Caption: Superstar sire Fernando Bale will figure prominently at Sunday’s Alan Price Memorial Ipswich Puppy Auction
By PAT McLEOD
All indicators are pointing towards plenty of spirited bidding at Sunday’s Alan Price Memorial Ipswich Puppy Auction.
Ipswich Club operations manager Narelle Long reports everything is in place for about 100 quality lots to go under the auctioneer’s hammer from 10am Sunday at the Ipswich showgrounds.
“We are really happy with this year’s auction,” she said. “There are a large number of high-quality pups for sale.
“The club is expecting plenty of buyer interest. There is certainly plenty of excitement around the offerings and so hopefully that will result in a successful auction on Sunday.
The catalogue boasts 355 pups which will be ‘processed’ through the auction, with 253 of these ‘buy-ins’, which means their breeder has already paid the auction fee to retain the pups for the rich auction series. That leaves a further 102 quality lots to go under the hammer, with a couple of these being ‘scratched’ in recent days.
(The full catalogue can be viewed on the Ipswich club website: https://www.ipswichgreyhounds.com/auctioncatalogue.html
What is raising the stakes for this year’s auction is the rich prize-pool – more than $150,000 – for auction graduates in races in February, March and April 2024.
In fact, connections of the winner of the main 520m auction feature race in 2024 will take home $100,000.
Another interesting initiative this year is that sale can be viewed live via Ipswich club’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/IpswichGreyhounds
Many of the lots can also be viewed on the Behind The Kennel Doors Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/behindthekenneldoors
Chase breeding expert David Brasch said the Ipswich Puppy Auction always produced ‘outstanding bloodlines, offspring of proven broodbitches, high-class race performers and an abundance of ‘bargains for astute buyers’.
He said among the standouts on Sunday were pups by:
Fernando Bale – Sequana;
Fernando Bale – Zipping Cosmo;
Fernando Bale – Fi Fi Rumble;
Superior Panama – China O’Brien;
Aussie Infrared – Tipsy Four
Sennachie – Split Sound
Mepunga Blazer – Marseille
Shima Shine – Riccolina Girl.
See David Brasch’s full auction overview at: https://chasenews.com.au/great-bloodlines-hold-centre-stage-but-bargains-tipped/
Adding extra flavour to the auction again will be Ray Fewings, who has wielded the gavel at Ipswich for almost a decade.
An industry stalwart in South Australia, Fewings has worn many hats in almost six decades in the sport including race-caller, owner and trainer, and GRSA board member.
His unique style is certain to generate excitement and tension during the auction.
