Cover image courtesy of Inglis
Buyers and vendors at the 2026 yearling sales will have two weeks less compared to 2025. Due to New Year’s Day falling when it does, the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale has shifted one week later, while the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale will be held one week earlier, thanks to Easter’s timing.
The crunch of dates
The Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale runs from Tuesday, January 13, to Sunday, January 18.
A week later, the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale begins on Sunday, January 25, concluding on Thursday, January 29.
Ten days after that, the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale starts on Sunday, February 8.
Compared to this year, the schedule is tighter: the 2025 Gold Coast Sale began on January 7, and there were two clear weeks between the end of Magic Millions Book 1 and the start of Karaka Book 1. But in 2026, this drops to one week only.
2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We have this cycle over several years due to the calendar. If you go back over eight years, you’ll see it. The problem is that last year is the earliest we can start; otherwise, horses are travelling over the Christmas and New Year period,” said Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch.
The Gold Coast Sale traditionally runs Tuesday to Friday, followed by the Magic Millions race day on Saturday and a final session on Sunday.
“Last year the first inspections were on New Year’s Day. There’s a sweet spot between when horses can travel here, when inspections can start, and giving a breather before the next sales. The race day program also factors into selecting the sales dates each year,” Bowditch said.
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Neither the New Zealand Bloodstock Sale nor the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale has moved dramatically. In 2025, New Zealand Bloodstock ran their yearling sale from January 26 to January 30; in 2026, the same days of the week fall one date earlier: January 25 to January 29. A similar shift occurred with the Inglis Classic, moving from February 9 to February 11 in 2025, to February 8 to February 10 in 2026.
At the other end of the season, the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale will likely run one week earlier than in 2025 because of Easter. In 2026, it will be held on March 29 and March 30; in 2025, it was April 6 to April 7. Good Friday in 2026 falls on April 3, with Easter Sunday and Monday on April 5 and April 6.
A mixture of ways to buy horses - no right or wrong
There has never been a single ‘right’ way to approach the sales and inspection process. Trainers, like many people, have their own methods and ways of doing things that suit them and what they feel is best. When circumstances change, adaptation may be necessary - some trainers adjust their approach, while others stick to what has worked successfully in the past and make plans elsewhere in order for that to happen.
When asked how his team manages a busy sales calendar and the potential for that within the compressed 2026 schedule, John O’Shea outlined the adjustments he has made in recent times:
“To be honest, we’ve sort of moved to more of an agent model that does our work, particularly our early groundwork. If trainers are trying to do it all themselves, it could be a problem - especially next year; it’s close to impossible to do everything.
“We use James Bester, and it works pretty well for us. He’s someone we trust and work with closely.”
John O’Shea | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Even with Bester handling much of the early work, O’Shea emphasised the importance of personal presence and inspections.
“Although we’ve changed with the times, you still have to pay breeders respect, and I like to get around the farms for early inspections. You still need to be there and present, but a lot of the hard work has been done, which saves time.”
“Although we’ve changed with the times, you still have to pay breeders respect, and I like to get around the farms for early inspections.” - John O'Shea
Mornington trainer John McArdle plans to maintain his approach to inspections and buying. He acknowledges the challenge, but says it is part of the job.
“Obviously it’s going to be difficult, with the more compressed schedule and Easter at the end of March. But the way I look at it, it’s not ideal, but it is the necessary evil. I look at all the horses myself, so I have no one to blame. I go around and look at all of the horses with Shane Nichols and get it done.
John McArdle | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It’s not ideal being away for a fair bit of January. I’ll have my nice horses, like My Gladiola and Yum, back in work, as well as all of the 2-year-olds getting going, which I would love to be back for. But, as I said, it’s a necessary evil, you have to get the stock to keep building the stable.
“It’s a hard industry. During spring, where you’re working seven days a week, especially with spring racing being extended, balancing horses, owners and media commitments.
“Then the sales circuit comes around, and you go back into another seven-day week. When you return home, you’re busy catching up on what you have missed and seeing where the horses are at through your own eyes. But that’s the game, and it’s something I enjoy. You need to be able to enjoy it.”
Trainer Mick Price offered a practical or slightly different perspective on the congested calendar:
“Why do we connect ourselves to the moon and when Easter falls? I can see no reason why we can’t pick a date for sales or races in Sydney for the Autumn, stick to it, and go from there. The Melbourne Cup is always run on the first Tuesday of November, so maybe it’s something to consider.”
Mick Price | Image courtesy of Price Kent Racing
Price later reflected that a proper business structure back home with the racing stable makes the schedule manageable, though he acknowledged everyone operates differently.
“It’s like any business - you need a setup that runs without you there. I’m lucky that mine can to an extent, which opens things up for the sales series.
“Nothing is easy when looking at horses, but if there are 900 horses catalogued at Magics, I may have a chance to look at 500 before the end of December via pre-inspections. It’s impossible to properly analyse every horse during the on-sale parades.
“It’s like any business - you need a setup that runs without you there. I’m lucky that mine can to an extent, which opens things up for the sales series.” - Mick Price
“I think you have to be open to using an agent to narrow things down, but it has to be someone you trust, which adds cost. Organising your time, your stable and business processes will be essential. I don’t think it will affect me too much, but I can see the impact it will have on some people.”
The partnership model and the importance of a good team
A common theme among trainers is that a strong team is non-negotiable, whether the calendar is normal or condensed. The emphasis was on the value of shared responsibility and delegation, or in McArdle's case a strong unit behind him within his smaller stable.
“Being part of a partnership model means being able to delegate responsibility. It suits us in all aspects, from training to sales. It lets us keep eyes on the ground and split the load" O’Shea said.
“For example, Tom (Charlton) is in Hong Kong visiting clients, then I head to New Zealand next week when he returns. In the meantime, one of us can focus on horses getting ready to race. The same process applies during the sales, so the partnership works well for us.”
Tom Charlton | Image courtesy of Australian Turf Club
McArdle highlighted the support around him:
“The team is essential for me to do what I need to do. Calvin Southey is my foreman and eyes and ears; he trains a few in his own right. My wife helps in the stables when she isn’t at her main job, and my business partner Brent Clayton runs the business side. We have a very good team, which makes it easier.
"Being a smaller stable, everything needs to go right, and we all work together, staying in close contact through the sales. Having people you trust is essential. As busy and difficult as it will be, I can’t wait to get to the Gold Coast in January.”
Price trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, emphasising the value of eyes on the ground and up-to-date technology.
Michael Kent Jnr and Mick Price | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Being in a partnership with Michael Kent Jnr and having a good team helps. I have stables in Melbourne and Sydney, and with 80 horses we have three foremen. Michael Kent Jnr is also eyes on the ground, and Prism software is a big asset.
"As tough as it might be, whinging trainers won’t make things move. To save time, buying a shortlist from a trusted bloodstock agent can help - they do it very well. A trainer’s business demands both that and the training of horses; it’s tricky, but we find a way.”
There is no doubt the compressed 2026 early sales make things challenging. But trainers will find solutions - whether that means using agents more, relying on staff at home, or delegating further responsibilities within partnerships to free up time for one member.
The overriding message: there is no one 'right' way. People can adapt or stick to trusted systems, taking extra steps to keep stables running smoothly, ensuring winners keep flying in and orders for top yearlings continue.
