Monday, 17 June 2019: Melbourne’s Great Southern Sale has reached new records for both gross and sale average after the first two weanling sessions.

Trainer John Wheeler

At the end of the select session on Day 2 the gross was $11,185,250 from the sale of 345 weanlings at an average of $32,421.

The clearance rate climbed to 78%.

Top lot on Day 2 was lot a Zoustar colt from Morwell purchased by NZ trainer John Wheeler for $250,000.

Merrivale Farm sold the top lot and finished the sale with a 100% clearance rate for their seven weanlings offered.

Merrivale’s Jen Fowler was thrilled with the resultsl.

“To come here and top the sale with a beautiful colt is wonderful,” Fowler said.

“There’s been strong competition and there has been an enormous amount of interest.”

Hunter Valley operation Fernrigg Farm went to $225,000 for a Not A Single Doubt colt from Vicennalia offered by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds.

Fernrigg’s Rae-Louise Farmer was pleased to buy the colt.

“It’s been frustratingly difficult to buy the nice horses at all levels but he was one we really wanted and it was a relief to get him,” Farmer said.

Victorian pinhookers Luke and Mags Anderson of Maluka Farm purchased a filly by Zoustar from Queen Of The Creek for $200,000 from Swettenham Stud.

Luke Anderson recognised that determined bidding was needed to buy a weanling of her quality.

“Zoustar is a stallion who does the job and she is a beautiful filly,” Anderson said.

“We have bought her in conjunction with Eion Kemp in New Zealand.

“It is a new partnership and we’ll see how we go when she comes back through Melbourne Premier Sale next year.”