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Ciaron Maher believes the rise of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale is a sign of things to come for a Victorian breeding industry in the midst of a reinvigoration after the prominent trainer leaned on an international powerhouse in order to buy a Lord Kanaloa colt for $900,000 (£500,000/€579,000) on day two of the Melbourne auction.
After a Written Tycoon colt made $1.1 million on Sunday, only the second horse to sell for seven figures in the Oaklands Junction’s sale’s history, 20 yearlings made $300,000 or more on Monday, bringing the total to 35 for the sale so far.
Nine of the top ten-priced yearlings have been colts, with the most expensive of those on Monday being the Lord Kanaloa colt who co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace bought in partnership with Coolmore. The dual-state trainers already train this season’s Inglis Nursery winner Acrobat for Coolmore, among others.
With a strong working relationship already in place, Maher and the Coolmore team agreed to team up on the session-leading colt after both parties assessed him on the sale grounds late last week.
Offered by Kulani Park on behalf of Arrowfield Stud as lot 504, the colt is the first foal out of ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Believe Yourself.
Kulani Park’s Rhys Smith had previously rejected overtures from Arrowfield to sell yearlings on their behalf but took on the opportunity for the 2021 sale.