At A Glance
At the close of Day 2, Premier had 375 lots sold for a gross of $52,509,500 at an average of $140,025, with additional trade on passed-in lots still likely to continue. This is compared to last year’s figures of 383 sold for a gross of $50,821,000 at an $132,693 average.
A median of $100,000 was achieved again (same as 2024) while the clearance rate at the end of Day 2 was 76 per cent. This compared to a 75 per cent clearance rate for the Book 1 statistics in 2024. Post ring sales are likely to increase the clearance over the next few days.
Riverstone Lodge, A & S Freedman, and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) combined to purchase the top lot on Day 2, an I Am Invincible filly from Special Lover (NZ) (Pins) sold by Noorilim Park who made $500,000.
Yulong was the leading buyer by aggregate over the two days of selling, purchasing nine yearlings for $2.58 million, while they were also the leading vendor by gross with 35 yearlings sold for $5.9 million.
Mulberry Racing’s two purchases for $915,000 put them at the top of the buyer’s list by average (2 or more sold) with an average spend of $457,500.
Yabby Dam Farms were the leading vendor by average (2 or more sold) over the two days with two lots sold at an average of $300,000 each, while Gilgai Farm came in second with 11 lots sold at an average of $268,000.
Victorian-based stallion Toronado (Ire) topped the sire’s list by gross over the two days with 13 sold for $3.68 million, while Zoustar and Written Tycoon came in second and third with almost identical aggregates at $2.18 million and $2.16 million respectively.
Frankel (GB) topped the sire’s list by average (2 or more sold) with his three yearlings sold averaging $520,000, while Zoustar was the best of the locals averaging $311,000 for his seven lots sold.
#1. Inglis delighted with extraordinary results
“If you had said to me or any other participant that we’d end up with figures up on 12 months ago I don’t think any of us would’ve believed you,” Inglis’ Sebastian Hutch said.
“People generally expected the sale to be down so to be up is verging on the extraordinary.”
Hutch was especially pleased with the quality of yearlings who made their way to Oaklands Junction.
“Led by the likes of Rosemont, Yulong and Gilgai we were able to provide horses that had great appeal to the buying bench,” he said.
“Vendors supported us with an outstanding group of horses which gave people the incentive to attend and to participate.”
“Vendors supported us with an outstanding group of horses which gave people the incentive to attend and to participate.” - Sebastian Hutch
“There were some really incredible prices for particular horses,” he said, “and what is most encouraging from our point of view is the variety of people participating.”
“There were lots of different buyers and there always seemed to be a different underbidder and that’s a good sign for the market.”
Hutch hopes that more of the day one and day two horses will find homes in the coming days. “Ultimately we want to get to the stage where the clearance rate is as high as we can get it; at the same time last year it was where it is now but we then got it up to 76 per cent.”
Hutch was excited to see different sorts of stallions to the norm proving very popular, noting that “it is not as though the likes of Camelot (GB), Mehmas (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire) have had anything big happen here recently to drive their big results so it’s astonishing really.”
#2. Toronado comes of age
“I absolutely love him,” said Gilgai Farm’s Rick Jamieson of Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (Ire) and whilst we may put that down to this week’s stellar results as the reason for that, the fact is that Jamieson has been on the Toronado bandwagon from day one.
He bred the G1 Sussex Stakes and G1 Queen Anne Stakes winner’s first Group 1 winner Masked Crusader; the G1 William Reid Stakes winner who he sold for $340,000 to the Hawkes stable at the 2018 Inglis Premier.
Toronado (Ire) | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Three of his 11-strong draft at this year’s sale are sons of Toronado and each sold well, exceptionally so in fact with the equal sale-topping $1 million colt being a Gilgai product.
He went through the ring on Sunday whilst another two sold well on Monday; Lot 322, a three-quarter brother to Masked Crusader fetching $475,000 to the bid of Mulberry Racing and Lot 449 $400,000 to Upper Bloodstock (discussed below).
