More Than Ready reinforced his standing among the crème de la crème of Australian sires with a Top 5 finish at the Inglis Easter Sale.
The Vinery champion sold 30 yearlings at an average of $278,167 and five of them made a half-million dollars and more this week.
The More Than Ready’s were headed by the Vinery colt from Unspoken Choice (Giant’s Causeway). He made the Easter Sale’s Top 10 leader-board when knocked down for $800,000 on Day 2.
Vinery general manager Peter Orton was pleased with the top price paid by English agent John Warren and the China Horse Club. “He has a great pedigree – the dam is a half-sister to Redoute’s Choice,” Orton said. “He was always a real beauty as a foal and was one of the nicest colts here.”
Next best was the More Than Ready filly from Adelaide stakes winner Personify. She was catalogued by Cressfield Stud and was purchased by leading agent Dean Hawthorne for $750,000.
That result helped Scone based Cressfield top the Easter vendors list with an average of $583,333. Personify is a Galileo half-sister to Champion South African sprinter Laisserfaire and the Australian stakes winning stallions Foreplay and Time Thief.
The More Than Ready filly from Group 1 winner Rostova (Testa Rossa) was very popular during the parades and James Harron had to weigh in with $550,000 to sign the sale sheet.
“A quality filly who looks a lot like her mother,” Harron said. “She handled the sale really well and has a fantastic action.”
More Than Ready started the week with another sale-ring star in Kentucky. His $400,000 sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner More Than Real was the topped priced filly at the Keeneland 2YO Sale on Monday.
Vinery stallions Testa Rossa, Congrats and Mossman complemented More Than Ready’s Easter consignment with six-figure sales at Newmarket.
The Testa Rossa – Super Smudge colt was sold to Shadwell Australasia for $300,000. His dam is a sister to Jet Spur. Shadwell owner Sheikh Hamdan has unbeaten More Than Ready colt Banaadeer aiming for a Group 1 at the Durban July carnival in South Africa.
The sole Easter entrant by Congrats sold for $120,000. His colt is from Moonee Valley Group 3 winner Antarctic Miss and will join Hawkes Racing.
Golden Slipper winning sire Mossman was also single-handed in Session I with a colt from G1 Queensland Oaks winner Allow. He realised $100,000 and will be trained by Sam Kavanagh.
