The third and final session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 National Yearling Sales Series concluded Sunday at Karaka with a hugely successful 2012 Festival Sale.

Last year’s top price of $60,000 was exceeded three times, the first time when the colt by Berkley Stud’s resident sire Coats Choice (Redoute’s Choice) from Illusive Hope (Spectrum) at Lot 1274 was knocked down to Michael Stedman for $70,000 to become the top price of the Sale.

“He was purchased for a client of Lance Noble’s and we are very happy with him,” commented Stedman.”The horse looks to be a good athlete with clean legs and decent x-rays and he looks like he has a good chance of running well. He was also very well prepared and is a credit to Berkley Stud.”

Coat's Choice - Illusive Hope colt

“We have been impressed with the results of Coats Choice recently and this colt was just one of the most athletic looking colts on the grounds today. We are very pleased to be able to get a horse like him, we got him for a little more than we anticipated but it was worth it to secure the horse we were happy with.”

The top price was matched late in the day at Lot 1417 with the colt by Cecconi (Encosta de Lago) secured by Matamata trainer Graham Richardson, the leading buyer of the Festival Sale with five purchases for $143,500 at an average of $28,700.

“The colt was a real nice sort and I had to have him. I purchased him for a syndicate of friends and I paid a little bit more than I intended to but he was too nice a horse to let go. I’m very surprised with how strong the Festival Sale has been, I actually cannot remember a stronger Festival Sale, and there has been a good presence of kiwi buyers too which is good to see.”

In all, 308 catalogued lots provided total takings of $3,197,800 for 209 sold, up 3% on last year’s $3,054,250 where 44 more horses were traded. the final average is this Sale’s second highest on record and, at $15,300, is 26% ahead of last year’s $12,072. This was accompanied by a strong 77% clearance rate, up significantly on last year’s 62% and the final median was $12,000, up a huge 41% on last year’s $8,500 to match the $12,000 record set in 2008.

The 2012 Select Sale traded strongly across the past three days, the results have held up strongly to end up just ahead of last year’s Sale. A total of 415 horses have sold for $19,114,500 (up from $19,107,000 for 418 sold in 2011) at an average of $46,059 (up from $45,711 in 2011) and a clearance of 74% (up from 73% in 2011).

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela is pleased with how figures have held up against last year. ”After a particularly strong session yesterday (Thursday) we were prepared for today to be a quieter day but to have exceeded last year’s aggregate and average while maintaining a stronger clearance rate is a great result. Selling felt solid right throughout the three days with a good number of international buyers staying on to compete with the locals.

“Overall I think we can be very satisfied with how the week has gone given the current climate. I hope we can carry some of that momentum into our final day on Sunday.”

The leading buyer for the Select Sale is John Chalmers Bloodstock from Western Australia with eight purchases for $570,500, including his sole purchase today of Lot 1034, the Falkirk colt bought for $35,000. Chalmers also purchased 13 yearlings from the Premier Sale earlier in the week to bring his tally to 21 yearlings for $2,930,500 at an average of $139,584 including a top price of $400,000 paid for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 69.

Just behind him on the buyers list was New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin who is enjoying a surge in support following his successful season with Group 1 VRC Derby winner Sangster. He purchased a total of 11 yearlings at this session for $550,000 at an average of $50,000, including a top price of $115,000 paid for the colt by Thorn Park at Lot 543.

Rich Hill Stud’s freshman sire, Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem), is the leading first season sire of the Select Sale with eight entries sold for an average of $49,625. At $120,000 today’s Lot 963 was the top price of the Sale for the Group 1 English Derby winner. Queensland agent John Foote paid the top price of the week for Sir Percy’s progeny when Lot 458 of the Premier Sale was knocked down to him for $150,000.

Heading the vendor tables by average for the Select Sale has been Mark & Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm who sold yesterday’s $200,000 Dubawi colt at Lot 912. In total the stud has sold nine entries for an average of $79,056.

With 25 horses sold, including the top lot, Haunui Farm is the leading vendor by aggregate at this session with turnover of $1,477,000 at an average of $59,080.