“Our Toronado colts are beautiful,” Jamieson enthused, “the stand-outs of our draft.”
Sending “six or eight mares to Toronado,” Jamieson currently has six in foal to the horse he said is his “second favourite stallion after Ole Kirk (who he bred).
There is, he told us, so much to like about Toronado.
“He is fertile, he gets them in foal and he sires good types. When a stallion does that, it’s a good start; you are a fighting chance.”
“And I don’t think we have seen the best of Toronado yet as the quality of his books has improved over the last few years.”
“And I don’t think we have seen the best of Toronado yet as the quality of his books has improved over the last few years.” - Rick Jamieson
“Adam Sangster deserves a lot of credit, he has supported Toronado all the way through.”
Swettenham Stud’s Sam Matthews was understandably delighted by the demand for Toronado colts though also a bit disappointed in the response to his fillies.
“The Hong Kong factor is a major part of his sons selling better than his daughters,” he said, “and the fact that he doesn’t yet have a good son at stud.”
“But we are big believers in his fillies as well.”
Matthews is fully aware of the perception that the sire line of High Chaparral (Ire) - and Sadler’s Wells (USA) before him - has been much better represented overall by its boys than its girls, but believes that has been overstated.
Matthews loves the consistency of the stock sired by Toronado.
“You can send a 15.3hh mare to him or a 16.3hh mare and you are going to get the same good type. He has been consistent right from the start. He gets great sales results and they can run.”
Sam Matthews | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
He is looking forward to even better performances with this yearling crop the first sired by Toronado when his fee was raised from $49,500 incl GST to $88,000 incl GST.
Ross Lao of Upper Bloodstock is an unabashed Toronado fan and when he put in the successful $400,000 bid for Lot 449 it was the fifth time he has bought one of the bay’s yearlings.
Another nice one from the draft of Gilgai Farm, the colt is out of the placed Exceed And Excel mare Segosha whose dam is a half-sister to the Group 2 gallopers Chinchilla Rose (Lion Hunter) and Ferocity as well as the Group 3-winning high-class broodmare Leone Chiara (Lion Hunter).
Lao purchased the horse for Hong Kong where Toronado has been represented by 23 individual winners of 67 races; three stakes winners including the Group 1 sprinter Victor The Winner.
There are several traits of the breed that make Toronado an attractive proposition for Hong Kong racing, Lao noting that “they are very tough, they have the right action, they are a good size with a strong girth and they handle the firm tracks.”
“They are robust and they have great temperaments which makes them so suitable for racing in Hong Kong.”
#3. More international than ever
Change occurs over the space of years rather than immediately but there is no doubt that the Inglis Premier is a different sale to what it once was. There was a time that the catalogue had a singularly Victorian flavour in regards to pedigrees; each year you would see the same families and whilst the most successful of those still have an impact, there is now a bigger range of horses with relations from around the globe.
We had a chat with three agents who have a few Inglis Premiers under their belts on their thoughts.
Bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy has lived in Melbourne for 28 years and was at this sale for a few years before that.
Damon Gabbedy | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
One change he has really enjoyed is an aesthetic one.
“Simon Vivian did a great job with the refurbishment of the auditorium,” he said. “It has kept people around the ring whereas they used to go out to the bar! The sale has a much more exciting atmosphere than it used to have.”
He also noted that Inglis’ international push in regards to participants has also had a positive effect.
“Going out and getting those Hong Kong buyers has led to a bigger demand for well-bred horses which has in turn made the catalogue a more international one.”
“Going out and getting those Hong Kong buyers has led to a bigger demand for well-bred horses which has in turn made the (Inglis Premier) catalogue a more international one.” - Damon Gabbedy
The sale becoming more attractive to buyers from outside Victoria has also led to local breeders being able to bring their best to Oaklands with Gabbedy noting that “it is great to see Victorians showing faith in their own sale.”
Bloodstock Agent Kevin Dagg has an impressively long local history, one he has been keeping track of.
