A TOP quality line-up of standardbred yearlings will strut their stuff at the 2011 Tasmanian Premier Harness Yearling Sale to be held at the Inveresk Showgrounds in Launceston tomorrow (January 8).
The sale starts at noon but it will be preceded by a yearling parade from 10am..
“The first sale was held in 2006 and the gradual increase in the quality of yearlings and number of entries has established the event on the national yearling sales calendar,” said Tasracing’s CEO Gary Lottering.
“Tasmania has historically produced quality horses and the sale presents an ideal opportunity for owners to access good bloodlines at realistic prices,” he said.
A record number of entries has resulted in 68 yearlings on offer, which is an increase of 28 percent on the previous best in 2009.
Among the list of high-profile stallions with progeny in the sale are Bettor’s Delight, Art Major, Village Jasper, Live Or Die, Modern Art, Courage Under Fire, Artiscape and the exciting newcomers Ponder, Lombo Pocket Watch, Four Starzzz Shark and Metropolitan.
The US import JR Mint, whose first crop will race as two-year-olds in Tasmania this season, has the biggest entry with 15 lots.
Other Tasmanian sires with multiple representation are Dieberspace (5 lots) and Topnotcher (4).
Almost 60 percent of the dams represented in the sale were race winners including 11 ‘black type’ mares.
Sales graduates races have been brought back onto the calendar and will be carry a stake of $10,000 – one for each gender – for both two and three-year-olds. All yearlings are eligible for a $2,000 bonus for a race win anywhere in Australia before the horse reaches the age of four.
Catalogues and DVD’s are available from the auctioneers Davidson Cameron Board & Simmons (Phone 02 6884 8355) or Tasracing (Phone 03 6212 9333). Pedigrees and footage of each yearling can be viewed at the website www.graemeboard.com