A colt by the proven Gr 1 sire Pentire (GB) topped New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Select Sale when selling for $230,000 on Friday afternoon. Out of the Zabeel mare Sunshine Gold, the colt from Haunui Farm was secured by Hawkes Racing, adding to the stable’s total haul of seven yearlings bought from Karaka this week for $1.4 million.

Commenting on their sale-topper, Wayne Hawkes says they were initially attracted to the pedigree by a close relative that they had previously purchased at Karaka. ”We bought Luck of Smiling - the half-brother by Elusive City - for $40,000 as a yearling and he went up to Macau and he’s about the fourth best horse up there.”

Pentire - Sunshine Gold colt

“Dad took one look at this colt and said we had to have him. He’s a better sort than Luck of Smiling and he’s by a proven sire in Pentire so we were sold. We like the Pentires - we bought the highest priced Pentire in New Zealand last year for $520,000, out of Platinum Blonde, and we really like the way he is coming along.

“We always love coming to New Zealand and buying those kiwi staying horses and are really happy with what was there this year.”

Hawkes Racing, represented at Karaka by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, paid a top price of $420,000 for the Zabeel colt at Lot 152 of the Premier Sale. This contributed to the team ending up in the top five leading buyers for the week.

Pentire has provided three of the top five prices of the Select Sale. The other two were the $170,000 filly purchased by John White Bloodstock for his Australian client at Lot 724, and the $170,000 colt bought by Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing at Lot 1120.

With the average price $44,690 after two days of the three-day Select session, at a clearance rate of 77%, the figures are stacking up well against last year which saw a final Select Sale average of $45,711 and a clearance rate of 73%.

The aggregate is currently $13,049,500 with 206 lots remaining to be offered tomorrow.

$200,000 Dubawi - Mlada colt

The leading buyer on Thursday was Paul Moroney with seven purchases, including a top price of $80,000 paid for the Don Eduardo colt at Lot 813. Moroney has made eight purchases in total at the Select Sale so far in addition to four purchases at the Premier Sale earlier in the week.

The leading buyer over the past two days is John Chalmers Bloodstock of Western Australia, with seven purchases for $535,500 including yesterday’s $160,000 Any Suggestion colt at Lot 576. Chalmers also bought 12 yearlings at the Premier Sale.

With one of the top prices of the Sale, Dubawi heads the sires table by average with his three entries all sold for an average of $88,333.

Two yearlings sold for $NZ200,000 on the second day of the NZB Select Sale at Karaka on Thursday.

The first came when the No Excuse Needed filly at Lot 901was purchased by in-form Palmerston North trainer Lisa Latta. From the five-time winning O’Reilly mare Miracle Miss, the filly was offered by Waikato Stud, home of both No Excuse Needed and O’Reilly.

“I loved her right from the first minute,” a delighted Latta said. “I looked at both Premier and Select and while we did miss out on a few fillies in the Premier Sale I thought she was the pick of the Select fillies and am very happy to have got her. I have nominated her for the Karaka Million, however she was selected on pedigree and residual value so that is not a priority.”

“The nice horses are reaching their value but I am happy with the way the Sale has gone for me so far and I will be back again tomorrow.”

The top price was matched by the sole Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) colt in the Select Sale, from the Danasinga mare Mlada offered by Lyndhurst Farm and bought by Willie Leung’s Magus Equine (Hong Kong).

“Dubawi is doing so well in Hong Kong, Europe and the southern hemisphere which is why we wanted to get one. This is probably the last Dubawi crop in the southern hemisphere and this colt looks good, strong and athletic and is from a good family so we were prepared to pay a bit more.”

“This year we looked for quality horses which is why I have purchased the horses I have so far. We will be back here tomorrow as there are a few more that we want.”

Three lots sold for $160,000 on a solid day of trade. Leading trainer Roger James purchased a filly by O’Reilly from the Stravinsky mare Holiday in Goa on behalf of Kevin Hickman of Valachi Downs. That price was matched by the Darci Brahma colt at Lot 840. Offered by Phoenix Park, the colt from six-time winning Stravinsky mare Lady Classique was secured by Andy Williams’ Worldwide Bloodstock and the third came at Lot 910 with The Oaks Stud’s colt by their first season sire Sakhee’s Secret bought by Aquanita Racing, Victoria.