“This is my 52nd Melbourne Premier,” he said, making him well-qualified to discuss any changes over the years.
“It is definitely a far more international sale than it was,” he said, “and there is considerably more New South Wales representation as well.”
“It is definitely a far more international sale than it was and there is considerably more New South Wales representation as well.” - Kevin Dagg
“The sale has probably become more professional over the years,” he said, adding that he has enjoyed seeing “young studs improve the way they present their horses as they come back each year.”
Peter Ford is another local agent with plenty of Inglis Premier experience and he has noted not only the “internationalisation” of the catalogue but also of the buying and selling bench.
“When you have players from overseas like Resolute Racing buying and Yulong selling the sale is on a different level than it was in the past.”
“We’ve always had shuttle stallions with their progeny at this sale,” he said, though the quality of those has increased, Wootton Bassett (GB) one horse he used as an example.
#4. Pin-hooking strength in numbers
“The Four Leaf Clovers” is what a group of four mates have informally called themselves; “for luck” said one of its members and spokesman Anthony Mithen of Rosemont Stud.
The foursome got together last year with pin-hooking aims, buying a group of six youngsters and it was on Monday that one of those (the fourth through the ring so far) had them “in profit mode.”
Lot 249 was that horse, a Zousain filly bred by Robert Crabtree and purchased for $70,000 under the banner of Vermair Farm at last year’s Inglis Great Southern Sale.
Lot 249 - Zousain x Miss Promiscuity (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
A daughter of the G3 Sir John Monash Stakes winner Miss Promiscuity (Magnus), she attracted strong bidding with John O’Shea, Charlton Racing and James Bester Bloodstock happy to take her home for $230,000.
Mithen said that she was one they liked enough not to be concerned if she had not sold.
“She is such a lovely filly that we thought we’d be happy to keep her,” he said, though the result was most welcome.
“She is a beautiful mover from a great farm,” he said.
The filly hails from one of Crabtree’s well-known families, one which has produced the stakes winners Amtrak (Flying Spur), Furio (Testa Rossa) and Exploding Wonder (Francis Bacon {Ire}). As well as a northern hemisphere star in the shape of Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Anthony Mithen | Image courtesy of Inglis
Widden Stud’s Zousain has performed well since this filly was purchased, his winning tally currently sitting on 35 including the stakes winners Drifting, Amelita and Bellazaine.
Another member of the pin-hooking syndicate, one which sold for smaller profit margins the progeny of Lonhro and So You Think (NZ) at the Gold Coast and in New Zealand, is famed New Zealander cricketer Brendon McCullum, current English coach who trades as Vermair Farm.
Things are not going too well on the cricket side of things for him at the moment, “hopefully that will make him feel better!” Mithen said of the passionate racing fan with a lover all things racing and breeding.
#5. Racing is becoming more of a science
Anyone watching the results over the past couple of days will have noticed that trainer Dominic Sutton, who enjoyed Group 1 success with last weekend’s Australian Guineas winner Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) has been busy.
He has signed up for five yearlings, teaming up with McKeever Bloodstock and Byron Rogers to spend $1.34 million on sons and daughters of Alabama Express, Home Affairs, Lucky Vega (Ire), Mehmas (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB).
His buying approach is a combination of the traditional and the scientific, Sutton telling us that whilst it is vitally important that he likes the individual, there is considerable research going on behind the scenes.
“Byron has developed his own model in regards to biomechanics with every horse in the catalogued studied via video,” he explained.
“He has been extremely successful with this in the US and Europe,” he said, adding that other parameters (such as pedigree) are studied as a short list is put together.
Johnny McKeever spends a good time on inspections and the team are again busy on sales day taking further looks of those horses who make the short list.
Johnny McKeever and Dominic Sutton | Image courtesy of Inglis
And they are happy to spend the money on the horses who tick all the boxes.
“Obviously you have to really like the horse on type but having all the right data behind that gives you more confidence to bid,” Sutton said.
