Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News article by Tim Rowe 05 Oct 17
Full article available here: WAR COLT MAKES $420,000 AT INGLIS READY 2 RACE SALE
Victorian breeding and racing operation Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm was the leading vendor at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale, selling 13 of their 16 two-year-olds offered yesterday for an aggregate of $999,000.
James O’Brien’s Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm averaged $76,846 with a Your Song (Fastnet Rock) colt topping the draft at $160,000 when sold to Hong Kong-based Magus Equine. Catalogued as Lot 44, the colt is the fourth foal out of stakes-placed mare White Diamonds (Jugah). The colt was bought by O’Brien for $55,000 from the Murrulla Stud draft from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. The colt had breezed at Cranbourne in a time of 11.35 seconds and his third dam produced Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Alfa (El Moxie).
Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm also sold Lot 121, a colt by first crop stallion Zoustar (Northern Meteor) out of Jessica Rose (Keep The Faith), for $150,000 to a Hong Kong-based buyer. He was also sourced from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by O’Brien, who outlaid $50,000 for the colt from the Arrowfield Stud draft. The colt, who breezed in a time of 11.24 at Cranbourne, is from the family of Group One winners Linton (Galileo) and Sharvasti (Montjeu).
“The Your Song went really well at $160,000 and is going to Hong Kong, which is terrific, and the Zoustar is also going to Hong Kong,” O’Brien told ANZ Bloodstock News. O’Brien said “the facilities at Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm at Corinella enabled his staff to prepare the draft of two-year-olds for the sale in excellent order. The team at home do a great job at home which is headed up by Warren Diggles,” he said.
“This was a mixed batch, with some of them being our own and some are clients, but overall it has worked out really well. We have targeted early types who can breeze up as two-year-olds and we have the beach at home, a track on the farm and they respond really well to that.”
O’Brien, who is also the president of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria, said the two-year-old sales in Australia were lacking a strong domestic market which was evident at yesterday’s auction. The interest in the sale from overseas has been tremendous but I think what has been lacking is the local market,” he said. “For the local market the ready to run sales have traditionally been the last opportunity to sell your horse, but we specifically target good horses for this sale. We are trying to sell good horses who do run.”