With the first of the 164 Select Sale entries being sold on Wednesday, 146 sold for $6,684,750 at an average of $45,786, at a clearance rate of 76%.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said the auction house is very pleased with how the session has started.

“It’s been a good strong start to the Select Sale with lots of Australian and Asian buyers still here from the Premier Sale and a few more that have arrived particularly for this session. Also the local buyers are out there competing which is encouraging for the few days ahead.”

“Our clearance rate is holding up very well which is pleasing and our figures are in line with last year so if we could maintain that momentum for the next two days it will be a good result.”

John Chalmers Bloodstock banner, it is Chalmers who is currently the leading Select Sale buyer with four bought for $347,500 at an average of $86,875. Chalmers also secured 11 yearlings at the Premier Sale. Also with four purchases so far is local buyer Trent Busuttin, the trainer of VRC Derby winner Sangster and recent Gr 2 winner Six O’Clock News. Today he paid a top price of $115,000 for the Thorn Park colt at Lot 543.

Standing both Pentire and Any Suggestion, John & Colleen Thompson’s Rich Hill Stud is having a strong hand at the Select Sale so far, with Pentire the leading sire of the session and the stud currently the leading vendor by aggregate.

Sam & Catriona Williams’ Little Avondale Stud is heading the vendors list by average with five sold for $372,000 at an average of $74,400. Both Studs have a number of entries still to be offered today and Friday.

Selling will resume today from 11am, with Lots 726 to 930. The final day of the Select Sale will continue on Friday with Lots 931 to 1136.

A filly by Pentire (GB) topped the opening session of the NZB three-day Select Sale today at Karaka,when offered as the second to last lot of the day.

Offered by Mark & Denny Baker’s Hallmark Stud, the filly from Redoute’s Choice mare Eyes Light Up at Lot 724 was secured by John White Bloodstock. “She was just a real smart filly, purchased for Bevan Laming in Queensland. ”He’ll think about it over the next few days whether he sends them to his Brisbane or Melbourne stable.”

Pentire - Eyes Light Up filly

Two lots sold for $160,000 earlier in the day. The first came at Lot 576, when the colt by freshman sire Any Suggestion (Lion Hunter) was knocked down to the bid of Western Australia trainer Wally Mitchell. With Any Suggestion claiming Sunday night’s Karaka Million winner, Ockham’s Razor, Mitchell identified this colt as an ideal prospect for next year’s $1 million incentive race.

“We bought him mainly for the Karaka Million and we will be aiming for that. He will stay with Murray Baker in preparation for the big race. We nearly made the field this year with Testimonial Mac and we are keen to have another go at it. He had a strength that drew me to him, I owned Placid Ark who was Horse of the Year and he reminded me a lot of him with a similar build through the shoulder.”

“We were also the under-bidder on the three-quarter brother to So You Think and we were disappointed to not get him as we got to $775,000. We ended up purchasing Lot 69 by High Chaparral, the three-quarter brother to Monaco Consul (Lot 69), and overall we are very happy with what we’ve got at Karaka.”

Later in the Sale Lot 665 shared the top spot when knocked down to South African agent Andy Williams’ Worldwide Bloodstock. The colt by Towkay, offered by Little Avondale Stud, is from the Dance Floor mare Dancing Daze.

Te Akau Racing David Ellis sparked the NZB Premier Sale into life on Tuesday afternoon when outlasting Coolmore for a colt by Fastnet Rock out of Nureyev’s Girl (USA) at $NZ1.75 million to top the sale.

Vendor Sir Patrick Hogan predicted the Cambridge Stud-consigned  colt to be the star of the show before selling started at Karaka this week and that’s how it played out with a heated bidding duel between underbidders Coolmore Stud and Ellis of Te Akau Stud.

The sixth seven-figure yearling ever bought by Ellis at Karaka, he admits he paid more than he expected he would. ”I did expect a high price for this colt, and I thought I would get him for about $1.5 million, but the others went beyond that. Demi O’Byrne is a world renowned judge of yearlings and he said this colt is the best he has seen at a sale in the last 10 years,”

“I wanted to secure him for the New Zealand racing and breeding industry, it is essential that we retain horses like this in New Zealand. He is an outstanding individual and the fact that he’s by such a great sire out of a Nureyev mare gives him the potential to win Group 1 races.

