Cover image courtesy of Inglis
The highly anticipated release of the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale is imminent. As a taste test of what’s ahead, Inglis has announced a ‘mini Easter catalogue’ to give buyers insight into what is coming to the sale next year.
Typically, the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale is a smaller catalogue, with 457 lots in 2023 and 487 catalogued in 2022.
The catalogue is packed with quality from Lot 1 to the last. Each year, the sale sees some of the best yearlings in the land descend on Inglis’ Riverside Stables, with next year's dates set at Sunday, April 7 and Monday, April 8.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch describes the sale as extraordinary, “The quality is just extraordinary.
“The quality is just extraordinary. I think when people see the catalogue, they are going to be really excited, and the horses themselves are an incredible group.” - Sebastian Hutch
“It would be all too predictable for me to say that it’s ‘the best’ Easter catalogue Inglis has had for some time, but ultimately, I think when people see the catalogue, they are going to be really excited, and the horses themselves are an incredible group.”
The entire catalogue has yet to be released. Still, Hutch was eager to point out the stallions represented, “The variety through the catalogue is going to be a particularly appealing feature of it, with progeny of superstar international stallions like Frankel, Gun Runner, Siyouni, Lope De Vega and Night Of Thunder complementing what is an outstanding representation of the best local stallions.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“The offering from drafts like Arrowfield, Coolmore, Widden, Yarraman, Vinery, Segenhoe and other farms will be typically strong, and the catalogue is set to be supplemented by drafts from the likes of Gilgai Farm, Yulong, B2B Thoroughbreds, Mill Park, Elsdon Park and others, who were not represented in the sale in 2023.
“It’s going to be an incredible spectacle and a wonderful showcase of our market to a worldwide audience.”
“It’s (the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale) going to be an incredible spectacle and a wonderful showcase of our market to a worldwide audience.” - Sebastian Hutch
Eyes of the world on Riverside
It has already been disclosed the first live foal of the extraordinary Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) will be offered at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale through Coolmore’s draft on behalf of her owners.
The filly, a daughter of the Champion galloper Pierro, is sure to attract global attention, given her rarity and the status of her Champion dam.
The first live foal of Champion Mare Winx will be offered at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
However, despite her regal pedigree, she won’t be the only blueblood on offer. The 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale is set to catalogue to offer many other showstoppers.
Among them is a full brother to the Champion Filly Sunlight (Zoustar). The colt is the 10th foal from the Charge Forward mare Solar Charged. A talented galloper herself, gaining success in the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. and the G3 Kindergarten S.
Solar Charged’s progeny have proven sale ring darlings. Seven have been offered as yearlings, grossing a spend of $8.6 million and an average of $1,200,600. Including Kandinsky Abstract (Zoustar), who lit up the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale sale ring in 2022, selling it to Tom Magnier for $3 million. Meanwhile, the unraced juvenile filly Clean Energy (Zoustar) was a $2.6 million purchase by Yulong on the Gold Coast.
A full brother to Champion Filly Sunlight (pictured) is among the offerings, as well as the mare's second foal, a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The colt’s full sister, Sunlight, won 11 races, including the G1 Newmarket H., the G1 Coolmore Stud S. and the G1 William Reid S. Her first foal, an unraced colt named Dawn Service (Justify {USA}) was a $1.4 million yearling, highlighting the family's popularity in the sales ring.
Sunlight’s second foal, a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB), is set to be sold at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Strong representation for Bassett
Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett, one of the world’s most exciting sires, will be represented by his first Southern Hemisphere crop. The son of Iffraaj (GB) has been heavily supported with quality mares, and several of those resultant matings will be available to buyers at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
The Group 1 winners Daysee Doom (Domesday) (colt), Nakeeta Jane (So You Think {NZ}) (colt), Qafila (Not A Single Doubt) (filly) and Mizzy (Zoustar) (filly) are some of the other mares with progeny by Wootton Bassett.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore Stud
There are also relations to some star gallopers by the Coolmore stallion. The 2023 Coolmore Stud S. hero Ozzmosis (Zoustar), who is from the Darci Brahma (NZ) mare No More Tears (NZ), has a half-brother by Wootton Bassett alongside the G1 Thousand Guineas victress Madame Pommery (No Nay Never {USA}), who has a half-sister in the sale.
