Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
146 of the 242 weanlings offered were sold - a 60.3 per cent clearance rate. Down on last year’s 66 per cent at the same stage (neither figure taking into account those weanlings who later found homes).
The aggregate of $7,431,000 was up from last year’s of $5,801,000 which saw 140 weanlings sold.
The average also improved - $50,897 up from $41,436 - as did the median - $28,750 up from $20,000.
The highest priced weanling was a Frankel (GB) filly sold by Rosemont Stud to Gary Harding for $525,000. That stallion also topped last year’s sale with a record-breaking $825,000 filly.
Day one of last year’s sale saw four weanlings making at least $200,000 whilst today seven horses made that amount and beyond.
Three of day one’s top four sellers in 2023 were fillies whilst today six of the top seven were colts.
Regarding stallions with at least three sold, Too Darn Hot (GB) achieved the highest average of $132,000 with his five sold for a total of $660,000 and a top of $160,000.
The most successful first-season stallion with at least three sold was Stay Inside with an average of $72,500 - his four selling for a total of $290,000 and a top of $90,000.
The most prolific vendor by gross sales was Rosemont Stud with 10 sold for $762,000, an average of $76,200 and a top of $525,000.
Kaha Nui Farm was the biggest buyer, spending $680,000 on three horses.
Frankel again to the fore
As was the case last year, the mighty Frankel (GB) was to the fore at Oaklands Junction on the opening day of the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.
The superstar racehorse and stallion who provided the sale’s record breaking sale topper last year again had the highest priced weanling and that action took place early with Lot 7 presented by Rosemont Stud fetching $525,000 to the bid of Gary Harding.
Rosemont’s Anthony Mithen was delighted with the result, the filly being the first foal produced by a mare sourced at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
“We were thrilled, with the help of Julian Blaxland, to get her though we did make a mistake with her,” he said - “we brought her to Australia and then decided that she should go to Frankel - so she had quite the magical mystery tour around the world!”
“... we did make a mistake with her (Abby Hatcher), we brought her to Australia (from America) and then decided that she should go to Frankel - so she had quite the magical mystery tour around the world!” - Anthony Mithen
Purchased for US$185,000 (AU$278,100), Abby Hatcher (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) won in Ireland before heading to America where she took out the G3 Chicago S. at Arlington.
Passed in at last year’s Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, she is now in foal to Bivouac and Mithen is excited about the start she has made.
“She has well and truly paid for herself with her first foal so now we can relax and just pick out another Australia horse who suits Acclamation mares and there is not much pressure.”
Lot 7 - Frankel (GB) x Abby Hatcher (Ire) (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“She is a lovely mare, a Group 3 winner and Acclamation is a worldwide success story.”
On the market at $350,000, Abby Hatcher’s daughter attracted spirited bidding with Nicky White the underbidder.
“There are lots of buyers at this top end,” Mithen said, “and you get well-rewarded for these sorts of horses,” adding that “we have been really pleased with the support we’ve had from Inglis.”
Anthony Mithen | Image courtesy of Inglis
Buy the horse you want
Gary Harding was not at the sale, watching on from New Zealand where he admitted to paying a bit more than he’d hoped for the filly - “but you have to buy the horse you want,” he said.
“She has good size about her and she looks great on paper, we will get her over here onto our grass and she will love it. She will grow out nicely and all going well we can look at taking her back to Australia for one of the big sales next year.”
“She (Lot 7) has good size about her and she looks great on paper, we will get her over here onto our grass and she will love it... all going well we can look at taking her back to Australia for one of the big sales next year.” - Gary Harding
More well known for buying yearlings, Harding said he will continue to participate in that market whilst also enjoying finding them younger.
Lot 7 - Frankel (GB) x Abby Hatcher (Ire) (filly) was the top lot of day 1, selling for $525,000 | Image courtesy of Inglis
And he was very happy to buy a nice horse at Inglis, fondly remembering that, “I bought my first ever yearling at Easter.”
“They have always been really good to deal with,” he said.
“I bought my first ever yearling at Easter. They have always been really good to deal with.” - Gary Harding
Harding enjoys sharing his racing experience with his family, telling us that his grandchildren are watching the races with him - “it’s all jolly good fun, you meet nice people, it is a great interest to have and we are very lucky to have our own nice property to bring our horses back to.”
