard at different points of the sale but I feel overall it's been a very successful week.''
To enquire about any Passed In Lot from the Classic Yearling Sale, contact Matt Scown on 0481 989 661.
To view our Day 4 Facebook Live wrap,CLICK HERE.
To view our Inglis TV story on the first-time breeders who sold one of today's top lots,CLICK HERE.
Buyers' attention now turns to Melbourne for the Premier Yearling Sale – which produced four Group 1 winners in 2018 - to be held at Oaklands Junction from March 3-6.
On-site inspections begin Monday February 25.
To view the catalogue,CLICK HERE.
2019 CLASSIC YEARLING SALE STATISTICS - BOOK 1
*Lots Sold:** 599
Clearance Rate:83%
Average Price:$75,782
Median Price:$52,500
Top Price:$550,000
Gross:$45,393,250
HIGHWAY SESSION
Lots Sold:144
Clearance Rate:85%
Average Price:$25,264
Median Price:$22,000
Top Price:$85,000
Gross:$3,638,000
