Cover image courtesy of Inglis
A total of 201 lots have been catalogued, before withdrawals, for Thursday evening and Friday this week at Inglis’ Riverside Stables complex; the Inglis Chairman’s Sale on Friday will offer 96 lots, including a breeding right to Alabama Express, followed by a 105-strong catalogue in the Inglis Broodmare Sale on Friday.
A total of 25 vendors will present lots on Thursday, and many will return to be among the 23 vendors with fillies and mares going through the ring on Friday. Trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher will present racemares on the Thursday evening; Waller last year offered Group 1-performed Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun), who sold for $3.2 million to Resolute Racing, whereas this will be the second time that Maher presents a draft, having offered three fillies in 2023, including dual Group 3 winner Swats That (Shamus Award) who sold for $900,000 to Dermot Farrington Bloodstock. His draft swells to eight this year, led by G1 The Everest queen Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).
Tutta la Vita | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It's been a busy week with a big foal sale, and we look forward to two important broodmare sales on Thursday and Friday,” said Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch. “We've been blessed with good weather and good footfall at the complex, and there seems to be good interest in the sale.
“Obviously, the records show that the list of people who buy mares for seven figures in this country is relatively short, and I think we have as long a list of mares that have the potential to make seven figures as we've ever had for the sale, or maybe more. So it's important to us to make sure we're motivating as many suitable buyers to come to the sales as we can, but it feels like there's good interest this week.”
“I think we have as long a list of mares that have the potential to make seven figures as we've ever had for the sale, or maybe more.” - Sebastian Hutch
Three-time Group 1 winner Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice) still holds the Inglis Broodmare Sale record for highest price from when she was offered in 2009 by Widden Stud and was knocked down to Magic Millions Sales as agent for $3.85 million. Owned by Strawberry Hill Stud, her highlight at stud to date has been Group 2 winner Miss Fabulass (Frankel {GB}).
In the last decade, the highest price was achieved by Candyland (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in 2023 when purchased from Holbrook Thoroughbreds for $440,000 by John Chalmers Bloodstock Services (FBAA). She has since visited St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) twice and produced a filly last spring.
The advent of the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in 2017 - originally split into two days of selling, with broodmares offered one day and racing prospects the other - have meant that the cream of the broodmare crop has been reserved for that sale, which saw a top price in 2023 of $3.6 million for Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}), who has since produced a colt by Snitzel.
Nimalee | Image courtesy of Inglis
Topping the racing prospects end was 2-year-old gelding Gunnison (Not A Single Doubt); the G2 Todman Stakes winner was sold for $1.4 million to Hong Kong-based agent Chris McAnulty and would earn over HK$10 million (over $2 million) for owner Frank Feng Ching Yeng over four seasons of racing in the jurisdiction.
“It feels like we have a beautiful group of fillies mares to offer on Thursday evening,” said Hutch. “Amongst our team, there's a sense of nervous anticipation, because you've done a lot of work to get to this point. You work very hard to get the right stock in the catalogue and, now that we have it on the grounds and they're standing up to close scrutiny, they're very much what we'd hope they'd be. Now it's about trying to deliver a set of results everybody's pleased with.”
“Amongst our team, there's a sense of nervous anticipation... (...) Now it's about trying to deliver a set of results everybody's pleased with.” - Sebastian Hutch
A feature of demand
The past five editions of the Broodmare Sale show a catalogue that has, with the exception of last year, shrunk; this year’s 105 lots is the smallest within that time frame, dropping from 399 in 2020. Across this time period, the average and median prices have generally risen - a peak was seen in 2023, before a steep correction to the average last year.
| Aggregate | $7,944,000 | $8,047,000 | $8,668,000 | $11,294,600 | $10,293,660 |
| Average | $59,729 | $74,509 | $64,687 | $62,748 | $41,175 |
| Median | $45,000 | $55,000 | $45,000 | $44,500 | $22,500 |
| Catalogued | 219 | 170 | 198 | 248 | 399 |
| Withdrawn | 30 | 27 | 28 | 22 | 60 |
| Passed In | 56 | 35 | 36 | 46 | 89 |
| Sold | 133 | 108 | 134 | 180 | 250 |
| Clearance | 70.4 | 75.5 | 78.8 | 79.6 | 73.7 |
Table: Aggregate, average, and clearance rates for the last five editions of the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale
There are several possible causes for this; perhaps this is the advance to the trend seen across many of this season’s yearling sales, where rising costs industry and countrywide have contributed to a downturn at the low to middle end of the market, and less mares are changing hands as less people enter or remain in the breeding game.
