Black Caviar’s half-brother went under the hammer at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale today, smashing the record for the highest-priced yearling to be sold in Australia.
The record price for a yearling sold in Australia stood at $3 million, but with the family produced by broodmare Helsinge proven to be an incredible crop, huge money came for the Redoute’s Choice yearling.
The final price paid by BC3 Thoroughbreds for ‘Lot 131’ was an incredible $5 million, a huge price, keeping the horse in Australia.
Auctioneer Peter Heagney was on the stand for Inglis to sell the young colt.
Bidding started at the $2 million mark before quickly ticking up to $2.5 million, leaping to $4m before settling at the final price at $5 million.
Simon Marshall, Manager of Equine for BC3, said the entire team were delighted, telling TVN that $5m was their price.
Craig Cameron, BC3 CEO, who signed, said that a lot of the horse was already sold, but with some opportunities for additional part-owners.
BC3 have now spent $7.6 million on two horses from Helsinge, and will announce who will train the new purchase at a later date.
The extended family of Helsinge and Black Caviar are all well above average, yet Helsinge is herself unraced.
Helsinge has only had three foals to race – collectively they have won double-figure Group 1 events – including Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
Black Caviar needs no introduction, and heads to Randwick this Saturday to almost undoubtedly win the TJ Smith Stakes in front of a sell-out crowd.
Moshe, Helsinge’s second foal by Bel Esprit, and full brother to Black Caviar, is relatively unknown, winning three from five starts before being retired in 2011.
He won by six lengths on debut at Bendigo, almost breaking the track record. However, it is unclear if he was retired due to injury or under-performance, having never won a ‘black-type’ Group or Listed race.
All Too Hard, Helsinge’s third foal, topped the 2011 Easter Sales at $1.025 million while her Redoute’s Choice filly now named Belle Couture was purchased for a sale-high $2.6 million last year.
Belle Couture has not been rushed to the racetrack prematurely, and will be given every chance for success with trainer Danny O’Brien.
BC3’s Billy Vlahos encouragingly confirmed to TVN that Belle Couture is moving like “she won’t let the family down.”
The yearling known as ‘Lot 131’ is the most sought-after yearling ever sold in Australia. With half-sister Black Caviar unbeaten and half-brother All Too Hard now valued at $25 million, and Belle Couture rumoured to be a star in the making, the as yet unnamed colt has a huge future ahead of him and will be keenly watched.
The Redoute’s Choice x Helsinge colt enters the ring at @inglis_sales #horseracing twitter.com/AndrewNJHawkin…
— Andrew Hawkins (@AndrewNJHawkins) April 9, 2013
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