Eight things we learned on Day 1 of Inglis Easter: Zoustar takes centre stage at Easter opener

Cover image courtesy of Inglis

At A Glance

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Four yearlings broke the million-dollar barrier on day one of the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, led by Lot 227 who made $2.2million to the bid of James Harron Bloodstock near the end of the day. The Zoustar filly from Group 1 winner Prompt Response was sold by Widden Stud.

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The first day of selling showed improvements in both the average and median on 2023, however, the clearance rate was down from 85 per cent in 2023 to 74 per cent in 2024.

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Vendors gained on 2023 with the average price rising to $390,091 (up from $389,605 for day one in 2023), while the median on the first day rose to $300,000 (up from $280,000).

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With less lots sold on day one of 2024 compared to 2023, the gross for the first session was down at $63,975,000 for 164 lots sold. In 2023, the first day had 177 lots sell for a gross of $68,960,000.

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The leading buyer by gross on the first day was Tom Magnier, who picked up three yearlings for $2.68million, while two buying groups each purchased six yearlings apiece with KPW Bloodstock buying six yearlings for an aggregate spend of $2.24million and the Chris Waller/Guy Mulcaster team purchased six yearlings for a total of $1.99million.

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Coolmore Stud was the leading vendor on the first day selling 16 yearlings for $7.255 million, including Lot 68, a Snitzel filly from Hips Don’t Lie who made $1.1million to be the fourth top lot of the day.

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With the top two lots, it was no surprise to see Zoustar as the leading stallion on day one with 13 yearlings sold for $9.79million (average $753,000), although Champion Sire I Am Invincible was close behind with 16 yearlings sold for $9.2million (average $577,500).

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Wootton Bassett (GB) leads the first season sires after the first day with 11 lots sold for $3.5million, while G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan is the leading first season sire by average (more than one lot sold) with 6 lots averaging $427,500.

#1 Zoustar dominates Day 1 leaderboard

Widden Stud’s Zoustar was the dominant force at the top end of the market on the opening day of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, being responsible for four of the top six lots.

This was highlighted late in the session when James Harron Bloodstock went to $2.2 million for Widden’s filly from the Group 1 winning mare Prompt Response (Beneteau).

It gave Zoustar the two top lots after Tom Magnier bid $1.9 million earlier in the day for Segenhoe’s colt from Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt).

Widden’s Antony Thompson admitted there was something special about seeing Zoustar’s progeny so keenly sought after.

“As a studmaster, you are rusted on to your stallions. You have to show enormous belief when you buy them, when you breed to them, when you support them,” Thompson said.

“To see that belief be really vindicated in the way it has been, it is enormously satisfying.

“That’s up there as one of the highest priced fillies we’ve sold and one of our top lots. Very exciting and pretty cool.”

Harron described the daughter of Prompt Response as “a very special filly” and tipped the pedigree page would only continue to blossom over the next decade, given the way the mare has been bred since retiring to stud.

“Zoustar is absolutely flying and his fillies are doing an outstanding job. She was the standout in the sale for us and very happy to get her,” he said.

Zoustar also had fillies from Formality (Fastnet Rock) and Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel) make $950,000 during the session.

His 13 sold on Day 1 made $9,795,000 at an average of $753,462, making him the leading sire by both aggregate and average.

“It’s been a good day. He’s had a great year and has had great sales right around the grounds and great results on the track,” Thompson said. .

“It’s just continued here, with some great Zoustars, whether they’re colts or fillies, they’ve been selling really well. They are right in the eye of all the major buyers.”

#2 Hutch tips filly dominance to “balance out” on Day 2

Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was comfortable with results from the opening session and tipped Monday’s second session to be stronger at the top of the market.

While the average and median figures held up similarly to last year, the fact only four horses made $1million or more was notable, given a total of 26 were knocked down at this sale last year.

“We had a day here two years ago where we sold six horses for $1million or more and the following day we sold 14,” Hutch said.

“It just ebbs and flows a bit. There are a lot of factors that go into a horse making a lot of money. Everything has to be perfect.

“I kind of look at it and say, did the median hold up to be a good figure? Yes. Did the average hold up to be a good figure? Yes. The clearance at the end of the day is going to be pretty consistent with what it was at the end of the day 12 months ago.

“We had a situation where Yulong spent $9.2million on this day 12 months ago, which is a significant factor in driving turnover in a sale and today we just had no dominant buyer.

“Nobody pinned their colours to the mast the way Yulong did 12 months ago.”

Five of the top six lots were fillies on Sunday and the girls averaged significantly higher than the boys across the session, but Hutch said he believes “the equilibrium will balance out tomorrow”, even allowing for the headline Pierro x Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) filly.

