Colt brings record price for Easter sale at Inglis

A $2.5 million (Australian) colt by popular young sire Redoute's Choice set an auction record at William Inglis and Son's Australian Easter yearling sale Wednesday in Sydney.

The record colt, whose price in American terms was just over $1.9 million, went to Woodlands Stud of New South Wales.

"We thought he was the best horse here," said Trevor Lobb, bloodstock manager of Woodlands.

The colt was the 13th horse through the ring at Wednesday's evening session. Sold as Hip No. 259, he is a three-quarter-brother to 2004 Australian champion stayer Makybe Diva, who has won the Group 1 Australian Cup and BMW Classic this year.

The colt's dam is the Riverman mare Tugela. John Messara's Arrowfield Stud, acting as agent, consigned the colt.

The Redoute's Choice colt was one of three to bring Aus$1 million or more so far at the auction. At Tuesday's opener, a son of Saucy Nell went for Aus$1.8 million on a final bid from Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum. And just before the record colt went through the ring on Wednesday, a colt out of Treasury Gardens sold for Aus$1 million to Shadwell Australia. Overall, the Wednesday evening session sold 69 lots, bringing the two-day gross to Aus$53,208,000, or about $41,124,462. The two-day average price stood at Aus$215,417, or about $166,496. That puts the auction on a record pace going into Thursday's third and final day of selling.