David Ellis with the Fastnet Rock - Nureyev's Girl colt

“He is already 90% sold with the remaining 10% to be sold this week and I don’t anticipate that will be very difficult to do. He will be trained by Jason Bridgman with a racing campaign intended to maximise his stud potential. If he’s as good as his sister we will be very happy.”

Earlier in the day Hong Kong-based agent Willy Leung outbid Wally Mitchell from Perth to sign at $800,000 for the three-quarter-brother to So You Think when buying the Windsor park Stud consigned colt by High Chaparral out of La Souvenir (Nuclear Freeze).

“We came here wanting to but a Derby type of horse and I was lucky to have two clients that wanted buy quality horses of this type.” Like his $650,000 High Chaparral purchase on the first day of the sale, Leung said the La Souvenir colt will remain in New Zealand to be broken and possibly race before a decision is made on his future.

Despite a much stronger day’s trade on Tuesday, the two-day Premier Sale still finished some way down on 2011 levels. 350 yearlings have sold for $54,137,000 ($65,574,000 in 2011) at an average of $154,677 ($174,864 in 2011) and clearance of 74%. The median for the two-day session was $120,000.

David Ellis was the leading buyer with 27 yearlings bought for $6,262,500 at an average of $231,944. The leading New Zealand buyer at Karaka for the last seven years, Ellis increased his spend significantly on last year where he bought 25 Premier Sale yearlings for $4,433,500.

“I think it has been a very successful Sale with terrific competition on the real athletes. We found it difficult to buy the good horses and think it has been a very successful two days,” commented Ellis.

“To achieve that in a recession reflects very highly on the New Zealand industry. New Zealand Bloodstock, in my opinion, can take great heart that even in very difficult economic times horses have still sold well to a huge international buying bench.”

Fastnet Rock topped the sires table for the 2012 NZB Premier Sale with eight sold for an average of $422,500. The leading New Zealand-based sire was Zabeel with 21 sold for an average of $233,810 and a top price of $600,000 paid by Ger Beemsterboer of The Netherlands for the filly from La Quinta Gold at Lot 281. Beemsterboer has already enjoyed success in New Zealand with his Group 1 winning Fastnet Rock filly Planet Rock.

With a host of sires making their yearling sale debut this season, the leading first season sire is Widden Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Sebring, with six yearlings sold at an average of $155,000.

For the 31st year in a row Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud was the leading vendor by aggregate at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale with 43 yearlings sold for $10,820,000 at an average of $251, 628.

Mark and Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm, with 12 entries in the Premier Sale, was the leading vendor by average with nine sold for $2,385,000 at an average of $265,000. That included a top price of $650,000 paid yesterday by Willy Leung for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 130.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said there were some heartening results from the day. ”We were very pleased to see the market strengthen from yesterday, with a number of the better pedigreed horses coming through the ring today. We have been thrilled with the buyer turnout at Karaka and there was plenty of good competition on the appealing lots.

“It’s disappointing not to have been able to get the clearance rate up a bit higher but hopefully over the course of the next couple of days there’ll be more sales completed from this session.”

High Chaparral (Ire) had his offspring sell well on Day 1 of the NZB Premier Sale with three of the top five lots sold, headed by a colt and filly fetching $650,000 apiece.

The first came at Lot 130, when the Lyndhurst Park colt from Creil (Frenchpark) was knocked down to the bid of Hong Kong agent Willie Leung acting for Hong Kong owner Mr WK Lee.

“We thought he was the best High Chaparral in the Sale and we were very keen to get him. Mr Lee wants a tough stayer and has been looking for a long time for a horse like this,” Leung said.”We paid a premium to get him but in order to get such a quality horse that is sometimes necessary.

“The horse will remain in New Zealand for at least 18 months for training and we will race him here in New Zealand before deciding whether he is good enough to send to Hong Kong.”

Less than an hour later the filly from the five-time winning Danehill mare Diamond Like was secured privately by Gai Waterhouse & James Harron Bloodstock shortly after the filly was passed through the ring.

A half-sister to the $2 million 2010 Karaka sale-topper, the filly was offered by Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud.

High Chaparral is the most represented of any sire at the 2012 Premier Sale, with 35 yearlings entered from his last New Zealand conceived crop. So far today 25 have sold for an average of $200,800.

A filly by Stravinsky (USA) sold for $740,000 late in the day to be the top-priced lot on Day 1 of the NZB Premier Sale at Karaka on Monday. The filly from Cambridge Stud was out of Magic of Sydney mare Jesmond’s Gift, an unraced half-sister to Canny Lad and Canny Lass and closely related to the Golden Slipper Stakes winner Sepoy.

Stravinsky - Jesmond's Gift filly

“She is a beautiful filly with a lovely outlook and a lot of class and we are thrilled to be training her,” commented Ellis on his purchase. “You have got to be prepared to pay for the best fillies and we were prepared to do that today. She was a bought for a very good client who has had many fillies with Te Akau over the past 20 years.”

“Stravinsky is a very good international sire of fillies and we are going to aim her for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, which Te Akau has a great record with having won four of the last six titles.”

Ellis was the leading buyer of the day with 14 purchased for $2,402,500 at an average of $171,607. His second top price was $200,000 paid for Lot 46, the Danehill Dancer colt from Thunder Gulch mare Anatomy - a half-sister to last Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Six O’Clock News (Zabeel) - offered by Pencarrow Stud.

There were 170 lots sold on Monday at an aggregate of $24,817,500 at an average of $145,985 and the clearance rate of 70%

The sale continues on Tuesday.

A colt by Hussonet (USA) topped the 2012 Inglis Classic Sale at $140,000 when sold to Mauro Poletti on Tuesday. Offered by Arrowfield Stud the colt is a brother to stakes-placed Red Dress Marley and a half-brother to this season’s stakes-placed two-year-old Snitzerland, a colt by Snitzel.

Hussonet - Monte Rosa colt

Other highlights on Tuesday were provided by a Dubawi (Ire) filly from Greta’s Yarn that made $105,000 for Emirates Park when secured by Inglis as agent, NZ and a Charge Forward colt from Lady of Choice that made the same amount for Huntworth Stud when purchased by Victorian trainer  Robbie Laing.

Matthew Smith selected this seasons Gr1 VRC Myer Classic winner Hurtle Myrtle from the first crop of Dane Shadow at the 2009 Classic Sale for $55,000 and the Warwick Farm trainer was back at Newmarket yesterday purchasing fillies from the first crop of Astronomer Royal (Lot 471) and Myboycharlie (Lot 525) for $65,000 and $56,000 respectively.

Anthony Cummings has had much success buying from Classic, such as Inglis Banner & Inglis Nursery winner Diamond Earth, and the Randwick conditioner picked up her close relation from the draft of Golden Grove for $62,000 today a colt by Danehill Dancer from La Madeline (Lot 485) .

The final sale figures are down on 2011. The aggregate for the 424 lots that sold totalled $12,804,727, down on the $13,342,000 in 2011 with the average price of $30,200 down 10% on 2011’s $33,509. The sale median finished at $24,000 compared to $25,000 in 2011.

A Tale Of The Cat filly from Zakuro(Lot 211) is the new top-priced lot of the 2012 Classic Yearling Sale after she was knocked down to Les Bridge and Kim Harding for $120,000 on Monday. The half-sister to Randwick winner Zak, also trained by Bridge, was offered at the sale by Crowning Stone of Scone.

Choisir was selected from Classic as a yearling for just $55,000 before going onto Group 1 success at Flemington and Royal Ascot, and his filly  from Tagine (Lot 157) was picked up by Lockyer Thoroughbreds for $110,000 making her the second highest priced lot at the sale so far.

Ready's Image - Topsinga colt

BC3 Thoroughbreds was extended to $100,000 to secure Lincoln Farm’s Ready’s Image - Topsinga colt (Lot 177) and Brett Howard’s Randwick Bloodstock saw off all the competition to purchase the Henrythenavigator - Coffee Shop filly (Lot 315) for $90,000 from Amarina Farm.

154 yearlings sold to gross $4.94 million on Monday and five yearlings selling for $100,000 or more. ”Classic has a great record of producing top class gallopers by young sires and it was very pleasing to see the progeny of first season sires such as Ready’s Image and Henrythenavigator being so sought after alongside the proven sires today,” said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster.