Bred on the same Frankel/Acclamation cross (one represented so far by only six runners - three winners) as the lightly raced Group 2 winner Diego Velazquez (Ire), this filly shares breeding patterns with some extra smart ones - line-bred to Rainbow Quest (USA) as are Frankel’s Group 1 winners Inspiral (GB) and Chaldean (GB) and to Sadler’s Wells (USA) as are four of his Group 1 winners.
This is also the highly successful Frankel/Dubawi (Ire) cross - one that provides for a cross of the terrific mare Where You Lead (USA) (Raise A Native {USA}) as the G1 Epsom Derby winner Adayar (Ire) and another four of Frankel’s Group 1 horses.
Abby Hatcher is a half-sister to the Listed winner Purciaretta (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) from a family that has enjoyed historic success in Australia - producing the outstanding stallion Bletchingly.
Kaha Nui atones
Whilst Nicky White’s Kaha Nui Farm missed out on the Frankel filly, they did secure the next two biggest sellers - laying down $300,000 each on well-related colts by I Am Invincible and Toronado (Ire).
The first of those was Lot 95 sold on Murray Thoroughbreds’ behalf by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds whose Toby Liston was happy about what he called “a great result.”
“He is a classy colt being bought by a classy lady,” he said, “and I think that he is a great fit for New Zealand - he is a horse who is going to improve a lot.”
“I think that he (Lot 95) is a great fit for New Zealand - he is a horse who is going to improve a lot.” - Toby Liston
He is the first foal for the imported Listed winner Diablotine (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) who Peter Murray purchased with Boomer Bloodstock for 110,000 gns (AU$222,000) at the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
In foal to Toronado (“as are most of the mares on our farm,” said Liston), Diablotine is out of a winning daughter of the Listed winner Firm Friend (Ire) (Affirmed {USA}) - dam of the Listed winners Fred Lalloupet (GB) (Elusive City {USA}) and Mon Pote Le Gitan (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}) and of two successful broodmares.
Lot 95 - I Am Invincible x Diablotine (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
One of those is the dam of the Italian Joint Champion 3YO Miler Maximum Aurelius (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) whilst the other produced two Group 1 winners - Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Swettenham Stud’s Wooded (Ire).
The colt boasts an interesting pedigree with I Am Invincible’s sire Invincible Spirit (Ire) being a half-brother to Kodi Bear’s sire Kodiac (GB) - the result a 3 X 4 cross of the G1 French Oaks winning high-class broodmare Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}).
Nicky White was very happy with her purchase, noting that he is particularly nice for “a first foal.”
A fast family
“He is from a fast family and is a horse with a lot of upside - I liked everything about him and we can take him home and improve him,” she said of the colt she intends to reoffer as a yearling.
“I am so very fond of Vinnie,” she said of her new foal’s sire - “I met him and gave him a cuddle and loved his temperament - which he passes on to his progeny.”
Such as the exciting New Zealand 2-year-old colt Move To Strike - last start winner of the G1 Manawatu Sires Produce S. - of which White is a proud part-owner.
“You would not find a colt with a better nature,” she said, “and from what we’ve seen of this fellow today he has a lovely temperament as well.”
“You would not find a colt with a better nature (than Move To Strike) and from what we’ve seen of this fellow (Lot 95) today he has a lovely temperament as well.” - Nicky White
White also intends to reoffer as a yearling her second $300,000 purchase, Lot 148 by Toronado out of the three-time Group placed and three-time Flemington winner Gig (Commands).
Nicky White | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I thought he was the colt of the sale,” she enthused - “and the nicest Toronado colt I’ve seen all year.”
“He has great stature and strength about him and is very correct - looking to be a fast, early type.”
“He (Lot 148) has great stature and strength about him and is very correct - looking to be a fast, early type.” - Nicky White
“It is very satisfying to get the horse you really want from the sale.”
Lot 148 - Toronado (Ire) x Gig (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“That was an excellent result for our client,” said vendor Blue Gum Farm’s Sean Dingwall who said that “he compared well with the Toronado colts in Sydney and sold for about the same - the market does like a nice Toronado colt.”
