The second VOBIS Platinum Bonanza of the year gets underway next Wednesday (21 February), giving eligible owners the chance to earn a grand total of $270,000 in vouchers from the nine VOBIS Gold races scheduled in the lead-up to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
The sales ring at Oaklands Junction will be a hive of activity from 3-5 March when some of the country’s leading stud farms showcase their wares to potential buyers, who may be able to make an extra bid if their horse can claim one of the $30,000 VOBIS Platinum vouchers on offer between 21 and 28 February.
The midweek metropolitan meeting at Sportsbet Park (Sandown) kickstarts the bonanza, with the connections of any eligible juvenile which wins the VOBIS Gold 2YO Handicap (1000m) set to receive $30,000 in Platinum vouchers.
Every TAB meeting programmed in Victoria over the ensuing seven days will also feature at least one opportunity to collect a VOBIS Platinum voucher, which can then be used to reduce the cost of an eligible yearling at the Inglis Melbourne Premier – or indeed any recognised sale.
Three bidders at last month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale did just that, with one member of the ownership group which bought Lot 494 – an athletic colt by Ghaiyyath – making a saving on the $125,000 purchase price by redeeming their share of a VOBIS Platinum voucher.
Similarly, two investors in Lot 813 – a beautiful Brazen Beau filly who will be trained by Henry Dwyer – effectively received a discount on the $140,000 outlay by offsetting some of the cost using their VOBIS Platinum vouchers.
“It was great to see some successful bidders at the Magic Millions use their VOBIS Platinum vouchers to reduce the cost of their prized purchases on the Gold Coast,” said Matt Welsh, Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager – Racing.
“The Inglis Melbourne Premier is the jewel in the crown of Victoria’s yearling sales, so we are very hopeful that next week’s VOBIS Platinum Bonanza will inject even more interest and excitement into what is already a buoyant market.
“The average sale price of Victorian-bred yearlings, and also the clearance rate achieved at the Magic Millions, was nothing short of exceptional. So the state’s breeding industry is currently thriving, and the VOBIS program plays a very important role in the overall ecosystem.”
“We saw some great wins and some happy owners taking back home VOBIS Platinum vouchers during the first bonanza of the year in January,” said James O’Brien, President of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV).
“We hope more trainers and owners target these VOBIS Gold and Platinum races across Victoria, and really make the most of what’s on offer through the VOBIS program.
“Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale is the main yearling sale in Victoria, so it makes sense to buy VOBIS horses at the sale and, if you do, make sure you upgrade the horses to VOBIS Gold and VOBIS Platinum to enjoy all the benefits.”
To date, in excess of $2.6 million in VOBIS Platinum vouchers has been handed out, with that figure set to swell on conclusion of the second bonanza of the year. So far just over $642,000 has been redeemed, either on an eligible weanling or yearling at a recognised sale or to reduce the cost of the service fee of a VOBIS Sires-nominated stallion.
For more information on VOBIS, Victoria’s lucrative owner and breeder incentive scheme, visit
www.vobisplatinum.com.au