Darley-sired progeny in demand

The leading first-season sire at the Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast in January, Medaglia d'Oro has now confirmed his place as Australia’s most sought-after young stallion following the conclusion of the Inglis Easter yearling sale in Sydney.

With a top price of $500,000 and an average of $305,000, Medaglia d’Oro was clearly the number one first-season sire at Australia’s premier yearling sale.

His progeny were in such demand that the only stallions in the sale to beat his median price of $305,000 were the established Redoute’s Choice and Fastnet Rock.

Already sire of nine G1 winners in the northern hemisphere, Medaglia d’Oro was represented by ten yearlings at Easter, the highlight being lot 171, a colt out of G3 winner Leone Chiara from the Almavale Bloodstock draft.

A half-brother to Champion three-year-old Star Witness, the imposing bay colt was eventually knocked down to Koundouris Bloodstock, who were part-owners of Star Witness, for $500,000 and he will join the stables of Hawkes Racing.

Medaglia d’Oro also had a very highly sought-after filly in the sale, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum having to go to $420,000 to secure lot 241, a bay filly out of G3 winning Danehill mare One World.

Already the dam of G3 winner One Last Dance, One World is closely related to Champion stallions Storm Cat and Royal Academy.

Enjoying his best year to date on the racetrack, having sired G1 winners Commanding Jewel and Epaulette as well as triple G1 winner Appearance, it was no surprise to see Commands enjoy his best Easter sale yet.

His colt out of More Valour from the Tyreel Stud draft sold to Shadwell Australia for $520,000, the highest-priced Commands yearling ever sold at an Easter sale, while his average of $268,000 was also a personal best.

Lonhro’s consistent racetrack success has also transferred to the sales ring and he averaged $215,667 for his 15 yearlings sold, his top lot being lot 190, a colt out of triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, which sold to Shadwell Australia for $360,000.

Street Cry, who had a filly out of American G1 winner Black Mamba sell for $500,000 on day one of the sale, provided the highlight of the session two when his colt out of Fashionable Lass was bought by Shocking and Whobetgotyou’s trainer Mark Kavanagh for $380,000. Sold as lot 557, the colt made $140,000 more than any other yearling in session two.

Attention at the Inglis sales complex at Newmarket will this week switch to the broodmares, where it is expected particular interest will focus on the five mares in foal to Australia’s leading stallion Exceed And Excel.

Coming off a G1 Golden Slipper quinella with Overreach and Sidestep and a 1-3 finish in Saturday’s G1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick with Guelph and Overreach, Exceed And Excel has a commanding buffer at the top of the leading sires’ table.

Widden Stud as agent will offer Spoleto as lot 182, a half-sister to American G1 winner Things Change with a very early positive covering to Exceed And Excel.

One of the most interesting mares in the catalogue is Diamond Necklace who is being sold as lot 53 by Tyreel Stud.

A half-sister to Champion racehorse and now leading stallion Shamardal, Diamond Necklace is closely related to Street Cry and is being sold in foal to Commands.

To view the Inglis Easter broodmare sale catalogue, click here.