Another change could be the rise in the popularity of the Inglis Digital platform, which has become an increasingly reliable and lucrative method for trading bloodstock; Yulong (trading as Walnut Farm) purchased G1 Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) for $1.225 million in one of the site’s boutique stand alone auctions, and the regular bimonthly sales have achieved fantastic results across the spectrum of the industry, with 35 lots since the beginning of 2025 selling for $100,000 or more.
Autumn Angel | Image courtesy of Inglis
In the most recent digital sale, juvenile winner Gypsy Isle (Better Than Ready), in foal to Ole Kirk, was one of eight lots to reach that figure when selling for $129,000.
In combination, these could also be the reason for a smaller, more heavily curated catalogue. Minimising costs and possible stress by taking mares to a physical sale in combination with maximising return has seen many turn to the online platform.
“It’s a feature of demand,” Hutch said of the catalogue size for Friday. “I think it's indicative of the fact that more and more breeders see online as a suitable and credible alternative; it’s time-sensitive, and I think people respect the fact that it’s a true and fair market. There's tremendous familiarity with it in this part of the world.”
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
This is not to diminish the necessity or desirability of the in-person auction, as highlighted by the Chairman’s Sale, which epitomises the appetite at the top end of the industry for top quality mares. There has been no shortage of million dollar mares in the sale, with the 2024 edition the first sale since 2020 to not set a new sale record for top lot. While it has not been immune to the same trend in clearance rate as the Broodmare Sale, it is clear that the top end is still in high demand.
| Aggregate | $35,335,000 | $44,905,000 | $33,430,000 | $28,235,000 | $24,179,090 |
| Average | $598,898 | $554,383 | $470,845 | $532,736 | $268,657 |
| Median | $400,000 | $375,000 | $350,000 | $330,000 | $275,000 |
| Top Lot | $3,400,000 | $3,600,000 | $2,700,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Catalogued | 88 | 109 | 100 | 66 | 90 |
| Withdrawn | 5 | 8 | 16 | 8 | 6 |
| Passed In | 24 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 28 |
| Sold | 59 | 81 | 71 | 53 | 56 |
| Clearance | 71.1 | 80.2 | 84.5 | 91.4 | 66.7 |
Table: Aggregate, average, and clearance rates for the last five editions of the Inglis Chairman's Sale
One other fickle element is the fluctuation in broodmare value dependant on the performance of her foals at the sales and on the track, and who she is in foal to. Across the top lots of all three Inglis sale modes for broodmares, some of the highest prices have come for the potential offered by empty mares or racefillies.
| 2025 ID | $1,150,000 | Fashion Faux Pas (USA) | Flatter (USA) | Clash (USA) | Snitzel |
| 2024 ICS | $3,400,000 | She's Extreme | Extreme Choice | Keysbrook | N/A |
| 2024 IABS | $240,000 | Sous La Terre | Pierro | Soul Singer | Spirit Of Boom |
| 2024 IABS | $240,000 | Starla | Snitzel | Houston Benefactor | Wootton Bassett (GB) |
| 2024 ID | $730,000 | Parmalove | Snitzel | Love's Here | Satono Aladdin (Jpn) |
| 2023 ICS | $3,600,000 | Nimalee | So You Think (NZ) | Dezign | N/A |
| 2023 IABS | $440,000 | Candyland (NZ) | Tavistock (NZ) | Bagalollies | N/A |
| 2023 ID | $1,200,000 | Another Award | Shamus Award | El Milagro | N/A |
Table: Top mare/filly lots for 2023, 2024, and 2025 for each Inglis sales platform for trading breeding stock, boutique Inglis Digital auctions excluded
Access to sires on fire
Of the 94 fillies and mares to be offered at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, 39 are believed to be in foal by one of 24 stallions from a range of the country’s leading stallions. Among the most interesting will be Lot 50; Crimson Coronet (GB), a Northern Hemisphere-bred daughter of Zoustar and Listed winner Crimson Rosette (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), is offered by Twin Hills Stud in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB) off of a September covering. After not shuttling last year, Darley’s Champion First Season Sire returns in 2025 to stand for $275,000 (inc GST), and there will be limited opportunities to purchase the small amount of his progeny imported in utero back to Australia from his missed season.
Crimson Coronet (GB) - Lot 50 | Image courtesy of Inglis
Another imported mare is Lot 31, stakes-placed April Vintage (USA) (Vino Rosso {USA}), who is offered by Widden Stud in foal to Justify (USA) with a mid September covering date. Another hot sire who did not shuttle last year and with only 11 mares reported to be imported back into Australia in foal to him, Justify’s position on the Coolmore Stud roster at Jerry’s Plains will be filled by his son Horse Of The Year City Of Troy (USA), who will stand for $49,500 (inc GST). Last year, two lots sold at Chairman’s in foal to Justify with a top price of $450,000.
