Expectations are that Black Caviar’s half brother will break the $3 million record for a yearling sold at auction in Australia when he goes through the sale ring in Sydney next week.
But it is anyone’s guess where the bidding will stop on the blue-blooded yearling.
The colt by Redoute’s Choice out of Helsinge paraded on Thursday at the William Inglis and Son Newmarket complex in Sydney, taking the unavoidable attention in his stride.
Inglis director Jonathan D’Arcy said Redoute’s Choice added the X factor to the colt as he did with his full sister, last year’s sale topping filly, the as yet unraced Belle Couture who cost $2.6 million.
Black Caviar, the first foal out of the unraced mare, cost $210,000 as a yearling while the third foal became All Too Hard, A $1.025 million buy in 2011.
“Redoute’s Choice is the most highly credentialled stallion the mare has visited,” D’Arcy said.
“He is the sire of sires. He puts the X factor into the pedigree.”
Nathan Tinkler bought All Too Hard who is by Casino Prince, the foundation sire of Patinack Farm which is now up for sale.
Inglis managing director Mark Webster said there had been plenty of interest in the colt but he had no idea who the final bidder might be on Tuesday afternoon.
“There are all sorts of figures going around. If he can beat the $3 million I’ll be delighted with that,” Webster said.
“I’m confident he should beat the record.
“The underbidder last year was from Japan so it’s guesswork whether he will stay in Australia.”
The $3 million mark has been reached twice at the Easter sale.
South African Charles Laird bought a Redoute’s Choice colt out of Deja Slew in 2006 while the following year a colt by Rock Of Gibraltar out of L’on Vite, who races as Mount Olympus, fetched the same price.
Originally trained by Gai Waterhouse, Mount Olympus is with his third trainer and is now a gelding having recorded only one win from 20 starts for earnings of $19,215.
The three-day Easter sale begins on Tuesday with the headline colt to go through the ring between 2.30 and 3.30 pm on day one.