Nicky White is looking forward to getting the pair back to New Zealand, telling us that she derives great pleasure from taking “babies through to the yearling stage.”
“It is such a special time of their lives, you get to see them really kick on and I love being part of that,” she said.
“It is such a special time of their lives (developing from a weanling to a yearling), you get to see them really kick on and I love being part of that.” - Nicky White
“I do tend to get attached - I probably have to learn to become more detached,” she said, though seeming content to be the person falling in love with her charges.
“I love it, it’s fun and something is not fun I am not going to do it!”
Happy Clapper's family
The Toronado colt is the fourth living foal produced by Gig whose trainer Shawn Mathrick bred this colt.
Served last spring by Dundeel (NZ), she has a 2-year-old showing promise - the Mathrick-trained Regimental Lass (National Defense {GB}) a jump-out winner thought highly enough of to contest the Listed Merson Cooper S. in which she was trapped wide.
Gig is a half-sister to the durable and classy Happy Clapper (Teofilo {Ire}), winner of 12 of his 48 starts including the G1 Doncaster H., the G1 Epsom H. and the G1 Canterbury S.
Boasting a cross of the wonderful mare Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) via her sons Sadler’s Wells and Fairy King (USA), the colt is bred on the same Toronado/Commands cross (one which has had four winners from six starters) as the dual Listed winning sprinter Corner Pocket.
Burnewang North Pastoral has another good sale
Achieving the day’s fourth highest price - purchased by the Bastille Trust for $260,000 - was Lot 43, a son of Pinatubo (Ire) and the Wodonga maiden-winning mare Bo Bardi (Fastnet Rock).
That daughter of the imported stakes winner Our Golden Dream (USA) (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) has already proven her worth as a broodmare with her first foal Spirited Express (No Nay Never {USA}) winning five races in New Zealand as Need I Say More before heading to Hong Kong where he won another two races.
Served last spring by Hellbent, Bo Bardi - who was purchased by Burnewang North Pastoral for $75,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale - has a 2-year-old Too Darn Hot (GB) filly who has been retained by her breeders and who is a member of the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable.
“He was a nice foal who has grown into a smart, strong, impressive weanling,” said Burnewang North’s Cathy Hains - “and hopefully he will furnish into a lovely yearling.”
“He (Lot 43) was a nice foal who has grown into a smart, strong, impressive weanling and hopefully he will furnish into a lovely yearling.” - Cathy Hains
Hains has been a keen supporter of Darley-based stallions - “they have proven to be a very strong stallion base and Pinatubo was an outstanding racehorse,” she said.
Another youngster with an interesting pedigree, the colt boasts duplications of the influential stallions Rahy (USA), Sadler’s Wells, Halo (USA) and Riverman (USA) and is 6 X 5 Crimson Saint (USA) (Crimson Satan {USA}) via her grandson Storm Cat (USA) and son Royal Academy (USA).
Lot 43 - Pinatubo (Ire) x Bo Bardi (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
This is a line-breeding pattern that has proven extremely successful - the Shamardal (USA)/Fastnet Rock cross producing two particularly smart sprinters in this part of the world, the Group 1 winners Santa Ana Lane and Gytrash - both by Lope De Vega (Ire).
Two for Two Bays
The next two highest sellers both hailed from the draft of Two Bays Farm whose Rob Carlisle was happy to see sons of Zoustar and Street Boss (USA) head to good homes - both due to be reoffered as yearlings.
Purchased by Cannon Hayes for $250,000, Lot 270 by Zoustar is the first foal for the two-time Group-placed, three-time Caulfield winner News Girl (Magnus) who Two Bays purchased from an Inglis Digital sale for $375,000 in September 2021.
“We would’ve liked a bit more for him,” Carlisle admitted, “but we were happy to meet the market and we hope that he can go on to make even more for his new owners.”
Lot 270 - Zoustar x News Girl (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He is a nice, neat type of Zoustar - a fast looking, running type.”
News Girl is a full sister to the Listed-winning sprinter Front Page and her son is bred on the same Zoustar/Magnus cross (one which has had four winners from nine runners) as the G1 Canterbury S. and three-time Group winner Mizzy... a cross which results in the duplication of the lovely mare Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}) via her grandson Encosta De Lago and son Flying Spur.