“Vendors have done a fantastic job presenting their yearlings in brilliant fashion and with the knowledge that Group One winners have been purchased at all different levels at Classic it has been great to see so many loyal buyers from around the region back buying at the sale,” said Inglis Auctioneer Jonathan D’Arcy

The 2012 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale  got off to a solid start at Newmarket on Sunday, with two lots sharing top price of $100,000. 110 lots sold during the session, grossing $3.49 million with 79% of the yearlings offered sold at an average of $31,770 and median of $27,500.

The two $100,000 transactions took place within five lots, firstly by Middlebrook Valley Lodge’s Fastnet Rock filly from Polite and then Bowness Stud’s Beautiful Crown (USA) colt from Pretty Special.

The Beautiful Crown-Pretty Special colt (Lot 47) received a timely update just a few weeks ago when his half-brother Kontiki Park scored in the Listed BRC Bernborough Handicap and then again just over a week ago when winning the Magic Millions Stayers Cup at the Gold Coast and this colt will be trained by Kontiki Park’s trainer  Gai Waterhouse after being sold to Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds.

Lot 47 Beautiful Crown - Pretty Special colt

The Fastnet Rock-Polite filly (Lot 43) will head into the stables of Secret Admirer’s trainer Grahame Begg after being knocked down to Topline Thoroughbreds.

The filly is the first foal of the imported mare Polite, a daughter of Elusive Quality with the third-dam of this filly the influential Fanfreluche, whose descendants include champion sires Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur.

“Today’s figures are slightly down on those recorded for this session twelve months ago, but I do congratulate our vendors for meeting the current market”, said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster.

Day One Statistics

(2011 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 150 (150)

Gross: $3,494,727 ($3,608,000)

Average Price: $31,770 ($34,692)

Median Price: $27,500 ($30,000)

Top Price: $100,000 ($95,000)

Lots Sold: 110 (104)

Lots Withdrawn: 10 (17)

Lots Passed In: 30 (29)

Sold %: 79 (78)

The 2012 Inglis H.T.B.A (Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association) Scone Yearling Sale will be conducted over one select day on Sunday May 20 this year.

With the two day Scone Cup and Inglis Guineas meeting held by the Scone Race Club growing in stature each and every year, Inglis says, “the updated single session format of the 2012 Scone Yearling Sale will allow visiting Sydney and interstate trainers the opportunity to inspect yearlings at White Park on Saturday prior to the select sale the next day.”

“Inglis will be supplying transport to and from the sales ground at White Park and the racetrack at Scone throughout Saturday May 19 to assist buyers who wish to inspect yearlings at White Park as well as attend Inglis Guineas day”, said Inglis Director Jonathan D’Arcy.

“With racing at Hawkesbury on the Thursday before the Scone Carnival buyers were finding it difficult to attend the Select Session of the Scone Sale, but now buyers will have several opportunities to inspect those yearlings up to the start of the sale on Sunday.”

Inglis will again hold the Australian Easter Broodmare Sale in the week following ATC Derby Day at Randwick, but there will be changes to the format this year.

Inglis is introducing a new format which will see the sale split into three separate sessions from April 17 to 19, a Super Select Session, Select Session and General Session. Day One will see a Super Select Session of the best 200 fillies and mares entered for the sale.

“Local, interstate and overseas buyers, who have all been in Sydney for the Easter Yearling Sale and Australian Turf Club Autumn Carnival, will have the opportunity to bid on the best proven producers and breeding prospects that this region has to offer in one star studded Super Select Session”, said Inglis’ Jonathan D’Arcy.

“Inglis will again offer an outstanding commission rate of just 4% for mares selling for $150,000 or more and no pass in commission at the Easter Broodmare sale, plus we will sell the weanling progeny of any mare sold at Easter commission free at the Inglis Australian Weanling and Bloodstock Sale in June,” D’Arcy added.

The 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale will be conducted on Tuesday April 17 to Thursday April 19 at Newmarket Sydney. Entries close on Friday February 17

Day Two will comprise the next selection of Select Session mares with the market already buzzing from the highlights of Day One.

Day Three will round out the final day of the 2012 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale with the offering of mares entered in the General Session.

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.

