News Girl Heads to Flinders
Consistent Group-class mare News Girl (Magnus) tonight became the 15th lot sold for $300,000 or more by Inglis Digital in 2021 when realising $375,000 in the September (Early) Online Auction.
Offered by Geoff and Paul Duryea and partners, the 6YO mare sold to Two Bays Farm following a thrilling bidding duel.
News Girl was one of seven lots to realise $100,000 or more in the auction, leading to another highly successful sale which grossed $5,310,950 at a clearance rate of 81% to further assert itself as the clear market leader in digital online sales.
Geoff Duryea was thrilled with the result of News Girl’s sale, despite having mixed emotions at having to part with one of his stable favourites.
“She’s a bloody ripper but the time comes, especially with a syndicate horse, that you need to sell and we couldn’t be happier with the result,’’ Duryea said.
“We had a lot of offers privately for her and knocked back $300,000 just the other day because we believed she was a better mare than that.
“Thank you so much to the Inglis team, to [Inglis Senior Bloodstock Consultant] Brett Gilding especially, the efforts in promoting her in the lead-up was recognised by so many, I had a lot of phone calls about her, she was very popular and the way Inglis presented her and the whole auction is to be commended.
“The syndicate is really happy she is going to a great home and we look forward to following her progeny for years to come.’’
A decision on which stallion News Girl will soon visit is yet to be finalised, but Two Bays’ Ross Ferris hinted Deep Field was an early favourite.
“She’s a mare whose progeny will be highly admired by trainers and the racing public alike, no matter who she ends up being served by,’’ Ferris said.
“She’s been an outstanding race mare, a 97 rater, was competitive in literally every race she contested, was a mare with a fast cruising speed, was front running, raced in very good company most of the time and always did herself and her owners proud. They’re all highly admirable traits.
“We bought the mare sight unseen physically, we went off the recommendation of [Inglis Victorian Bloodstock Manager] James Price largely, I mean we’d seen all of her races and the photos online and the promotional videos Inglis did ahead of the sale but we’ve had to rely on good judges and the Inglis team – in particular James – and their comments on the mare.’’