Overwhelmingly, representation is amongst the older, more established stallions; Zoustar is a leader with four mares catalogued in foal to him.
| First season at stud | 2 | 5 |
| First foals | 3 | 5 |
| First yearlings | 1 | 3 |
| First 2YOs | 2 | 5 |
| Older offspring | 16 | 21 |
Table: Number of covering stallions represented in the Inglis Chairman's Sale and age of their eldest crop
Shinzo and Ozzmosis are the only first season sires to cover mares heading to the Chairman’s Sale this year; Shinzo himself was purchased in utero at this very sale when Coolmore Stud went to $1.8 million in 2020 to secure his dam Samaready (More Than Ready {USA}). Glastonbury Farms offers Lot 71 - Ishani (I Am Invincible), a half-sister to G2 Skyline Stakes winner O’President (Fastnet Rock) - in foal to the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner.
Four mares are offered in foal to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis, including Lot 63 from the Newgate Consignment; Girl With Balloon (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) is a half-sister to G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}).
Gallery: Some of the in-foal mares offered at the Inglis Chairman's Sale 2025, images courtesy of Inglis
Duelling first season sires Farnan, Ole Kirk, and Wootton Bassett (GB) all have mares in foal to them in the sale, with Ole Kirk leading the way with three. Vinery Stud’s Lot 93, Mousai (Fastnet Rock), is likely to attract attention with her pregnancy to the sire of four first crop stakeswinners; all three of her foals to hit the track are stakes performers, led by multiple Group-placed Polymnia (Dundeel {NZ}), who ran third in the G1 Australasian Oaks.
The last lot of the night will be a share in Yulong's Alabama Express, sire of unbeaten G1 Australian Oaks victress Treasurethe Moment.
More opportunities on Friday
The action continues on the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale on Friday, with a total of 89 mares, before withdrawals, will go under the hammer in foal to 46 stallions, including the first pregnancies on offer by Cylinder, Hawaii Five Oh, Generation, Native Trail (GB), King’s Gambit, and King Colorado, as well as more mares in foal to Ozzmosis and Shinzo.
“I'd encourage anybody who's in the market for a mare to take the sale on Friday very seriously,” said Hutch. “There'll be value to be found through the Chairman’s catalog and then there'll be plenty more opportunities on Friday. We have some lovely mares to sell (in the Inglis Broodmare Sale), and people will do very well buying from that sale.”
“I'd encourage anybody who's in the market for a mare to take the sale on Friday very seriously.” - Sebastian Hutch
Cosmic Force, who earned a fee increase to $22,000 (inc GST) for the 2025 season with his first two stakeswinners, has six mares to go through the ring carrying pregnancies; Mane Lodge offer Turtleneck (Winning Rupert) carrying a three-quarter relation to Listed Bendigo Guineas winner Wonder Boy (Cosmic Force) as Lot 230 in the sale.
Current leading broodmare sire Fastnet Rock, whose daughters’ progeny have put him $7 million clear of runner-up Redoute’s Choice, has five offspring in the catalogue; offered by Yarran Thoroughbreds, Lot 298 is his daughter Merva, a half-sister to multiple Group winner I Am Me (I Am Invincible), who will sell the night before as Lot 70 in the Chairman’s Sale. Merva is offered in foal to King Colorado, and her yearling colt by Lucky Vega (Ire) sold for $250,000 at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale to the bid of Pride Racing.
Gallery: Some of the mares offered at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale 2025
Only 20 lots in the sale are 12-year-olds or older, with the vast majority of mares early in their careers. A more established offering comes from the Alma Vale Thoroughbreds draft, who offer Lot 237; Without Risk (Redoute’s Choice) is a winning daughter of Listed-winning Risk Aversion (Encosta De Lago), a half-sister to G2 Phar Lap Stakes winner Shania Dane (Danehill {USA}). Her new 2-year-old by Dundeel (NZ) was a $400,000 purchase for the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year, and her Toronado (Ire) filly was a $100,000 Melbourne Premier graduate this sales season for Musk Creek Farm.
Last year’s joint top lot Starla is by evergreen sire Snitzel, who sits third to his own sire by less than $600,000 in prizemoney on the Australian broodmare sire premiership. Her first foal by Home Affairs was a $75,000 purchase for Lyndhurst Stud at last year’s Inglis Great Southern Sale, before being sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale this year for NZ$100,000 to Ben Kwok. Selling in foal to the immensely popular Wootton Bassett, she cost $240,000 in a year where all metrics across the sale fell slightly.