A colt by leading Victorian based sire Bel Esprit topped the fifth session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Sunday. The colt, offered by Eliza Park as lot 670, sold to trainer Rick Hore-Lacy for $225,000.

Hore-Lacy, who has trained star Magic Millions graduates including Dash for Cash and Toorak Toff, was the successful buyer and the colt will head to his Caulfield stable.

Bel Esprit - Jezeera

Sunday’s session grossed $6.96 million on 176 lots sold at an average price of $39,588 with a clearance rate of 78 per cent.

A large crowd was on hand for the session which saw yearlings sold to buyers from most Australian states as well as overseas locations such as Macau, Malaysia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Korea, Ireland and Japan.

“It’s been a solid day’s selling,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said. ”Like was the case with the first four sessions it is great to see the clearance rate strong.”

“The quality lots attracted strong interested with canny buyers chasing their next racetrack star,” Cox added.

The 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale will conclude on Tuesday with the sixth session of the sale to be followed by a popular racehorse sale.

A colt by Fastnet Rock topped Saturday night’s fourth session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Offered by Coolmore Stud, the colt will join the stables of his Stakes winning half brother Face Value after being sold for $370,000.

The colt, from the top producing mare Freckled Face, was purchased by Queensland trainer Bevan Laming - the man who put the polish on Face Value.

“He’s a nice strong colt who is very athletic and looks a great prospect,” Laming said. ”Obviously I had a lot of success with his half brother Face Value and this bloke is a bit bigger. He’s probably not the style of horse for the 2YO Classic next year, but he could make a later two-year-old.”

“There is a lot happening in the family at the moment with Halle Rocks and Diamond Earth - Halle Rocks in particular should add some black type there,” Laming added.

The colt was one of six yearlings to sell for $300,000 or more at the fourth session on Saturday evening. When the final horse was knocked down late in the night the sale gross had pushed out to $62.57 million.

Some 492 lots were sold over the past four days at an average price of $127,175 (up over $3,500 on last year) and exceptional clearance rate of 84.4 per cent.The median price of $100,000 was $10,000 higher than the same session 1-4 sale last year.

“We’re thrilled with the figures for the sale,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox reported. ”The story of the sale is the clearance and the median price. The clearance rate is outstanding and this will grow over the next day or so.”

“And the average price has increased on last year’s figures - so all in all we’re very happy. Demand on the quality lots was strong and many vendors returned some positive results.”

Prior to the first lot being offered on Saturday night over $29,000 was raised for the Kristy Banks Appeal.

Jockey silks and breeches signed by all runners in the 2012 $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic were purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $26,000.

And the winning whips of Tommy Berry and Paul Hammersley from the two feature winners on Magic Millions’ $4.3 million raceday were purchased for a sum total of $3,200.

The full-brother to Gr 1 winner Melito topped a strong day of trade on Friday at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Friday when selling to trainer Gerald Ryan for $750,000.

“There’s a lot to like about him,” Ryan said. ”He is very athletic and is a good mover. I wasn’t sure whether I’d buy him or not until I saw him out the back there just before he went into the ring. I looked at him and thought - he’s a good horse - just buy him, so I did.”

Redoute's Choice - Cloister colt

“Melito was a top mare for the stable and she’s now at stud and in foal. This bloke looks a more early type than his sister - so he could certainly be one for the race next year.”

Offered by Reavill Farm, the October 13 foaled colt is the eighth foal out of the Debutante Stakes winner Cloister (Marauding)

Gai Waterhouse and James Harron continued their buying with a number of top purchases today including the More Than Ready-Aqua D’Amore colt for $680,000.

Colts by Sebring (ex Valda Merceda for $450,000) and Fastnet Rock (ex Allow for $400,000) also proved popular with buyers.

The sale gross has now reached almost $52 million after three sessions at an average price of $127,684 for 407 lots sold with the  clearance rate at 84 per cent.

Today was pretty much like yesterday,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said. ”There was some spirited bidding around the complex and it’s great to see the clearance rate at 84 per cent - that is quite phenomenal.”

“We’ve got a lovely line up in tomorrow night’s fourth session and hopefully that clearance will hold strongly.”

The fourth session of the sale will be held from 6pm (Qld time) Saturday following the $4.3 million Magic Millions Raceday at the neighbouring Gold Coast Turf Club.