Earlier in the day Two Bays Farm sold for $230,000 a Street Boss colt to B. Clarke - Lot 138 the second foal for the Warwick Farm and Doomben winner Foxpack (Foxwedge).
A $475,000 yearling purchased by Two Bays online for $80,000 in August 2020, Foxpack is a mare that has Carlisle excited, “she is a lovely, big scopey mare who I think is going to be a lovely part of our broodmare band.”
“Her Justify filly is also very nice,” he said of the 2-year-old who has been named Empire Of Pain and who is a member of the Grahame Begg stable.
Served last spring by Toronado, Foxpack is a daughter of the imported dual stakes winner Twelve Pack Shelly (USA) (Deputy Storm {USA}) who also produced the Listed Cap d’Antibes S. winner Kentucky Miss (Foxwedge).
Her son certainly caught the eye in the sales ring with Carlisle describing him as “an imposing colt.”
Lot 138 - Street Boss (USA) x Foxpack (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He came out as a very nice foal and stayed that way,” he said.
Hutch sums up
Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch was aware of the issues faced by vendors at a sale with a 60.3 per cent clearance rate but happy with how well the top-end horses continue to sell.
“We turned over nearly $7.5 million today and over $16.2 million in Sydney,” he said as he thought back to when he started at Inglis in 2021 - “all the weanling sales combined that year were $17.8 million.”
“Obviously breeders face challenges but the figures show that the rewards for those who get it right can be spectacular,” he said.
“Obviously breeders face challenges but the figures show that the rewards for those who get it right can be spectacular.” - Sebastian Hutch
“The clearance rate is not where we would like it to be but there have been some incredible results today and we take more positivity out of the day that I was expecting.”
“The market for the weanlings up to $20,000 is indisputably tough but those looking for a horse they perceive to be of the quality to re-sell as a yearling is very strong.”
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“There was a sense of urgency amongst those buyers,” he said, “as this is their last chance to buy those sort of weanlings for the season.”
Hutch is looking forward to Day Two, noting that “there are some very nice horses being sold tomorrow including one potentially very special Snitzel colt.”
Top lots
| 7 | Frankel | Abby Hatcher | Filly | Rosemont Stud | G Harding, NEW ZEALAND | $525,000 |
| 95 | I Am Invincible | Diablotine | Colt | Three Bridges Thoroughbreds | Kaha Nui Farm, NEW ZEALAND | $300,000 |
| 148 | Toronado | Gig | Colt | Blue Gum Farm | Kaha Nui Farm, NEW ZEALAND | $300,000 |
| 43 | Pinatubo | Bo Bardi | Colt | Burnewang North Pastoral | Bastille Trust, NSW | $260,000 |
| 270 | Zoustar | News Girl | Colt | Two Bays Farm | Cannon Hayes Limited, NSW | $250,000 |
| 138 | Street Boss | Foxpack | Colt | Two Bays Farm | B Clarke, NSW | $230,000 |
| 267 | Home Affairs | Mystical Pursuit | Colt | Armidale Stud | Kilgravin Lodge / Bevan Smith Bloodstock, NEW ZEALAND | $200,000 |
| 214 | Too Darn Hot | Lake Lonhro | Filly | Shadow Hill Thoroughbreds, Avenel | Landsdowne Park 2018, NEW ZEALAND | $160,000 |
| 121 | So You Think | Estijmaam | Colt | Stonehouse Thoroughbreds | Suman Hedge Bloodstock, VIC | $150,000 |
| 255 | Pierata | Mistress of Doom | Colt | Ponderosa Park, Nathalia | Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA), VIC | $150,000 |
Top buyers
| Kaha Nui Farm | NEW ZEALAND | 3 | $680,000 | $226,667 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| G Harding | NEW ZEALAND | 1 | $525,000 | $525,000 | $525,000 | $525,000 |
| Bastille Trust | NSW | 1 | $260,000 | $260,000 | $260,000 | $260,000 |
