Buyers looking to land the next Ole Kirk at the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling sale at Oaklands Junction will have 804 lots to choose from, with more than half carrying the Super VOBIS logo across the three days.
The Team Hawkes-trained Ole Kirk – who was bred by Rick Jamieson of Black Caviar fame – became one of the country’s most valuable colts courtesy of his exploits during the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival. Having claimed his first Group 1 in the Golden Rose, Ole Kirk travelled south to Melbourne and promptly made it back-to-back wins at racing’s highest level in the $2 million Neds Caulfield Guineas.
His $675,000 price tag at the 2019 Premier Yearling sale now appears a bargain, with his value likely to be counted in the tens of millions when Ole Kirk is retired to stud.
Perhaps fittingly, the first of 473 Super VOBIS-nominated lots set to go through the ring on the opening day of the 2021 sale (Sunday, 28 February) is a bay colt produced by Ole Kirk’s sire, Written Tycoon.
Twenty-three yearlings sired by Written Tycoon will carry the Super VOBIS logo, and all are sure to be in high demand given the exploits of his progeny.
Already considered one of the country’s leading stallions, Written Tycoon’s stock rose even higher last year when his offspring won three Stakes races on one of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival’s premium racedays, with Odeum (Schweppes Thousand Guineas) and Dirty Work (Group 2 McCafe Schillachi Stakes) also saluting in addition to Ole Kirk at Caulfield.
As well as established stallions such as Written Tycoon, the sale will also showcase the progeny of a number of first season sires including multiple Group 1 winner Tosen Stardom.
The son of renowned stallion Deep Impact has produced nine Super VOBIS-nominated lots across the sale, which comes to an end on Tuesday, 2 March.
According to Inglis’ Victorian Bloodstock Manager Simon Vivian, the catalogue is “the strongest we have ever produced”.
He added: “The support we have received particularly from the Victorian industry, who have again backed this sale by offering their best yearlings, has been overwhelming but also comes with a sense of responsibility to get the job done for them, and we absolutely believe we’ll achieve great results.
“Buyers want to buy from auctions with proven results, and the Premier’s recent record of graduates is quite extraordinary.
“There have been 15 Group 1-winning graduates of the Premier Sale since 2018, including the likes of Nature Strip, Santa Ana Lane, Beat The Clock, Kenedna, Written By and Seabrook; and since 2019 the Premier has produced more winners of $1million-plus races in Australia than any other sale.
“The 2021 catalogue is again filled with the right yearlings prepared by the right people, and we can’t wait to offer them at our exceptional and highly popular Oaklands facility.’’
In total, 75 individual vendors are set to offer the progeny of 118 stallions including the likes of I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Redoute’s Choice, Fastnet Rock, Exceed And Excel, Not A Single Doubt, Pierro, Zoustar, Dundeel, Savabeel, So You Think, Sebring, Lonhro, Deep Field, Street Boss, Brazen Beau, Shamus Award and Tavistock; as well as international superstars including Frankel, Camelot, Lord Kanaloa, Into Mischief and Siyouni.
The sale has again been heavily supported by Victorian breeders with leading vendors Maluka Thoroughbreds (35 entries), Blue Gum Farm (31), Rosemont Stud (30), Stonehouse Thoroughbreds (27), Supreme Thoroughbreds (26) and Yulong (26) all very well-represented.