Victorian Sires to the Fore For Inglis Premier 2024

The resurgence of the Victorian stallion ranks will be on show at next year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, where a host of the progeny of the state's most sought-after sires will go under the hammer. At a time when Victoria's lucrative Vobis scheme has also undergone a rejuvenation, pumping millions of dollars back into owners' and trainers' pockets, next year's Premier sale presents an opportunity not seen in the southern state for some years. That's the view of Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch, whose auction house last night released the catalog of 800 Lots for the three-day, 800-Lot sale to be conducted at Oaklands Junction from March 3-5. The catalog features 30 yearlings by the returning Written Tycoon (AUS), the champion stallion's first crop conceived at Yulong; an upgraded group of 32 by Rosemont's Shamus Award (AUS); and 30 first crop yearlings by barnmate Hanseatic (AUS), while Swettenham Stud's proven sire Toronado (IRE) has 29 Lots set to go under the hammer. Emerging Yulong sire Alabama Express (AUS)—who has made an excellent start to his stud career with three first-crop winners so far this season headed by Golden Slipper (G1) contender Shangri La Express and Ottawa Stakes (G3) winning filly Karavas (AUS)—also has 21 Lots cataloged. Darley shuttler Blue Point (IRE) has 21 Lots and fellow Darley stallion Brazen Beau (AUS) has 13. "It's certainly the strongest line-up of yearlings by Victorian stallions that I think we've had for a Premier Sale for some time," Hutch told ANZ Bloodstock News. "This is the first year that Written Tycoon stood at Yulong, and there's Toronado, it's the start of the well-bred Shamus Awards, there's Blue Point and Alabama Express. "Then there's a good line-up for first-season stallions such as Earthlight, who is an interesting horse, and then there's Hanseatic, so it's a strong line-up of Victorian-sired yearlings, and they form a strong base for the catalog." Hutch believes that Vobis remains a major driver for owners and trainers based in Victoria and for good reason. "If you can buy a horse who is eligible for those bonuses, it is a significant payday on top of what is already strong prize money across Victoria," he said. "Ultimately, if you can find a horse who lands in some of the Inglis Series races on top of that, the capacity to earn significant returns against your investment are strong and growing." While underpinned by the Victorian-sired progeny, of which there are 528 Lots who are Vobis Silver nominated, the depth of the Premier catalog is enhanced by a suite of interstate and international stallion talent in a catalog that has 69 individual vendors. Yearlings by I Am Invincible (AUS), Snitzel (AUS), Extreme Choice (AUS), Zoustar (AUS), Exceed And Excel (AUS), Deep Field (AUS), So You Think (NZ), Justify, Dundeel (NZ), Capitalist (AUS), Per Incanto, and Russian Revolution (AUS) will also also be offered at Victoria's main sale of 2024. Frankel (GB), Camelot (GB), Lope de Vega (IRE), Lord Kanaloa (JPN), and Night of Thunder (IRE), the sire of the Dec 9 Inglis Nursery winner Odinson (AUS), are also represented, as is stock by 24 first season sires who have made the Premier cut. They include Wootton Bassett (GB), Farnan (AUS), Bivouac (AUS), Fierce Impact (JPN), Tagaloa (AUS), Peltzer (AUS), Prague (AUS), and Russian Camelot (IRE). The full catalog can be viewed here.