A FORMER prominent Tasmanian racehorse owner who hasn’t raced a horse for 30 years paid top price for a well bred filly at the 2012 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale in Launceston today.
Kelvin Wadley, who raced former smart mare Stedamink in the early 1980s, paid $60,000 for a cracking filly by Musket (x Redoute’s Choice) from former smart race mare Di’s Angel that was offered by Alva Stud on behalf of breeder Geoff Hillier.
The striking black filly will be raced in partnership by Wadley, his wife Lorraine and their son Mark Wadley, who is a civil engineer based in Brisbane.
There was spirited bidding on the filly (lot 59) with Star Thoroughbred’s Denise Martin the under bidder.
However, Martin secured an outstanding filly by first season sire Bon Hoffa from the Geiger Counter mare Antonia’s Gold for which she paid $55,000 and was the second highest priced yearling at the sale.
Martin’s brother-in-law, Spreyton trainer Barry Campbell, will prepare the filly at his Spreyton stables.
Kelvin Wadley was thrilled to be back in the game after such a long time in the racing wilderness.
“We have been thinking about getting back in the game for some time so when our son Mark was keen to be involved we decided to come to the sale and we were very keen to secure this filly from the moment we set eyes on her,” Wadley said.
The filly will be trained at Longford by Bill Ryan who often rode Wadley’s horses when he (Ryan) was a jockey, including Stedamink that won a race at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day in 1981.
Given the doom and gloom cloud that hung over this year’s sale the end result was outstanding with just over $1 million changing hands at an average price of $11,642, which was up on last year and the selling rate of 79 per cent was a far cry from last year’s modest 64 per cent
Of the 111 lots to go under the hammer, 82 were sold but vendors were quietly confident that many of the 29 yearlings passed in could be sold through private negotiation after the sale.
Many interstate buyers chimed in to secure some well presented horses, including recent Tasmanian Derby-winning trainer John McArdle, who in partnership with Victorian owner Garry Mudgeway, including the last lot offered (115) that set them back $28,000.
Just like last year, the sale began quietly with reigning premier trainers David and Scott Brunton securing two of the first three lots offered with lot one failing to lure a bid.
The Brunton’s finished the sale with nine yearlings destined to make their way to their Seven Mile Beach training complex.
They paid $27,500 for lot 84, a half-sister to Gold Sovereign Stakes winner Testamarriage and recent Magic Millions Handicap winner Sorell Miss but they paid only $6000 for a colt by Dylan Thomas that had great character.
Victorian trainer Darren Weir paid $24,000 for a California Dane-Talk Of Egypt filly while Brighton trainer Gary White’s band of owners were to the fore with five yearlings to be prepared at Scruples Lodge
For the full sale results – click here .