‘This sale has really come of age’: 95 of the 118 yearlings offered grossed $1,577,250

‘Significant feature’: Historic first as 2022 Capricornia Yearling Sale smashes previous record by $125K.

Sunday’s Capricornia Yearling Sale in Rockhampton not only produced record figures but also attracted an international sale from a Chinese buyer for the first time.

Some 95 yearlings of the 118 offered on the day grossed $1,577,250, topping last year’s previous record in the 35 years of its history by $125K.

Check out social photos from the Capricornia Yearling Sale Racing Carnival here.

There was a buzz around the large buying bench at the Rockhampton Showgrounds when it was announced that Lot 14, a Better Than Ready colt, sold for $30K to a Chinese client.

The bids were taken through a mobile telephone hook-up with Mr Li Yong in China, with selling agent Magic Millions Asian sales manager Nicky Wong alongside the sale ring.

MM auctioneer David Chester, who has been selling at the Capricornia Yearling Sale for more than a decade, labelled it a significant feature.

“It is a positive sign for the CYS when a sale is made in Rockhampton destined for Asia. We (MM) also fielded inquiries from Hong Kong,” he said.

“This sale has really come of age.

“This yearling is being transported to the Southern Highlands of NSW to be broken in and educated. The plan is for it to do its racing in Macau.

“This could open up even more avenues for the Rocky sale.”

Further endorsement to that assessment was vindicated when arguably Australia’s most high-profile stable for young horses, Maher and Eustace, struck buying Lot 53, a stunning Denman filly for $40K.

This was the first time that a leading interstate stable such as the Melbourne and Sydney-based partnership, that has prepared 963 winners in just over three years, has purchased at the CYS.

The partnership with bloodstock agent Paul Willetts has been a significant player at all the major yearling sales in Australia and just last week outlaid $420K for a yearling at Sydney’s Easter Sales.

Local buyers were particularly active on Sunday, with Central Queensland’s Glen Donnellan purchasing the top price yearling, Lot 43 - a Better Than Ready filly, for $55K.

Former Rockhampton premier mentor Tom Button, who rotates his horses from Townsville and Sunshine Coast bases, said he had acquired seven yearlings.

These ranged in price from $3750 (Lot 2 a Rothesay filly) to $26K for a quality filly by the Japanese stallion Brave Smash.

“I am happy with my purchases with quite a few to include Rockhampton ownership,” Button said.

He is due to move to a state-of-the-art training property at Canungra in the Gold Coast hinterland this week where his 40-strong South-East Queensland team will be stabled, with a quality grass training track available.

Callaghan Park trainer Clinton Taylor bought three yearlings and was given another five from the sale to train.

Jared Wehlow reinvested some of his winnings from Courtesy Bus’s success in Saturday’s $100K CYS 3&4YO Championship buying Lot 30 - a colt by The Mission ($40K) - and a filly by Skilled (L69 -$12K).

Basil Nolan’s Raheen Stud, Warwick, was the busiest vendor, selling 13 yearlings to gross $283,500 including two by Heroic Valour for $50K each.

CYS convenor Tony Fenlon said he was elated with the results and was eagerly looking forward to taking it to a higher status in 2023.

Fenlon was among the buyers, getting Lot 1 (Heroic Valour) knocked down to him at $50K, as well as a Sidestep filly (L96 -$15K).