| Cannon Hayes Limited | NSW | 1 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| B Clarke | NSW | 1 | $230,000 | $230,000 | $230,000 | $230,000 |
| Gary Mudgway Bloodstock | NSW | 3 | $200,000 | $66,667 | $100,000 | $90,000 |
| Kilgravin Lodge / Bevan Smith Bloodstock | NEW ZEALAND | 1 | $200,000 | $200,000 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| M Staunton | HONG KONG | 3 | $176,000 | $58,667 | $100,000 | $60,000 |
| Hall Of Fame / Shane McGrath Bloodstock | NSW | 2 | $172,000 | $86,000 | $140,000 | $86,000 |
| Landsdowne Park 2018 | NEW ZEALAND | 1 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 10 | $762,000 | $76,200 | $525,000 | $19,000 |
| Two Bays Farm, Flinders | 5 | $735,000 | $147,000 | $250,000 | $140,000 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | 12 | $655,500 | $54,625 | $300,000 | $12,500 |
| Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, Eddington | 9 | $604,000 | $67,111 | $150,000 | $40,000 |
| Crossley Thoroughbreds, Seymour | 7 | $547,500 | $78,214 | $150,000 | $62,500 |
| Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Eddington | 5 | $406,000 | $81,200 | $300,000 | $35,000 |
| Yulong, Nagambie | 9 | $401,000 | $44,556 | $90,000 | $50,000 |
| Burnewang North Pastoral, Rochester | 2 | $370,000 | $185,000 | $260,000 | $185,000 |
| Armidale Stud, Carrick, Tas | 3 | $280,000 | $93,333 | $200,000 | $40,000 |
| Twin Hills Stud, Cootamundra, NSW | 11 | $271,000 | $24,636 | $70,000 | $8,000 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Two Bays Farm, Flinders | 5 | $147,000 | $735,000 | $250,000 | $140,000 |
| Armidale Stud, Carrick, Tas | 3 | $93,333 | $280,000 | $200,000 | $40,000 |
| Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Eddington | 5 | $81,200 | $406,000 | $300,000 | $35,000 |
| Crossley Thoroughbreds, Seymour | 7 | $78,214 | $547,500 | $150,000 | $62,500 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 10 | $76,200 | $762,000 | $525,000 | $19,000 |
| Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, Eddington | 9 | $67,111 | $604,000 | $150,000 | $40,000 |
| Rathmore Lodge, Rockleigh, SA | 4 | $62,750 | $251,000 | $110,000 | $67,500 |
| Dorrington Farm, Nagambie | 4 | $59,375 | $237,500 | $85,000 | $61,250 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | 12 | $54,625 | $655,500 | $300,000 | $12,500 |
| Yulong, Nagambie | 9 | $44,556 | $401,000 | $90,000 | $50,000 |
Sires by aggregate
| Too Darn Hot | 5 | $660,000 | $132,000 | $160,000 | $140,000 |
| Toronado | 6 | $610,000 | $101,667 | $300,000 | $57,500 |
| Frankel | 1 | $525,000 | $525,000 | $525,000 | $525,000 |
| Pinatubo | 2 | $370,000 | $185,000 | $260,000 | $185,000 |
| Street Boss | 2 | $370,000 | $185,000 | $230,000 | $185,000 |
| So You Think | 4 | $320,000 | $80,000 | $150,000 | $65,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 1 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| Stay Inside | 4 | $290,000 | $72,500 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Home Affairs | 2 | $270,000 | $135,000 | $200,000 | $135,000 |
| Zoustar | 1 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 |
Sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Too Darn Hot | 5 | $132,000 | $660,000 | $160,000 | $140,000 |
| Toronado | 6 | $101,667 | $610,000 | $300,000 | $57,500 |
| So You Think | 4 | $80,000 | $320,000 | $150,000 | $65,000 |
| Stay Inside | 4 | $72,500 | $290,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Russian Revolution | 3 | $53,333 | $160,000 | $70,000 | $60,000 |
| Shamus Award | 4 | $36,000 | $144,000 | $70,000 | $35,000 |
| Wooded | 3 | $30,000 | $90,000 | $60,000 | $20,000 |
| Alabama Express | 3 | $27,333 | $82,000 | $50,000 | $20,000 |
| Grunt | 4 | $26,750 | $107,000 | $80,000 | $13,000 |
| Dirty Work | 3 | $26,000 | $78,000 | $50,000 | $20,000 |
