A filly by Strategic topped the sixth and final session of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Tuesday. Later in the afternoon the Sydney winner Embarrassed topped the National Racehorse Sale.

The top seller, Lot 959, was purchased by local Dayle Grieves, was presented at the sale by Lyndhurst Stud Farm and is a half sister to the Sydney winner Raqas.

Three other yearlings sold for $20,000 or more helping the final yearling sale gross over $420,000 at an average price of $5,649 with a strong clearance rate of 84 percent.

The attention then swung to the Racehorse Sale where over $650,000 was traded on 50 lots sold at an average price of $9,375. All but two of the 52 lots were sold helping return an outstanding clearance rate of 96 per cent.

The Racehorse Sale was highlighted by a quality draft from Darley - their consignment supplying seven of the top eight prices for the afternoon. Sydney winner Embarrassed, a gelding by Exceed and Excel, topped the Racehorse Sale when purchased by WA based buyer Kim Loxton for $57,000. Lonhro filly Joyeux was the second top seller - purchased by Jane Henning for $38,000.

“It’s been a big week of selling on the Gold Coast and the entire sale has been a great success,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said. ”As was the case over the first five sessions of the yearling sale, it was really pleasing to see the clearance rate for both sessions today so strong.”

“The Racehorse Sale later this afternoon was quite strong with buyers from around the country competing for a lovely line up of top prospects,” Cox added.

European-based Darley stallion Kheleyf (Green Desert - Society Lady, by Mr Prospector) earned his first Australian winner when Praise Be (Kheleyf - Grateful Thanks, by Bering) won the Richmond Club Handicap (2000m) at Hawkesbury.

Praise Be started his career in Ireland before clients of the Chris Waller stable purchased the mare to race in Australia. The four-year-old recorded a comfortable 2-1/2 length win to record her first win from seven starts for the Rosehill stable.

Kheleyf won the Group 3 Jersey Stakes (7f) in the UK in 2004. The stallion has produced stakes winners in France, Britain, Ireland, Italy and the US.

The local Darley sires produced four winners of their own on a profitable day. Elusive Quality (Gone West - Touch Of Greatness, by Hero’s Honor) sired the first winner for dual Group 1 winner Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice - Attire, by Wild Again) when Turn On Sixpence (Elusive Quality - Fashions Afield, by Redoute’s Choice) won the Aruze Gaming Maiden (1000m) at Hawkesbury.

Darley veteran Canny Lad (Bletchingly - Jesmond Lass, by Lunchtime) got on the board when Ever The Same (Canny Lad - Jamil, by Giant’s Causeway) won the Aristocrat Maiden (1300m). Bound To Blush (Strategic - Run For Roses, by Danehill) claimed the Hawkesbury Living Handicap (1200m) while Taxee (Street Cry - Helaura Miss, by Helissio) completed Darley’s winning day in the Harris Scarfe Maiden (1200m) at Ballarat.

A maiden win for a half-sister to one of Australia’s best-loved racehorses provided young Darley sire Dubawi (Dubai Millennium - Zomaradah, by Deploy) with his 11^th success of the season at Sale on Tuesday.

Dubawi’s Daughter (Dubawi - Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road) is a half-sister to the 2007/08 Australian Champion Sprinter Apache Cat (Lion Cavern - Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road). Apache Cat’s distinctive facial markings and boundless bravery endeared him to Australia’s racing public during his 19-win career.

Dubawi’s Daughter won the Mitre 10 Australia Maiden Plate (1424m) to begin a Darley domination of the Sale meeting. Darley’s sires won four of the eight races on the card at the Victorian meeting.

The Anthony Freedman stable produced Sabres (Elusive Quality - Duel At Daybreak, by Dayjur) to win the BOC Gases Maiden Plate (1213m), Sean Baile Mor (Cape Cross - Rockabella Bay, by Sadler’s Wells) claimed the Designed Pine Handicap (1524m) while Ladramahs (Shamardal - Tatham, by Kayhasi) won the Eastcoast Plumbing Handicap (1424m).

Reset’s (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) stakes winning son Likefatherlikeson (Reset - Classical Star, by Star Way) scored the fourth win of his career at Nowra while Ratstan (Strategic - Inconstant, by Brief Truce) made it six wins for Darley sires on Monday.

The Darley operation made its mark on Sunday’s Geelong Synthetic meeting after its stallions sired the winners of three of the first four races on the program.

Street Cry (Machiavellian - Helen Street, by Troy) four-year-old Cry In Awe (Street Cry - Irish Blessing, by Suave Dancer) started the day perfectly for Darley when the Robbie Griffiths-trained stallion won the Centrebet Best Price Maiden Plate (2000m).

Veteran sire Strategic (Zeditave - Sudden Impulse, by Luskin Star) was a winning sire at Geelong after Platelet (Strategic - Bloodline, by Dracula) the Centrebet Name Her To Win Maiden (1000m).

Riverbank (Elusive Quality - Violet Lane, by Danzero) finished Darley’s Geelong treble when the gelding took out the Centrebet Superbest Maiden Plate (1300m).

Yasir (Exceed And Excel - Bayyaan, by Dixieland Band) became the fourth winner of the day for Darley sires when the three-year-old claimed the Xmas Lights Maiden Plate (1200m) at Launceston.

Meanwhile, retired Coolmore champion Royal Academy (Nijinsky II - Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) continued to contribute to the success of the stud with a Sunday double.

Royal Society (Royal Academy - Kianben, by Jan Murray) started Royal Academy’s successful day with a win in the Rabobank Handicap (1000m) at Warren before Royal Capishe (Royal Capishe - Supersoft, by Snippets) claimed the Good Paddock Maiden (1000m) at Carnarvon.

The dual success took Royal Academy’s trans-Tasman win tally for the season to six.

Darley yesterday announced the fees for 26 stallions it will stand in Australia for the 2011 breeding season, headed by Street Cry ($110,000 inc. GST), Shamardal ($88,000), Medaglia d’Oro ($77,000) and Commands ($66,000).

“The Darley stallions have enjoyed their best year yet. From our youngsters Nadeem and Ad Valorem who have had their first two-year-olds running this season, to our proven stallions such as Street Cry, Shamardal, Lonhro and Commands, we really have had a tremendous year,” Henry Plumptre, Darley’s Managing Director in Australia said.

“Looking forward, we are enthusiastic about our six stallion prospects with their first two-year-olds running later this year and are encouraged by the progeny of our even younger horses, some of which will feature at the forthcoming breeding stock sales. We look forward to offering breeders a roster of outstanding quality and talking to our clients in the coming months.”

Darley stallion fees 2011

Medaglia D'Oro

Standing at Kelvinside (NSW)

Street Cry $110,000

Shamardal $88,000

Lonhro $77,000

Medaglia d’Oro $77,000

Commands $66,000

Exceed And Excel $66,000

Bernardini $38,500

Denman $38,500

Street Sense $38,500

Authorized $22,000

Teofilo $22,000

Nadeem $22,000

Canny Lad $16,500

Henny Hughes $16,500

Time Thief $13,750

Ad Valorem $11,000

Shaft $7,700

Standing at Northwood Park (Vic)

New Approach $33,000

Domesday $22,000

Hard Spun $16,500

Reset $16,500

Von Costa de Hero $16,500

Any Given Saturday $13,750

Street Boss $13,750

Strategic $11,000

Gonski $6,600

Fees include GST and are payable on a live foal.

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