A record price for a yearling by Brazen Beau and a surge in demand for Exceed And Excel provided the highlights for the Darley stallions at Tuesday’s opening session of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
On a day when Medaglia d’Oro’s recent racetrack success helped to ensure each of his 12 yearlings offered sold at a six-figure price, it was Brazen Beau, the sale-topper at the past two major Australian sales, who again stood out.
The former champion sprinter made his mark with the first of his yearlings to enter the sale ring, Lot 73, a colt from Just Discreet, who fetched $1.15 million, eclipsing his sire’s previous best of $800,000 established at last month’s Melbourne Premier sale.
The colt is out of a daughter of Exceed And Excel whose five wins included the G3 Matrice Stakes in Adelaide and who is from the family of G1 South Australian Oaks winner Maybe Discreet.
Offered by Mill Park Stud and purchased by Hong Kong trainer Peter Ho, he joins Brazen Beau’s Melbourne sale leader under the Orbis Bloodstock banner.
Ho said the colt will go into training with the Hawkes family and would do at least his initial racing in Australia.
“He was the horse I wanted,” Ho said.
“He’s athletic, he has a great page and he’s very correct.
“We’ll leave him here with John Hawkes to start his career and then see what happens.”
