Colt fetches $67,500 in solid Rockhampton sale

Of the 72 youngsters to sell, 68 were purchased by Queensland-based buyers according to the Magic Millions Group which conducted the auction.

The remaining four, MM said, were sold to NSW buyers.

The sale, held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds, grossed $1,452,000 to return an average of $20,167 with a top price of $67,500 and a median of $20,000.

One hundred and one yearlings had been catalogued for sale but 16 were withdrawn beforehand and another 13 were passed in.

Rockhampton Jockey Club CEO Tony Fenlon signed for the top priced lot, a colt by Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock-Myrrh) offered by the Raheen Stud, Darling Downs.

The seventh foal of the unraced English Summer, Fenlon's colt is a half-brother to five winners including Rocket To Glory, the Shovhog horse good enough to win 14 races and more than $850,000 in prize money.

Fenlon thought the son of Heroic Valour, a winner at Group 1 standard in New Zealand, was the pick of the catalogue.

"He was a standout individual and looks like an early two-year-old," he said.

Fenlon, who plans to syndicate the colt among close friends, said Tom Smith would train the youngster.

The top six lots in terms of price were - Lot 87 Heroic Valour-English Summer ($67,500), Lot 88 Divine Prophet-Fadetta ($55,000), Lot 32 Kobayashi-Portland Place ($52,000), Lot 8 Sizzling-La Segreta ($40,000), Lot 7 Better Than Ready-Kiss Me All Over ($40,000) and Lot 28 Heroic Valour-Outlandish ($38,000).

Clinton Taylor Racing led the buying bench, outlaying $110,000 for three lots including the second dearest offering, a daughter of the Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet and Fadetta, for $55,000.

CTR also bought a filly by Winning Rupert for $32,500 and a daughter of Heroic Valour for $22,500. Both were sold by Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema.

Archer Park Racing P/L ($67,000) and Pavel Cheimardinov ($45,000) also signed for three yearlings apiece.

Heroic Valour (eight lots for $232,000), Better Than Ready (seven for $151,000), Kobayashi (three for $79,500), Power (four for $78,000) and Whittington (five for $75,000) were the leading sires.

Basil Nolan's Raheen Stud stood at the head of the vendors list with 14 yearlings selling for an aggregate of $343,000 to return an average of $24,536.

Kenmore Lodge was next best with seven yearlings fetching $203,000 (av $29,000) and Oaklands Stud, Darling Downs, sold eight for $156,000 (av $19,500).

The graduates of the sale will be eligible to contest the Capricorna Yearling Sales Classic at Callaghan Park in 2022.