IF the Bathurst Harness Racing Club was looking for an indication that their annual Gold Crown Carnival will reach new heights in the coming years, they most certainly got it on Sunday.
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For the first time in the history of the Bathurst Gold Crown Yearling Sale, run each year in conjunction with the program of quality juvenile racing, more than a million dollars of horse flesh was sold.
The final tally of $1.22 million eclipsed last year's record of $955,840.
Given many of the yearlings which go under the hammer are purchased with a view to racing them at the following year's Gold Crown Carnival, it was good news for the club.
"It is the best sale in the history of it. We had a bloke from Canada come over to buy and we had a bloke from Tasmania as well, so we had people from all over."
They had been hoping their decision to move to a new facility with a larger track would lead to a greater amount of nominations in the future.
Sales director Graeme Board was delighted with the result as well, noting the breeding industry had well and truly recovered from the 2007 Equine Influenza outbreak.
"It is the best sale in the history of it. We had a bloke from Canada come over to buy and we had a bloke from Tasmania as well, so we had people from all over," he said.
"We were very, very pleased with it, no doubt about it, and there was a fair bit of depth in the buying ranks.
"They sat around all day too. We had 208 lots, so that takes a while to get through, but people sat around and they were bidding until the end."
The average price for lots 12 months ago was $8,311, but both the fillies and colts who went under the hammer on Sunday at the Bathurst Showground attracted larger average prices.
The colts sold for an average of $9,000 and fillies $8,500.
Given Board noted some of the regular buyers, such as Emilio and Maria Rosati who purchased three lots for more than $25,000 last year, were absent, it made the result look even better.
"I think the crowd was probably equal to what we had last year, but that was a good size and you probably wouldn't get too many more in," he said.
"I think there might have been a few less top end buyers, but there were a lot of trainers there buying horses.
"It was a really good result for the breeders and pretty good all round."
The only statistic which fell short in comparison to 12 months ago was the top price paid.
Last year a Sportswriter x Sixteen Carat colt attracted the top bid of $34,000, while on Sunday the most expensive lot was a Mach Three x Aldebaran gelding.
It was purchased by Bigga trainer-driver Dennis Picker for $33,000.
With 57 sires represented and breeders from not only NSW, but Victoria and Western Australia having entries this year, the sale was certainly a good endorsement for the Bathurst club and its carnival.
"I just wish there were two of these sales each year instead of one," Board said.