“The reality is that for any of these yearlings to make proper money, everything has to be spot on,” he said.

“It just happened today with a few particular horses, a couple of things weren’t as perfect as buyers needed them to be and it just affected their willingness to really stretch.

“I just get the feeling it will be a little bit more straightforward in respect to those horses tomorrow.”

Earlier Yarraman Park’s Arthur Mitchell hailed their I Am Invincible x Notting Hill (Pierro) filly as one of the nicest fillies he’s taken to a sale after she made $1.8million to the bid of Hilldene Farm.

“She ranks right up at the pointy end of other Vinny fillies we’ve sold. She’s gorgeous and has been from day one,” he said.

Hilldene Farm’s Nick Wakim said he had to stretch a little more than he’d hoped to secure the filly.

“Obviously Meuse was my filly which I raced. I sold her and she is probably the only one that I have sold where I thought, ‘did I make the right decision or the wrong decision?’ and this is a beautiful filly and an opportunity to get back into the family,” he said.

“She was a star, the best filly I’ve seen for a long time, as a matter of fact. The best filly on ground and probably one of the two best fillies I’ve seen ever, so the right family, right cross.

“She is a lovely filly and we are very happy to get her.”

Tom Magnier signed for the day’s highest priced colt, Segenhoe Stud’s Zoustar x Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt) colt, for $1.9million.

On Monday, Magnier will be in the spotlight as the vendor of the much-anticipated Pierro x Winx filly, who is due to sell mid-afternoon.

The Pierro filly has already been the subject of huge mainstream media exposure and Inglis is preparing for unprecedented public interest when she sells on Monday afternoon.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have the Winx horse here and we can’t wait,” Magnier said.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a complex anywhere in the world as busy as it was at 11.50 here (Sunday), so full credit to Inglis as well.”

#3 Murphys Salute with Zoustar filly

Royston and Treen Murphy were celebrating a personal best result on Sunday night after selling their Zoustar x Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel) filly for $950,000.

The filly was knocked down to Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA).

“Over the years we’ve sold some high-priced yearlings for clients, but personally, that’s our highlight of our investment in the industry,” Royston said.

“It’s like if you can’t crack the million, people think you’re disappointed. I can tell you, at $950,000, I’m far from disappointed.”

Murphy said Invictus Salute was a mare they bought privately, who was able to perform for them on the racetrack and despite the temptation to sell, she’s remained a prized possession at Sledmere.

“At the time it was a big investment for us. We were getting going and up on our feet. We had always loved the family, most people do, so we decided to shell out, bought the mare, kept her with Mark Newnham and luckily we picked off a Listed race, which was great,” he said.

“We did think maybe we should cash her in and we were offered a fair bit of money for her, but we loved her so much and stood our ground and said ‘let’s just keep her and breed with her.’

“It’s been a long road and as everybody knows with breeding, it’s a long time since she was covered by Zoustar to get to today.

“She did have an I Am Invincible foal and unfortunately the foal died. So this was the second foal, as I said a long road, but we’ve always been excited about getting her here today and getting in front of people.”

Murphy said the filly was “built for speed” and he expects to see her race early in the new year.

Invictus Salute has a Home Affairs filly and is back in foal to I Am Invincible.

Sledmere had a productive opening session, selling seven lots for $2.96 million, to be among the top 10 vendors by (aggregate 7th and average, 9th).

“It’s a big investment these mares and it’s nice when it pays off,” Murphy said.

“We came here thinking we had a pretty nice draft and we’ve had a very good day.

“Credit to everyone on the team. People forget all the work that goes in, all for 10 days at the sale. It’s two years of hard work from everybody on the team and that goes from the guys who do the farming, the team in the office and all the crew out working with the horses.

“This is a great result for the whole farm.”

#4 Mills seeking more topline fillies

Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) had a busy day, signing for three of the top 20 lots in the session and then later a $400,000 in conjunction with Brae Sokolski’s Yes Bloodstock and Stallion Match.

“A few years ago I started to progress into that category of being able to go to a sale and buy the horse you want. The client support for me over the last five years has been unbelievable and thoroughly appreciated,” Mills said.

“I’m very lucky that a lot of those horses have been good racehorses and really repay the people who have supported me. That’s by far and away the most pleasing aspect of all this.”

Mills’ highest priced lot was the Zoustar x Formality filly, which he co-signed for with James Bester Bloodstock.

It was the first time Mills had bought with Bester.

“In this day and age you see so many horses knocked down to multiple names. So especially at something like the Easter Sale, you’re often trying to work out a little bit if you can team up with people and so on,” Mills said.

