The 2011 Tasmanian Standardbred Yearling Sale in Launceston promises to be the best on record.
With a record draft of youngsters, the reintroduction of yearling sales classics and a viable Tasbred Series scheme, the scene is set for the premier sale at the Inveresk Showground in Launceston on January 8.
The sale has attracted 69 entries – up by 12 on the previous record set in 2009 – and they are by 33 different stallions and from a high percentage of race-winning or winner-producing mares.
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.
Sales graduates races have been brought back onto the calendar and will be carry a stake of $10,000 – one for each sex – for both two and three-year-olds.
Apart from being eligible for the $276,000 Tasbred Sires Stakes, all yearlings are eligible for a $2,000 bonus for a race win anywhere in Australia before the horse reaches the age of four.
An additional benefit for vendors is that recipients of the Tasbred Breeders Coupon are eligible for a total of $109,000 this season and it can be used at the yearling sale.
The incentives, combined with the comparatively high level of prizemoney available in Tasmania, make the sale an attractive option for local and interstate buyers.
It is also worth noting that graduates of the past four Tasmanian yearling sales have earned $2.17million in stakes between them to November 17. This compares very favorably to their combined purchase price of $1.53million.
Catalogues will be available in the second week of December from the auctioneers Davidson Cameron Board & Simmons (phone 02 6884 8355) or Tasracing (03 6212 9333).
A DVD of the yearlings can be obtained from Tasracing after December 20.