“There is a lot more science in buying horses now and it is the same for training horses. Racing has been five to 10 years behind other sports in this regard and it was only a matter of time till we started to catch up.”
“Building up data on your horses is going to be a major part of training in the future,” he said, noting that many trainers are already embracing several science based measurements such as stride length and frequency, heart rate, recovery and maximum speeds.
Top Lots Day 2
| 487 | Filly | I Am Invincible | Special Lover (NZ) | Noorilim Park, Arcadia | Riverstone Lodge / A & S Freedman / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) | $ 500,000 |
| 322 | Colt | Toronado (IRE) | Miss Conduct | Gilgai Farm, Nagambie | Mulberry Racing | $ 475,000 |
| 432 | Colt | Earthlight (IRE) | Sanadaat | Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW | Yulong Investments | $ 475,000 |
| 339 | Colt | Camelot (GB) | Mrs Bannock (IRE) | Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | E Hirsch | $ 420,000 |
| 428 | Colt | Mehmas (IRE) | Salmah (FR) | Penfold Thoroughbreds, Diggers Rest | Sutton Racing / McKeever Bloodstock / B Rogers | $ 420,000 |
| 375 | Colt | Zoustar | Patricia Dawn | Widden Stud, Riddells Creek | Shane McGrath Bloodstock / P Ng | $ 400,000 |
| 414 | Colt | Per Incanto (USA) | Rochfort (NZ) | Yulong, Nagambie | Cameron Cooke Bloodstock / Scott Cameron Racing | $ 400,000 |
| 433 | Colt | Wootton Bassett (GB) | Sancta | Newhaven Park, Boorowa, NSW | Legend Racing | $ 400,000 |
| 449 | Colt | Toronado (IRE) | Segosha | Gilgai Farm, Nagambie | Upper Bloodstock Pty Ltd | $ 400,000 |
Buyers by Aggregate
| Yulong Investments | 9 | $ 2,585,000 | $ 287,222 |
| Shane McGrath Bloodstock / Clinton McDonald Racing | 10 | $ 1,725,000 | $ 172,500 |
| R Yiu | 6 | $ 1,360,000 | $ 226,667 |
| Sutton Racing / McKeever Bloodstock / B Rogers | 5 | $ 1,340,000 | $ 268,000 |
| Lindsay Park Racing / Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 9 | $ 1,260,000 | $ 140,000 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 5 | $ 1,210,000 | $ 242,000 |
| C Ramsay | 5 | $ 1,080,000 | $ 216,000 |
| John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 6 | $ 1,010,000 | $ 168,333 |
| Resolute Racing / McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) | 1 | $ 1,000,000 | $ 1,000,000 |
| Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) / Hong Kong Bloodstock | 1 | $ 1,000,000 | $ 1,000,000 |
Buyers by Average (2 or more sold)
| Mulberry Racing | 2 | $ 915,000 | $ 457,500 |
| Upper Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 3 | $ 960,000 | $ 320,000 |
| Yulong Investments | 9 | $ 2,585,000 | $ 287,222 |
| Sutton Racing / McKeever Bloodstock / B Rogers | 5 | $ 1,340,000 | $ 268,000 |
| McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) | 3 | $ 740,000 | $ 246,667 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 5 | $ 1,210,000 | $ 242,000 |
| Proven Thoroughbreds / Pride Racing | 3 | $ 720,000 | $ 240,000 |
| O'Shea / Charlton Racing / James Bester Bloodstock | 2 | $ 480,000 | $ 240,000 |
