A big year for Sledmere appropriately started in a big way for our sales team when the stud’s 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale consignment proved to be very well received and sought-after during a spectacular four days of bloodstock trading.
Comprising a mouth-watering draft of yearlings by a selection of outstanding stallions with physiques and pedigrees to match, the Sledmere contingent sold to $370,000 and included no fewer than 13 youngsters that fetched handsome six-figure amounts.
The distinction of being the highest-priced member of our draft went to Lot 757, a magnificent son of Savabeel (NZ) from the stakes winning Pins mare Shandream (NZ) sold on behalf of our great clients Little Avondale of Masterton, New Zealand. The magnificent brown colt was secured for $370,000 by Hawkes Racing and is now set to join one of the foremost stables either side of the Tasman.
One of the main features of Sledmere’s 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale concerned how many leading stables and/or bloodstock outfits purchased from our draft. Amongst them were the likes of David Vandyke, who bought a beautiful Sebring filly (Lot 189) for $325,000; Mick Price, buyer of a quality Brazen Beau colt (Lot 315) for $200,000; Michael Moroney, who with his brother Paul landed a Lonhro filly (Lot 310) for $200,000; and the very astute John McArdle, whose Redgum operation went to $160,000 in order to acquire a Sebring filly (Lot 788) very closely-related to his Group 1 Oaks winner Hollow Bullet.
Major breeding operations were also amongst the buyers of Sledmere’s draft. These included New Zealand’s celebrated Cambridge Stud, new owners of a Sebring filly (Lot 654) sold to them for $150,000, and Victoria’s Sun Stud, which bought a Sebring colt (Lot 474) for $200,000 and a Not a Single Doubt colt (Lot 739) for $150,000.
Sledmere also enjoyed the distinction of selling the first yearling of Belardo (Lot 86) to be offered in the southern hemisphere to David Payne Racing for $95,000, one of only two colts in the sale by Siyouni (Lot 377) to Jamie Bayliss for $220,000, and the first registered yearling purchase involving Extreme Choice when Lot 56 was successfully knocked-down to Mystery Downs/John Foote Bloodstock for $200,000.
When the Book 1 selling session came to a close, Sledmere’s 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft had grossed $2,675,000 for an average of $178,333 (15 sold).
Sledmere’s notable involvement in the most successful yearling sale ever to be conducted in the Southern Hemisphere was a fitting way to begin a monumental year in the history of the stud. Our thoroughbred nursery first commenced business in 1920, making 2020 our Centenary.
The events of the past week have perfectly kick-off a year of celebrations for Sledmere Stud, events which are yet to be fully determined but which will very much involve all our valued clients and associates.
