Colt that walks like a winner

Thompson‘s $150,000 buy to ‘run as two-year-old’

YOUNG Cressy-based thoroughbred trainer Cameron Thompson took some firsttime owners to the Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale at Quercus Park yesterday – and they walked away with the top-priced youngster.

A group of Devonport punters pooled their resources and paid $150,000 for a colt by Impending from the Snitzel mare Dream Food that was bred by Armidale Stud at Carrick.

When the colt strolled into the barn as if he owned the sale ring, bidding was spirited from the outset. But when Thompson bid $150,000, it shut out the other bidders and the colt was his.

“I loved the way this colt walked out,” Thompson said. “His temperament is quite amazing, and I am confident he will run as a two-year-old.”

Thompson and his newfound owners were underbidders on a colt by Zululand from Benoit that was knocked down to the China Horse Club and will find its way to South Australian trainer Tony McEvoy.

“The Zululand-Benoit was one of two we set our sights on, so when we missed that, we focused on the Impending colt, and in the end, I think we got the right one,” he said.

Thompson, 27, has been training for only four years but has enjoyed his share of success and has developed a substantial training complex on the family property at Cressy.

The sale was hailed a huge

success, with the gross turnover of $3.372m only $7000 short of last year’s gross. But the 2021 gross came from 94 sales with the average $35,872, which was up 8.44 per cent.

Last year, the top price was $95,000 but yesterday, six yearlings sold for $100,000 or more and there were many in the $50,000-to-$80,000 range.

The progeny of Graeme McCulloch’s first-season sire Zululand stole the show, with two of his youngsters selling for $100,000 and another for $75,000 with the sire’s average $42,067 but was outgunned by Armidale’s Alpine Eagle, which delivered another strong crop.

Alpine Eagle progeny grossed $969,500, while Zululand youngsters sold for a total of $631,000.

Alpine Eagle’s highestpriced yearling was Lot 68, a striking colt from Testamarriage that was bought by John Foote Bloodstock.

Armidale not only sold the top-priced yearling but it again topped the sale with yearlings it presented selling for $1.197m.

McCulloch’s Grenville Stud had another good sale, grossing almost $800,000.

Many Gunn’s Motree Thoroughbreds again shone with her nine youngsters, grossing almost $350,000 for an average of $38,000.