Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
The first day of the 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale saw 198 lots sold for $19,041,000 which was higher than the gross of $17,691,500 achieved from the 177 lots sold on day 1 in 2025. The clearance rate was higher than 2025, sitting at 80 per cent at the end of day 1 compared to 73 per cent last year.
The average sits at $96,167, lower than $99,952 achieved on day 1 in 2025 but higher than 2024’s average after day one of $94,929.
The median at the end of the action on Sunday was $75,000, down on 2025 and 2024’s day 1 median of $80,000.
Extreme Choice filly, Lot 233, commanded the highest price, attracting a winning bid of $425,000 from Star Thoroughbreds and Vin Cox Bloodstock.
Vahala Racing and SM & KB Bloodstock led the buyers by volume with four lots at a total spend of $560,000, while Archibald Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) led by average (2 or more bought) purchasing two lots at a average of $195,000.
Topping the sire statistics by aggregate was Zousain, who had six yearlings sell for an aggregate of $880,000 and an average of $146,677. By average, Extreme Choice came out on top, with two yearlings selling at an average of $262,500. First season sire Profondo lead his cohort by average (2 or more sold) with two yearlings selling on day one at an average of $122,500.
A fresh face at the top
The leading buyer by gross on day 1 was Vahala Racing and SM & KB Bloodstock. Who are they? Vahala Racing is horse trainer Stefan Vahala, while the SM & KB are Kyle Sutherland and Brody Sutherland who also are involved with Perth’s Cropline Group, a family-owned agricultural transport business.
“We are a Perth stable who are just starting to really grow. We brought up big last year and we're hopefully going again this year,” Vahala said. With four purchases on day 1 and leading the gross with a spend of $560,000, it certainly looks to be the case.
“We are Perth stable who are just starting to really grow. We brought up big last year and we're hopefully going again this year.” - Stefan Vahala
“We bought a Stay Inside who is obviously a very promising sire, and we bought a Capitalist who is a proper athlete and will suit WA. We bought a Snitzel who is just a beautiful animal, a big, strong, athletic colt. And then we bought a cracking Written Tycoon filly that we just fell in love with.”
Lot 249, the Written Tycoon filly, cost $200,000 from Yulong and is the second foal of winning Fastnet Rock mare Night Express. The Snitzel colt, Lot 236, cost $180,000 from Arrowfield Stud and is out of winning mare Nanyo Venus (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}). Both the Capitalist colt, Lot 88, and the Stay Inside colt, Lot 76, came from Sledmere Stud costing $120,000 and $60,000 respectively.
Gallery: Lots purchased by Vahala Racing at the 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, images courtesy of Inglis
When asked if the style of horse for Western Australia was similar to the East Coast, Vahala said no. “We need them a lot more athletic. We've got a lot harder tracks in Perth, so we do have to buy a different style of horse. Those big heavy horses just don't suit WA with the hard tracks. They need to be more athletic and lighter on their feet.
“A lot of them get knocked off our lists because we are looking for that long term soundness. If you buy them too bulky, then you are asking for problems with our tracks.”
“A lot of them get knocked off our lists because we are looking for that long term soundness.” - Stefan Vahala
The four yearlings will have a few weeks in the paddock here before a five-day truck ride over to Perth. “They'll come straight back home (after a short break). The two companies that do the travel (between the East Coast and Perth) do a good job. And we've got a really good breaker down in Perth. She'll take them off our hands and do her magic.”
Vahala wants the farms he’s bought from to be patient as the four yearlings likely won’t be seen until the end of the 2-year-old season at the earliest. “If you buy a 2-year-old, it's going to cost you a lot of money, so we target horses are going to make nice racehorses. If they race till they're five or six or seven and are earning money the whole time, it’s a lot more enjoyable. We've got a lot of older horses that are just still running very well, like Aztec Ruler who won on Saturday.
“If you've got a fast one, you'd rather it race for longer than shorter.”
Stefan Vahala | Image courtesy of Racing WA
Metrics hold steady on day 1
The first day of the 2026 Classic Yearling Sale held steady with the average of $96,249 sitting bang in the middle of the day 1 averages for 2025 and 2024 of $99,952 and $94,929 respectively.
