Gunnison sets Australian sale record
Not A Single Doubt 2YO Gunnison made history at the inaugural Inglis Chairman’s Sale on Thursday evening when he was knocked down to Chris McAnulty for $1.4 million.
That is the highest price paid for a gelding ever sold at auction in Australia and the top price paid for any progeny of Not A Single Doubt at auction. His outstanding daughter Villa Verde achieved his first seven-figure auction sale when purchased for $1.1 million by James Bester and the Deep Field Syndicate at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Gunnison, bred by Lincoln Farm from the Group 2-winning mare Colorado Claire (by Hussonet), has a habit of making history. He’s also Not A Single Doubt’s top-priced yearling – so far – after being sold by Arrowfield at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale for $850,000 to James Harron Bloodstock.
He’s hardly missed a beat since then, winning on debut at Canberra in February, before defeating fellow Arrowfield graduate Invader in the ATC Todman S. G2 on 4 March. Gunnison now lines up in Saturday’s $1 million Inglis Sires’ G1 where his rivals include five Snitzel colts (Chauffeur, Menari, Trapeze Artist, Invader & Summer Passage) and the Not A Single Doubt colt Single Bullet.
Between them, Snitzel, Not A Single Doubt and their champion sire Redoute’s Choice are responsible for nine of the 14 Australian and New Zealand juvenile colts and geldings rated 110 or better by Timeform.
However, Chris McAnulty confirmed Gunnison’s future racing would be in Asia.
“We targeted this horse for a specific reason and that is that sprinting events in Hong Kong at the moment are very open with not huge fields, so we see this as a great opportunity to get a high-quality sprinter from Australia over there.
“Gunnison is a lovely gelding, he’s proved in his short career already that he is loaded with ability and we’re looking forward to getting our hands on him and seeing what he can do in Hong Kong.’’
Arrowfield will offer Gunnison’s three-quarter sister (by Snitzel) as Lot 84 at the Inglis Easter Sale which begins next Tuesday 4 April. Arrowfield’s 46-lot consignment also features Colorado Claire’s half-brother, Lot 215 by Dundeel from Lunaspur.