“I was obviously pretty keen on the filly, then I found out that James was as well. So it worked out well. James’ client will take the vast majority of the horse and I will actually end up a minority partner.”

Mills said there had been no decision on who would train the Formality filly, but each of his other three purchases will be placed into the care of Mick Price and Mick Kent Junior.

“She’s a three-quarter-sister to Invader, so obviously that’s a family I’ve watched for a long time, tried to get into for a long time,” Mills said.

The first purchase was Lot 45, a Snitzel x Girandola (Medaglia D’Oro) from Lime Country for $650,000.

“I love Medaglia D’Oro as a broodmare sire – I’m really big on broodmare sires and Medaglia is in an elite, elite category. He’s as good as they get worldwide as a broodmare sire.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with Lime Country. I bought Gumdrops from them and also bought another filly last year by Fastnet Rock, who we really like.

Physically, in terms of handling the sale process, I thought she was probably just about the pick of them.”

Mills then gave the same amount for a Written Tycoon x Kooweerup (More Than Ready {USA}) filly from Yulong.

“That was one of my top picks and a filly I really wanted,” Mills said.

“We’ve had a lot of luck with Written Tycoon, with (Group 1 winner) Odeum and (Group 3 winner) Gumdrops and Vibrant Sun being out of a Written Tycoon mare.

“So he’s a stallion I’m always pretty hot on and she was probably my favourite Written Tycoon in the sale.”

The final purchase was a Snitzel x Pass The Parcel (More Than Ready {USA}) filly from Aristia Park, which was purchased with Yes Bloodstock and Stallion Match.

“Brae Sokolski has been a mate of mine for close on 30 years. We used to attend many a venue back in the day, so I’ve known Brae for a long time.

“He’s got his own systems and thoughts and so do I. We bought one together this year at the Gold Coast and now this filly. It’s a good little partnership and I’m really happy with the way that one’s come together.”

#5 In Plain English – Ellis is Slipper dreaming

A day after the Te Akau honour roll was boosted by a new Group 1 2-year-old winner, Principal David Ellis had eyes on the biggest juvenile prize of them all when he secured Newhaven Park’s Snitzel-English (Encosta De Lago) colt for $700,000.

This is the second foal of English, who carved out a brilliant career in the Newhaven Park colours, winning twice at Group 1 level and three times in Group 2 races.

The Gai Waterhouse trained mare also counted a string of Group 1 placings among her achievements, one of those being second to Vancouver in the 2015 Golden Slipper.

Being by Snitzel, a two-times Slipper winning sire, Ellis sees the world’s richest juvenile race written all over the colt he bought on Sunday.

“I thought he was a Golden Slipper colt if ever I’d seen one. We were pretty keen to buy him and he was good buying at that money,” Ellis said.

“From the moment we saw him, our vets rated him very highly, it’s pretty exciting to go home with a colt like him.

“(He is) very much on type an early colt. He will be in our Cranbourne stable and we hope he’s the next top horse we have there.” - David Ellis

“Anything you get from Newhaven, one of the best farms in the world, is always exciting to have.”

On Saturday at Trentham, the Te Akau colours sailed to victory in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce S. (1400m) courtesy of I Am Invincible colt Move To Strike.

“It’s just incredible the job Sam Burgerson and Mark Walker have done getting him from a colt that had a heart fibrillation at his previous start to win a Group 1 the way he did (on Saturday),” Ellis said.

“I’m just so proud of the job those two guys and all of our staff have done with him.

“To be I Am Invincible’s only Group 1 winning two-year-old is something that I’m very proud of.”

Ellis said Move To Strike would not campaign in Australia this season and most likely won’t be seen here until the autumn of next year, with the New Zealand 2000 Guineas his principal aim this spring.

Ellis and his Te Akau team were quick out of the blocks in the first session. One lot after buying the Snitzel x English colt, Ellis was able to secure a Frankel x Escapement (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) colt from the Yulong draft for $300,000.

“Frankel is one of the great sires in the world, so we thought at $300,000 he was good buying too,” Ellis said.

“We’re (here) to try and buy some good horses, try and get the next Imperatriz.”

Ellis was true to his word. Late in the session he went to $775,000 to buy Cressfield’s Snitzel filly from the dual Group 1 winning sprinter Pippie (Written Tycoon).

This is the first foal from the former John and Chris Meagher-trained speedster, who won the Oakleigh Plate and Moir Stakes at Group 1 level.

#6 Ora prominent on both sides of the ledger

Kia Ora Stud was at the pointy end of the high priced lots as both a vendor and buyer during the opening session on Sunday, selling a valuable Farnan filly, before paying seven figures for a filly from a family they know well.

