Unprecedented interest and the biggest ever buying bench helped the sale reach new levels and the sale of Lot 118 for $115,000 topped a memorable day at the Inveresk Showgrounds.

The average price of $23,250 is up 34 per cent on last year’s record figure, while the gross soared 51 per cent on the back of an 83 per cent clearance rate.

The Written Tycoon colt from Kandy Korn stole the show and set an all time record for a horse sold at the Launceston auction when he was sold to leading local trainer John Blacker from the draft of Armidale Stud for $115,000.

“I looked at the colt three or four times and believed he was the best colt of the sale,” Blacker said.

“He’s well bred and is by Written Tycoon who is one of the hottest sires around. He is an outstanding individual with plenty of scope.””

“We knew we would have to pay a decent amount for him, but we were prepared for that and I’m delighted we got him.”

“The plan is to leave him a colt and he’ll start here in Tasmania and hopefully he can end up racing in Melbourne and Sydney,” Blacker summed up.

The Kandy Korn colt was one of two colts by Written Tycoon to sell for six figures with Manny Gelagotis going to $100,000 to secure Edikeni colt (Lot 105), also from Armidale Stud.

“I just fell in love with the horse,” a delighted Manny Gelagotis said. “I thought he was the best colt in the sale – he’s very athletic and has a great temperament.”

“He has all the makings of a good horse and he’s by a top stallion. On the markets at other sales I have attended I still thought he was great value,” Gelagotis added.

Armidale Stud’s first season sire Needs Further provided the next two top sellers – the Caralowe half brother to Triple Asset for $85,000 (to Rex Gorell) and the Buzzing Along filly for $72,500 (to Star Thoroughbreds). The latter was the top priced filly of the day.

The Whishaw family’s Armidale Stud had the honour of selling five of the top six lots of the auction by price and rounded out as leading vendor on average ($40,455) and gross ($890,000).

Denise Martin of Star Thoroughbreds was the leading buyer at the sale with her three purchases at a spend of $168,500.

“It’s been another great sale and congratulations to all involved in a record breaking sale,” Martin said. “I couldn’t be happier with my three purchases.”

Dr Eliot Forbes, CEO of Tasracing, was delighted with the record results on the day.

“It’s a real shot in the arm for our industry,” Dr Forbes said. “We’re delighted with the very strong interest from interstate and overseas.”

“The sale is an arrangement between Magic Millions, Tasracing and Tasbreeders and all involved should be congratulated on what has been a tremendous result. “

“The outstanding performances of recent sale graduates has put a spotlight on the Tasmanian breeding industry and driven the level of interest in this year’s sale,” Dr Forbes added.

Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox was astounded by the massive rises across the board.

“We thought we could grow this sale even further than the massive gains from last year, but the results of today are out of this world,” Cox said.

“The average price is up 34 per cent and the gross up a massive 51 per cent from last year while the growth in two years has been 77 per cent and 133 per cent respectively.”

“With these sorts of numbers the Tasmanian breeding industry has a strong platform and confidence to go forward,” Cox added.

To view the results and to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.

SALE STATISTICS
(2015 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 126 (121)
Lots Sold: 100 (89)
Lots Withdrawn: 5 (14)
Lots Passed In: 21 (18)
Top Price: $115,000 ($100,000)
Average Price: $23,250 ($17,337)
Median Price: $18,000 ($10,000)
Sale Gross: $2,325,000 ($1,543,000)
Sold %: 83 (82)

$115,000 – Written Tycoon-Kandy Korn colt (Lot 118)
Vendor: Armidale Stud / Buyer: John Blacker (Tas)

$100,000 – Written Tycoon-Edikeni colt (Lot 105)
Armidale Stud (As Agent) / Manny Gelagotis (Vic)

$85,000 – Needs Further-Caralowe colt (Lot 83)
Armidale Stud / Rex Gorell (Vic)

$72,500 – Needs Further-Buzzing Along filly (Lot 81)
Armidale Stud / Star Thoroughbreds (NSW)

$60,000 – Foxwedge-Silvercitymiss colt (Lot 43)
Armidale Stud / Ian Halliday (Tas)

$60,000 – Wordsmith-Build a Bridge filly (Lot 69)
Runnymede Stud Syndicate / Barry Campbell (Tas)

LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)

$168,500 – Star Thoroughbreds (NSW) – 3 lots
$156,000 – Chong Bin Wu (China) – 6 lots

$151,000 – John Blacker (Tas) – 4 lots

$115,500 – Ian Halliday (Tas) – 5 lots

$110,000 – First Light Racing (Vic) – 4 lots