It was this time last year that a lightly raced chestnut was placed online, up for grabs on an Inglis Digital sale with the heading “classy racing prospect.”
The winner of two of his five starts at that stage, the four-year-old was promoted as “a progressive miler to middle distance horse that has the ability to perform in Saturday metropolitan races.”
Well there’s an understatement, that horse purchased by Belmont Bloodstock and McEvoy Mitchell Racing for $305,000 being, of course, Half Yours.
Whilst hardly a cheap buy, Half Yours was certainly a bargain considering his achievements since having won the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup and there looks to be more to come for the $9.25 million earner.
The landscape in regards to selling horses has changed drastically over the last few years with online sales becoming more and more popular and Half Yours is only going to focus more attention on this method of marketing horses.
And he is not the only spring carnival success story with the impressive Sandown Guineas winner Sheza Alibi purchased as a weanling by her very happy owner – central Queensland cattleman Fred Noffke – for $10,000 from an Inglis online sale in June 2023.
“Stunning well grown filly. September born. Great bone, substance and quality. Great walking filly. The owner/breeder is reducing their numbers.”
In flying form for her Rockhampton based trainer Kris Hansen, Sheza Alibi has won two of three for the Moody/Coleman partnership with much more to come.
Also sold as a weanling, via the Inglis June 2020 online sale, was a filly with the description…
“A lovely filly with plenty of size, scope and strength that will develop into a quality yearling.”
One Plus Investments saw that in her, purchasing her for $32,500 with a tidy profit when she was bought by Anthony Cummings at the following year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $275,000.
Winning three of her 11 starts including the VRC Oaks and the Champagne Stakes – both at Group 1 level – she was valued even higher upon her retirement, fetching $3.4 million at last year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
The April 2019 Inglis Digital had another nice female change hands, John Kelton paying $22,500 for a four-year-old who had won three races with a couple of city placings on her record.
In winning form for her new trainer Will Clarken just three months later, the Commands mare named Bella Vella would win another seven races including the Robert Sangster Stakes, two Group races and a Listed contest.
The winner of over $970,000 was purchased by Rosemont Stud for $1.9 million at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and her first foal, a Written By colt, sold at Easter this year for $475,000.
Trainer Jamie Edwards saw something he liked on the August 2020 Inglis online sale and it took just $10,000 to buy a Toronado colt who showed him plenty early. Racing as Tex Mex, he was an easy Benalla debut winner before being sold to Hong Kong where he now races as Helios Express.
Amongst his eight wins is the Shatin Vase (Gr.3) and he continues to perform at Group 1 level – unlucky to run into Ka Ying Rising. His owners would be delighted with the $8.14 million he has earned.
An even cheaper online yearling buy at the 2021 Inglis December sale was a $5,500 Rich Enuff colt who races as Oscar’s Fortune – a five-time winner of over $1.3 million. Last year’s Roma Cup (Gr.3) winner remains in strong form, with two recent runner-up finishes behind Jokers Grin in Group races in Perth.
Another great story is that of Curran, secured by Lyn Tolson & Leonie Proctor for just $600 in July 2020.
He had not yet raced but the training duo were happy to take a chance on the rising three-year-old who was sold with the note…
“Curran has shown plenty of ability at home and had a couple of jumpouts. Unfortunately, he has developed into a roarer, which is why the current owners wish to sell him. He is a strong type and a lovely horse to have around the stable.”
His trainers have done a remarkable job managing his issues, Curran still racing at eight years old with 40 starts, five wins, stakes placings and over $886,000 in earnings.
Magic Millions online sales have also produced success stories, such as this year’s Southern Cross Stakes (Gr.3) winner Willaidow, picked up online by trainer Marc Conners for just $7,000 as an unbroken three-year-old.
This year’s Colin Stephen Quality (Gr.3) winner Piggyback was bought online for $27,000 and has now earned over $466,000.
And while it isn’t black-type racing, last weekend’s Clare Cup was won by another Magic Millions online graduate – Bolt By – who has returned over $160,000 in prizemoney since being purchased for just $600.