The farm’s Farnan filly from US Grade 2 winner Gypsy Robin (USA) (Daaher {Can}) was keenly sought after, eventually falling to the combination of Newgate Bloodstock and the Ladbrokes Racing Club for $725,000.

The filly is a half-sister to Newgate’s Group 1 winning stallion Wild Ruler (Snitzel) and also to Kembla Grange Classic winner Pavitra (American Pharoah {USA}).

A short time later, Kia Ora’s Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright held the call when the hammer fell on Coolmore’s Snitzel x Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) filly at $1.1 million.

Farnan colts sold for $1.2 million and $800,000 at the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in January, but this was the most expensive yearling filly by the stallion sold to this point.

Wright said it was very pleasing to see first crop progeny of their resident sire competing with proven stallions on the big stage.

“It was a great result. She went to Newgate and Ladbrokes and they are buying some very nice fillies,” Wright said.

“She was a very special filly and Farnan has been very well received and when you see prices like that for a first season sire and they’re up there competing with the big boys at Easter it’s great.”

Kia Ora also sold a Farnan x Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) for $600,000 to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott during the session.

Two years ago at this sale, Kia Ora gave $900,000 for Learning To Fly, a close relation to the Snitzel filly they secured in partnership with TFI on Sunday.

“It’s the most amazing family and she’s a beautiful filly herself,” Wright said.

“She’s one that we marked in the catalogue before we came here. Obviously we bought Learning To Fly here a few years back and she’s been good to us, so it’s a family we know, it’s a family we love and right up there with the best families in Australia.

“She wasn’t cheap, but nothing in this family comes cheap and we were happy to pick her up.”

Wright said no decision had been made on a trainer for the filly at this point, but he expected to receive plenty of submissions. He indicated they would wait until the end of the sale before deciding on a trainer.

#7 Stewart warms up

John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock was an active player during the opening session, acquiring three lots for $1.32 million.

Bidding online from Lexington, Stewart struck early with the purchase of Rigmont’s I Am Invincible x Faith In Hand (Fastnet Rock) filly for $650,000.

He then added a Dundeel (NZ) x Game Of Thorns (Animal Kingdom {USA}) colt from Arrowfield’s draft for $240,000, before rounding out his online spree with a Lope De Vega (Ire) x Hint Of Pink (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) filly from Yarraman Park’s draft for $425,000.

“As you can see we are mainly focusing on fillies," said Stewart.

“We are a breed to race operation and we are really focusing on buying horses that we know have good bloodlines and that we want to be foundational for our breeding operation.

“Hip 16 was spotted by Chelsey when we were in Australia. She spent a day on a helicopter flying around to different farms to see as many horses as she could during our brief visit and had this one high on our list.

“It must have been “meant to be” because we were just coming off a big second place run for our colt that we have in partnership with Sheik Fahad of Qatar Racing, which solidified his spot in the Kentucky Derby as one of the top four contenders.

“We were having a little team celebration and lost our focus and when we logged into the sale they had already started the bidding for hip 16. I saw that she as on the list and bought her before the full team had even realized."

Stewart had flagged his intention to be buying at this sale and lived up to that promise on Sunday.

All of the purchases will remain in Australia. They will go to Coolmore, before a decision is made on who will train them.

Attention now turns to Stewart’s actions on Monday, having flagged on social media last week his intention to be a player in the race to secure the Pierro x Winx filly.

#8 Strong spread of buyers

Day 1 concluded with a total of 116 individual buyers, a figure almost identical to last year's sale at the same stage, which saw 117 buyers.

While the number of buyers remained stable, the absence of Yulong on day one indicates a wider distribution among buyers. Notably, Chris Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock and KPW Bloodstock (for Ron Wanless) emerged as the top purchasers, each acquiring six lots.

Geographically, the distribution of buyers has remained relatively consistent, with 12 unique locations represented on the buying sheet, compared to 14 at this point last year. Buyers from New South Wales unsurprisingly dominated, accounting for 66 individual purchases.

Victorian buyers secured 46 yearlings, a decrease from last year's 69, however this can be attributed to the absence of Yulong's expenditures. Japanese investment decreased, with Katsumi Yoshida being the sole buyer on day 1; last year, four Japanese buyers collectively purchased six yearlings by this point in the sale.

Buyers from New Zealand demonstrated strength on day 1, acquiring 17 individual lots, a significant increase from the 10 yearlings purchased at the same stage last year. Notably, Dean Hawthorne and Te Akau Racing's David Ellis were prominent contributors, with Hawthorne signing for seven yearlings and Ellis for four.

Top buyers

Vendors by aggregate

Vendors by average (3 or more sold)

Sires by aggregate

Sires by average (3 or more sold)