Juvenile power
Relations to outstanding juveniles will also be represented in the catalogue. There is a half-brother by the multiple Champion Sire Snitzel to Chris Waller-trained Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}). The colt won the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and the G1 Champagne S. double as a juvenile and returned in the spring to win the G1 Golden Rose. Militarize’s dam is the imported Dubawi (Ire) mare Amerindia (GB).
Another star relation is a three-quarter brother by The Autumn Sun to the G1 Golden Slipper victress Estijaab, as well as a half-sister by Zoustar to the dominant Golden Slipper victor and exciting Kia Ora Stud stallion Farnan.
Gallery: Some of the sires represented by highlight lots at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale
Pierata, who has made a strong start to his stallion career at Yulong, will be represented by a half-brother to the 2022 Golden Slipper winner, Fireburn (Rebel Dane). The dual Group 1-winning mare was recently sold for an undisclosed sum and client in Japan.
The G1 Sires’ Produce S. victress El Dorado Dreaming (Ilovethiscity) is set to have her first foal a colt by the Champion Sire Fastnet Rock catalogued.
Belle's first foal among the stars
The first foal of the 14 Group 1 winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) will be offered at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The late August-born filly is by Yulong’s Champion Sire Written Tycoon.
Te Akau Racing and Fortuna Racing raced Melody Belle, who won the G1 Empire Rose S. and the G1 Thorndon Mile S. among her 14 elite-level victories. The daughter of Commands racked up multiple accordales during her career, including two New Zealand Horse of the Year titles.
The first foal of the 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (NZ), a filly by Written Tycoon, will be offered at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
The three-time Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel) has a filly by Australia’s reigning Champion Sire I Am Invincible. Meanwhile, the G1 Australian Oaks heroine Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) will have a filly by Yulong’s Lucky Vega (Ire).
Unforgotten’s first foal, a filly by I Am Invincible, was a headline act at this year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, selling to Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) for $650,000.
The still active Duais (Shamus Award), who Yulong recently purchased, has won three Group 1 races, and her dam Meerlust (Johannesburg {USA}) has a colt by Darley’s Bivouac heading to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Bivouac, a son of Exceed And Excel, was an elite sprinter winning the G1 Golden Rose S., the G1 Newmarket H. and the G1 VRC Sprint Classic.
G1 Australian Oaks heroine Unforgotten (pictured) will have a filly on offer by Yulong's Lucky Vega (Ire) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Another star mare represented in the catalogue is the triple Group 1 victress Tofane (NZ), the daughter of Ocean Park (NZ), who will have a full sister on offer.
Snitzel stars
Arrowfield Stud’s multiple Champion Sire Snitzel sired his 138th stakes winner on Saturday and, unsurprisingly, will have strong representation.
Among the progeny of Snitzel is a filly by the star broodmare Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}). She won five races, including the G2 Reisling S., and has produced runners such as the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond S. placegetter Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock).
Hips Don’t Lie is the granddam of last season’s star juvenile Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}). Written Tycoon’s brilliant sprinting daughter, Pippie (Written Tycoon), will have her first foal, a filly by Snitzel, on offer.
Snitzel will have a number of exciting progeny on offer from mares such as: Hips Don't Lie (NZ), Pippie and Dame Giselle | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Pippie, a dual Inglis sale graduate, was first sold at the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $60,000 and won the G1 Moir and the G1 Manikato S. during her career before being offered at the 2021 Inglis Chairman’s Sale and selling for $1.8 million to Tasman Bloodstock.
The four-time Group 2 winner Dame Giselle's (I Am Invincible) second foal, a filly by Snitzel, is scheduled for the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, alongside the one-time conquer of Winx, First Seal (Fastnet Rock), who has a filly by the Champion Sire.
Further highlights
Other stars highlighted in the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale mini catalogue include a full brother to the Group 1 winner and $3.6 million Inglis Chairman’s Sale graduate Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}).
While a Flying Artie, full brother to the star performer Artorius, who now stands at Newgate Farm. Last year’s G1 Caulfield Guineas victor Golden Mile (Astern), a son of the Lonhro mare Calaverite, will be represented by a half-sister by Street Boss (USA).
The Shamardal (USA) mare Confidential Queen will have a half-sister by Shalaa (Ire) to The Everest runner-up and $9.4 million earner Private Eye (Al Maher).