“Today, we had nearly $19 million in turnover which is up on this day last year,” said Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch.
“Today, we had nearly $19 million in turnover which is up on this day last year.” - Sebastian Hutch
“The median and clearance rate were slightly down on last year but ahead of 2024, so there's been a good bounce in it, certainly in terms of growth. In the sub 100 grand bracket, it feels very much like a buyer's market. With these 270-lot days, you do get a fair spread of horses and results.”
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“To clear 80%, have a gross figure up markedly on 12 months ago and an average and median that held steady is very encouraging at this stage of the sale.
“Classic is widely regarded as the best value yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere and I think buyers have taken note of that and don’t want to miss out, be it an Extreme Choice filly at the top of the market or any number of other yearlings across the board that have the potential to go and be very good racehorses for their owners.
“There’s plenty more opportunities tomorrow and we can’t wait to get back into it in the morning.’’
“Classic is widely regarded as the best value yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere and I think buyers have taken note of that and don’t want to miss out.’’ - Sebastian Hutch
In encouraging signs for the bottom of the market, the lowest price for day 1 was $14,000. Across all three days of 2025, there were 11 lots who sold for $9000 or less. Perhaps this reflects the rise of the digital market for horses who aren’t going to meet the market’s expectations of a sale yearling.
Pinhooks allow big profits from cheap outlays
Mullaglass Stud, run by Dr Richard McClenahan and his wife Kim, were first sighted at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2024, with their first crop now 3-year-olds. From that first draft, they’ve already sold Group 3 winner Raging Force (Cosmic Force), while their current 2-year-olds include city-winning juvenile Audit (King’s Legacy).
In 2026, they sold a Jacquinot colt, Lot 60, for $160,000 to Lindsay Park Stud and Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock. The result was a remarkable $120,000 profit on the colt’s $40,000 weanling price.
Lot 60 - Jacquinot x Head On Up | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We bred him and sold him as a weanling to our client John McConnell Bloodstock who put him back through our Classic draft,” Kim McClenahan said.
“I bought him from the Sydney Weanling Sale. He fell into my price bracket, good type, and he moves well,” said McConnell. “A huge result. I try to buy five or six weanlings every year and always in that wheelhouse between zero and $80,000. Clean foals who move well has worked for me in the past and we’ve always had good results coming to Classic.”
“I bought him from the Sydney Weanling Sale. He fell into my price bracket, good type, and he moves well.” - John McConnell
McConnell was a big fan of dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot, who stood for $33,000 inc GST in his first season at Widden Stud. “I don’t usually go for first season sires, but I really like Jacquinot. I do some pedigree analysis and he fitted what I liked. I thought Jacquinot’s foals last year were impressive. This colt was one I quite liked and he fell into my price bracket, and now I’m obviously very happy.”
John McConnell | Image courtesy of John McConnell
Lot 60 is the first foal of three-time winner Head On Up (Headwater) who is from the family of Group 2 winner and four-time Group 1-placed Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt).
In another spectacular result, Yarraman Park Stud sold Lot 156, a Cosmic Force filly to Robert Heathcote Racing and Paul Willets Bloodstock for $140,000. The result puts the filly firmly in the middle of the market, and yet it’s a huge result for Yarraman Park’s client Brae Sokolski who purchased the mare Madame Bookworm (Publishing) in foal with this colt for only $9000 via Inglis Digital in April 2024.
Poignant sale of Sejardan filly
Lindsay Park purchased the only Sejardan filly in the sale for $180,000 from Blue Gum Farm. “She was a nice athletic type and she ticked a lot of our boxes. Blue Gum are really good supporters of us, so it’s nice to buy one from them,” said Ben Hayes.
The filly, Lot 200, is the third foal of six-time winner Miss Norway (Reward For Effort) from the Black Caviar family.
Winner of the G2 Todman Stakes at two and G3 Red Anchor Stakes at three, Sejardan was a son of Sebring. Sadly the young sire died just after Melbourne Cup day this spring. He has 77 live foals in his first crop with two more crops to come. He stood at $13,750 inc GST for his first season, so the result is an outstanding return on his initial fee.
