3 minute read

Bought by Bulla Thoroughbreds for $365,000 with sale grossing $5.63 million

Stakes-winning juvenile Volcanic Rock (Hinchinbrook) became the most expensive racehorse sold on Inglis Digital when bought by Bulla Thoroughbreds for $365,000 on Wednesday. The June (Late) Online Sale became the second-highest grossing sale in the history of the platform with a turnover of $5.63 million. 

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Volcanic Rock is the only stakes-winning two-year-old to be offered for public auction in Australia this season.

He was originally bought by China Horse Club and Newgate Bloodstock for $240,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and has won twice with his biggest win to date coming in the Phoenix Stakes (Listed, 1500m) at Eagle Farm two starts ago. 

“We were really impressed with the energy and effort that the Inglis Digital team put in to promote Volcanic Rock,” Newgate’s Henry Field said.

“We had plenty of interest from the launch of this sale last week, with enquiries from Hong Kong and locally.

“We’re delighted with the result and that he’s been purchased by such good people.

“He’s a quality, progressive youngster and it was reassuring to see that premium level racing stock have a market online.’’

The June (Late) Sale is the ninth consecutive Inglis Digital catalogue to gross $2 million or more and the 41st to surpass $1 million and Volcanic Rock was one of eight lots to sell for $100,000 or more in the sale, bringing the overall tally for the platform to 121.

Bromfield Park combined with Bahen Bloodstock to purchase two five-year-old stakes-winning mares – Love You Lucy (Love Conquers All) and She’s Alight (Tavistock) – for $320,000 and $250,000 respectively.

“It’s getting close to the breeding season now and we thought it was amongst the last of the opportunities to buy a few quality mares,” Bill Pearce of Bromfield Park said.

“Both mares will go to Vinery Stud and from there we will work out which stallions to send them to, it’ll probably be a proven, sprinting sire and with their pedigrees there are plenty of options.

“Love You Lucy has a good race record with wins in the Group Two Dane Ripper and Silk Stocking, I actually travelled to Toowoomba to inspect her and I was quite impressed.

“It’s a great story – her trainer Bill Squair is in his early 80s and he paraded her for me, I think it’s the only Group winner he ever had and all the connections really love the mare.”

The dual stakes winner was offered by breeder and part-owner Leo Goggins.

“I foaled her down myself – we just breed a few every now and again but we usually breed to race,” Goggins said.

“My wife and I raced her with our six kids and three mates, we love this mare, she’s been great to us, the kids have built sheds and done up their houses with their share of the prize money – although I can’t recall them paying the bills!

“They and my 13 grandkids were all over the auction tonight, watching it count down and I have to thank the Inglis Digital team who have been wonderful to deal with.

“We felt she deserved her chance in the breeding barn and can’t wait to follow her career.”

Bill Pearce was equally as excited by the future prospects of Western Australian Stakes winner She’s Alight.

“I just loved the pedigree,” Pearce said.

“She’s by Tavistock and out of a great Cambridge Stud family of Our Tristalight who was by Sir Tristram.

“I’ve been breeding thoroughbreds for about 15 years and it’s always great to add a nice mare like this to the broodmare band.”

Out of Keeper (Danehill) mare Keep Alight, She’s Alight was offered on behalf of Terry and Lyn Dowling of White Diamond Bloodstock.

Fellow WA Stakes-winners Massimo (Sessions) and Money Matters (Canford Cliffs) will remain stablemates, with both geldings purchased by Gangemi Thoroughbreds for $150,000 apiece from Durrant Racing.

Inglis Digital Business Manager Nick Melmeth said the online platform continues to reach new levels.

“Yet again, there were lots of great results from today’s sale.

“The interest levels around each sale continue to grow and the volume of activity on this sale was just phenomenal.

“Inglis Digital has steadily built an incredible database of more than 8000 registered bidders, and we have a dedicated team that works really hard to service our vendors and buyers, which seems to be working well given the volume of repeat business from clients and a continued increase in additional new users.

“We are very committed to effectively servicing the digital market, this is our 13th Digital Sale of the year and we’ll operate at least another 11 between now and year’s end.

“We are very grateful for the support of the market and are really excited by the future of the platform.

To view the results from the June (Late) Online Sale, click here.