Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News article by Tim Rowe 04 Oct 17
Full article is available here
A revamped Inglis Ready 2 Race sale will take place in Melbourne today, with 134 two-year-olds by proven and exciting young stallions on offer, providing international and domestic buyers an opportunity to secure an almost readymade racehorse. The auction, the first of three Southern Hemisphere two-year-old sales to be held this spring, is being described as pivotal by vendors and buyers to the long-term future of the ready to race format in Australia.
Prominent Victorian breeding operation Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm will also present a draft of 16 two-year-olds, all of whom were secured from this year’s yearling sales to be prepared for the Ready 2 Race Sale. “This is our third time at the Inglis sales, but we do separate our breeding activities with our ready to race operation,” Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm’s James O’Brien told ANZ Bloodstock News. “While our breeding is going crazy at the moment. We have found the ready to run two-year-old business fits in well with our business and the facilities we have.”
Early in the sale, Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm will offer a colt by former Patinack Farm shuttle stallion Lope De Vega (Shamardal), the sire of Sunday’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Santa Ana Lane. Catalogued as Lot 3, the colt is a half-brother to Group Three winner and Chelmsford Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) runner-up Red Excitement (Excites). The colt ran 11.54 seconds in his breeze up at Cranbourne on a Soft 7 track. “Lope De Vega is on fire as he is also the sire of (The Everest contender) Vega Magic,” O’Brien said. “This horse is a half-brother to Red Excitement who almost defeated Winx.”
O’Brien also offers a colt from the first crop of Group One winner Zoustar (Northern Meteor), who is catalogued as Lot 121. The colt is a son of Keep The Faith (Sunday Silence) mare Jessica Rose, a juvenile city winner. The colt breezed up in 11.24 seconds at Cranbourne. “The Zoustar has impressed us all the way along. Seven of our twoyear-olds who breezed up at Cranbourne ran in the top ten times on the day,” he said.
Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm also has a colt by US stallion Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy), who is catalogued as Lot 126. The Spendthrift Farmbased Malibu Moon is the sire of 103 stakes winners, 13 of whom have won at Group One level. The colt breezed up at Cranbourne in a time of 11.84 seconds. “He is an interesting horse. We purchased him the VOBIS Gold Sale and he is out of a very fast mare,” O’Brien said. “He is not a tall horse, but is very strong.”
O’Brien was optimistic of a good sale, not only for Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm, but for the majority of vendors. “I think it has been terrific with a good overseas clientele who looked at whole drafts (on Monday),” O’Brien said. “The client base has been more mixed (yesterday) and compared to last year up in Sydney, I think it has been quite strong.”
The Inglis Ready 2 Race two-year-olds have breezed up either at Canterbury racecourse in Sydney or Cranbourne, with the final opportunity for juveniles to register times held at the Victorian racecourse on Monday.