| R Yiu | 6 | $ 1,360,000 | $ 226,667 |
| Rising Sun Syndicate / Healthy Wood Co | 2 | $ 450,000 | $ 225,000 |
Vendors by Aggregate
| Yulong, Nagambie | 73 | 10 | 35 | $ 5,930,000 | $ 169,429 |
| Widden Stud, Riddells Creek | 39 | 4 | 28 | $ 3,280,000 | $ 117,143 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 30 | 8 | 15 | $ 3,155,000 | $ 210,333 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa | 27 | 3 | 19 | $ 3,145,000 | $ 165,526 |
| Gilgai Farm, Nagambie | 12 | 1 | 11 | $ 2,955,000 | $ 268,636 |
| Segenhoe Stud, Scone, NSW | 15 | - | 13 | $ 1,910,000 | $ 146,923 |
| Newhaven Park, Boorowa, NSW | 15 | - | 13 | $ 1,780,000 | $ 136,923 |
| Two Bays Farm, Flinders | 14 | - | 12 | $ 1,745,000 | $ 145,417 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW | 13 | 2 | 9 | $ 1,580,000 | $ 175,556 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone, NSW | 14 | 1 | 9 | $ 1,527,500 | $ 169,722 |
Vendors by Average (2 or more sold)
| Yabby Dam Farms, Cardigan | 3 | 1 | 2 | $ 600,000 | $ 300,000 |
| Gilgai Farm, Nagambie | 12 | 1 | 11 | $ 2,955,000 | $ 268,636 |
| Milburn Creek, Wildes Meadow, NSW | 5 | 3 | 2 | $ 470,000 | $ 235,000 |
| The Chase, Sutton Forest, NSW | 8 | 3 | 3 | $ 660,000 | $ 220,000 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre | 30 | 8 | 15 | $ 3,155,000 | $ 210,333 |
| Emirates Park Pty Ltd, Murrurundi, NSW | 6 | 1 | 3 | $ 600,000 | $ 200,000 |
| Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW | 8 | 1 | 7 | $ 1,355,000 | $ 193,571 |
| Noorilim Park, Arcadia | 7 | 2 | 4 | $ 760,000 | $ 190,000 |
| Morning Rise Stud, Red Hill | 8 | 2 | 6 | $ 1,085,000 | $ 180,833 |
| Newgate Farm, Aberdeen, NSW | 12 | 3 | 8 | $ 1,445,000 | $ 180,625 |
Sires by Aggregate
| Toronado (IRE) | 21 | 2 | 13 | $ 3,685,000 | $ 283,462 |
| Zoustar | 14 | 3 | 7 | $ 2,180,000 | $ 311,429 |
| Written Tycoon | 22 | 6 | 9 | $ 2,160,000 | $ 240,000 |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 13 | 3 | 9 | $ 2,085,000 | $ 231,667 |
| Ole Kirk | 12 | 1 | 10 | $ 1,725,000 | $ 172,500 |
| The Autumn Sun | 14 | - | 10 | $ 1,620,000 | $ 162,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 11 | 4 | 6 | $ 1,570,000 | $ 261,667 |
| Frankel (GB) | 7 | 1 | 3 | $ 1,560,000 | $ 520,000 |
| Pinatubo (IRE) | 12 | - | 9 | $ 1,485,000 | $ 165,000 |
| Shamus Award | 19 | 5 | 10 | $ 1,375,000 | $ 137,500 |
Sires by Average (2 or more sold)
| Frankel (GB) | 7 | 1 | 3 | $ 1,560,000 | $ 520,000 |
| Zoustar | 14 | 3 | 7 | $ 2,180,000 | $ 311,429 |
| Toronado (IRE) | 21 | 2 | 13 | $ 3,685,000 | $ 283,462 |
| I Am Invincible | 11 | 4 | 6 | $ 1,570,000 | $ 261,667 |
| Per Incanto (USA) | 2 | - | 2 | $ 500,000 | $ 250,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 22 | 6 | 9 | $ 2,160,000 | $ 240,000 |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 13 | 3 | 9 | $ 2,085,000 | $ 231,667 |
| Lucky Vega (IRE) | 8 | 3 | 3 | $ 690,000 | $ 230,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 3 | - | 3 | $ 675,000 | $ 225,000 |
| Mehmas (IRE) | 2 | - | 2 | $ 430,000 | $ 215,000 |
