Ashwell Farm Foal Sale Well Attended And Successful
10 March 2003
The event commenced with a parade of Ashwell Farm's four resident stallions, D'Cash ( Danehill x Canny Miss), Shinko King (Fairy King x Rose of Jericho), Painted Black (Sunday Silence x Oak Tree) and Kingfisher Mill (Riverman x Charming Life).
It was then standing room only as the first lot of the sale stepped into the ring, accompanied by his dam, as per the Japanese style of foal sale. Lot 1 was a strongly made colt by first crop sire D'Cash, a sire whose already regal pedigree was further enhanced by the impressive win by his 2yo full brother, Untouchable, at Randwick on Saturday. Bidding swiftly advanced to $3,000 with the colt being secured for that sum by Mrs Annette Whiteman of Cambridge.
Lot 2 was also a son of D'Cash and he advanced to $7,000, with Alison Henry of Morrinsville the successful bidder.
The highest price of the 20 foals and also top price of the sale was $33,000, given for Lot 7, the filly by first crop sire Fly to the Stars x Peat, making her a half sister to Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 placed galloper, Travellin' Man. The attractive looking filly was purchased by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for a New Zealand client.
Second top priced among the foals was $14,000, shared by Lot 4 and Lot 16. Both of these being colts by the very promising young sire, Shinko King. Lot 4, the colt from Manchio was a half brother to stakes placed galloper, Thumper, and was also purchased by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent. Lot 16 the colt from Yama Dansu (by Citidancer) was purchased by Mr Kerry Wisnewski of Cambridge.
A total of 20 foals sold for an average of a healthy $7,153. The foals were offered still on their mothers and will now be kept at Ashwell Farm for a fortnight during which time they will be weaned and made ready for delivery to buyers.
Of the 13 Broodmares offered, top price was the $15,000 given by Piper Farm of Cambridge for Lot 20, Balinchy (by Lord Ballina). A talented racemare, Balinchy won 12 races including one at Group2 and two at Group 3 level. She has produced 3 foals to date and was sold believed in foal to the most recent addition to the Ashwell stallion ranks, Painted Black (JPN).
Of the 37 lots catalogued for sale, 30 (81%) were sold for an aggregate of $175,000 at an average price of $5,833.
At the conclusion of the sale Ashwell Farm principal, Ray Knight was delighted with the popularity of the sale concept and satisfied with the overall results. Knight has traditionally sold his best weanlings at New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling & Broodmare Sale in May, however decided to sell his entire 2002 foal crop in an on-farm sale, modelled on the same format which he has seen used so successfully in Japan.
Knight commented that he will now consider making the Ashwell Farm Foal Sale an annual event.
A full list of results from the Ashwell Farm Foal Sale are available at www.nzb.co.nz