APG to sell in Melbourne, Sydney in 2024

The leading standardbred sales company Australian Pacing Gold will be conducting harness racing yearling sales in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia in 2024.

APG chose not to run sales in Melbourne and Sydney in 2023 while the company reassessed its role in the marketplace and its future direction.

The Melbourne sale will be held at William Inglis, Oaklands Junction, on Sunday, February 4, 2024, the day after the iconic A. G. Hunter Cup night at Melton.

The Sydney sale will be at William Inglis, Warwick Farm on Sunday, February 25, 2024.

The APG sales round will open at the Magic Millions, Gold Coast, on Sunday, January 28, 2024 and conclude at Magic Millions, Perth, on Sunday, March 3, 2024.

“We have a new-look team to take APG forward in 2024,” APG Chairman Robert Marshall said.

“In the office, we have Anthony Essex in charge of customer service, finance will be handled by Belinda Richardson and Louise Mansfield, while, in the field, Lance Holberton and John Coffey along with our skilled auctioneers Grant Burns and Clint Donovan will be working closely with vendors to present yearlings to the market at their very best.

“APG’s new team will be focused on providing a not-for-profit service to the harness racing industry around Australia and providing an ongoing facility to our vendors to sell their yearlings, as we have done successfully for many years.”

Essex said they were “excited to be back selling yearlings in Melbourne and Sydney”.

“APG has a strong future ahead with a new team, new changes, all working together in the one direction,” he said.

APG has been selling yearlings since 1990 and over the years has established record prices for colts and fillies at both gaits.

The honour roll of APG reads like a who’s who of harness racing. The list includes the Inter Dominion champions Shakamaker, Smolda, Golden Reign and Smooth Satin, the Miracle Mile winners Catch A Wave and Divisive, and the Grand Circuit stars Tailamade Lombo, Caribbean Blaster, Safe And Sound and Expensive Ego.

Nominations for the sale will open on the APG website on July 1 and close on July 31.

Details of the APG sale-race series will be announced in coming weeks.

Gary Rogers, the former motor racing driver and V8 Supercars team boss, bred and part-owns The Chancer, a very impressive winner at Warragul King’s Birthday holiday meeting.

Rogers is breeding from several well-bred broodmares at his West Gippsland property

Alabar Bloodstock flagship Art Major is the leading two-year-old sire this season with $736,229, more than $200,000 ahead of the second placed Captaintreacherous.

Art Major’s babies include the APG Gold Bullion winners War Dan Buddy and Iron Clad and the feature winners Soho Spectre, Luvareschs, Ever Art and Rylee Rhayne Bow

A Somebeachsomewhere weanling filly out of Luvin Miss Molly, offered by Wingate Farm, topped the recent Nutrien Equine’s Winter Woolies online auction at $24,000

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria