Darley stallions in demand

The momentum the Darley stallions have built on the racetrack in recent times carried in to the sales ring on day one of the Inglis Easter yearling sale in Sydney, April 9.

Medaglia d'Oro set a new record price for a yearling by a first season sire in Australasia this year when his bay colt, sold as lot 171 by Almavale Bloodstock, was bought by Koundouris Bloodstock for $500,000.

The imposing colt, who will enter the stable’s of Hawkes Racing, was out of the G3 winning Lion Hunter mare Leone Chiara, the dam of multiple G1 winner Star Witness, who was raced in partnership by Koundouris Bloodstock.

Leone Chiara is a full sister to G2 winner Chinchilla Rose, who was also represented in the sale with a Medaglia d’Oro colt, her first foal and a full brother in blood to the $500,000 colt.

Consigned by Newgate Farm as agent for Fairway Thoroughbreds, the grey colt was sold as lot 52 and was knocked down to leading trainer Peter Moody for $350,000.

Street Cry’s progeny were also highly sought after, his daughter of G1 winner Black Mamba consigned by Evergreen Stud Farm as agent as lot 30 selling for $500,000.

Just shy of being a million dollar earner on the track, Black Mamba was sold for $1.5million after retiring and the striking filly was her first foal.

The last lot of the day was lot 190, the Lonhro colt out of three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva.

Consigned by Tyreel Stud as agent for Makybe, the colt ensured no one left the sale early and was eventually knocked down to Shadwell Australia for $360,000.

After going to $240,000 to purchase a Commands colt at last year’s Easter yearling sale, bloodstock agent John Foote went to $260,000 this year to purchase lot 144, a colt out of imported French mare Isaure, a half sister to multiple G1 winner Doctor Dino.

The colt, consigned by Kia-Ora Stud, is a half brother to G1 filly Oasis Rose, runner-up in last year’s G1 NZ 2000 Guineas.