The late Sejardan | Image courtesy of Blue Gum Farm
“He’s throwing a lovely type and the ones that are coming to the sales are the best of them,” said Sean Dingwall at Blue Gum Farm. The sale of this filly is quite poignant with the team of Blue Gum still upset about Sejardan’s loss.
“There’s a school of thought with some people saying he’ll be a star now because he’s passed away, but for us it’s very sad. We are glad to get them here so people can see them, and we are trying to showcase them between the Gold Coast, Melbourne and here.
“I think being a fast 2-year-old will attract people to (his stock) and after one sold in New Zealand last week, we’ve had numerous people from there showing interesting in them. They’ve done their research on him and want to buy one.” Cambria Park sold a colt out of Divine Command (Commands) for NZ$100,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at the end of January. His highest price at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale was a colt out of Statuette (Redoute’s Choice) who Portelli Racing purchased for $110,000.
Lot 200 - Sejardan x Miss Norway filly | Image courtesy of Inglis
“This filly had several groups of people working to buy her, so it’s a pleasing result. And we have two more crops coming through after these yearlings, so hopefully they run early and we get a result out of the (emotional) wreck of his loss.”
“This filly (Lot 200) had several groups of people working to buy her, so it’s ($180,000) a pleasing result.” - Sean Dingwall
New Zealand’s W farms informal collective venture
Three of New Zealand’s farms, all starting with W, have been working as a collective at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Together they have eight lots across the three drafts with Wentwood Grange bringing four yearlings over the ditch. Windsor Park Stud offered both their yearlings on day 1, selling Lot 15 for $260,000. Woburn Farm sold Lot 55 for $100,000 and have one more to sell on day 2.
“We sold a lovely Sword Of State colt for $260,000. Ciaron Maher and Kurrinda Bloodstock bought him, so he's going to a great home. He's been a dude of a horse while he's been here, a really good temperament. He’s handled the week well,” said Windsor Park’s Nick Hewson.
“He's (Lot 15) been a dude of a horse while he's been here, a really good temperament. He’s handled the week well.” - Nick Hewson
“He just moved so well, we have had success buying at this sale on type and for me has one of the top three of the sale,” Kurrinda Bloodstock’s Sean Driver said of his purchase.
Lot 15 - Sword of State x Florencenightngale (NZ) colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I love the way he moves and carries himself and he has a really good attitude. We have teamed up with Ciaron Maher for the first time and he will go through our system before heading to him. It is very exciting.”
When asked about the start Sword Of State has made as a stallion Driver responded, “Warwoven is arguably the most exciting 2-year-old prospect at the moment, the stallion's doing a fantastic job, he is off a great farm, ticked a lot of the boxes and i’m excited to be bringing him home.”
On the dynamics of the 'Kiwis' working together, Hewson said “We're all mates in Cambridge and it's all worked out really well. When one farm is busy, we help each other out, so it’s been great. We’ve worked collectively and we have eight nice horses between us, and we’ve been able to get our brand out there.”
Adrian Stanley | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Bringing a select few horses to Classic is about taking advantage of a different set of buyers than those who attend the sales in New Zealand. “They are totally different markets with a different buying bench,” said Hewson. It’s a sentiment that Woburn Farm’s Adrian Stanley agrees with.
“We’ve brought horses here who are more 2-year-old speed types, sharper horses than we presented at Karaka. Mostly by Australian sires but you can bring a (yearling by a) New Zealand sire if it’s a sharper type. This is more of a Sydney syndicator’s market too,” said Stanley.
“We’ve brought horses here who are more 2-year-old speed types, sharper horses than we presented at Karaka.” - Adrian Stanley
Lot 55 is a Hellbent colt and was bought for $100,000 by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott along with Kestrel Bloodstock, First Light Racing, and Matt Houldsworth. “He’s gone to a good home, and we are stoked with that result.”
Lot 55 - Hellbent x Happy Hannah colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
Stanley reiterated the same collective approach that came through strong friendships. “There’s a little bit of planning. We asked Inglis to put us together, and we are all staying in the same accommodation, so it’s been pretty smooth. At home everyone gets along with everyone and we are all good friends.”
Top Lots
| 233 | Ch. | Filly | Newgate Farm, Aberdeen | Extreme Choice | Nais Ko | Star Thoroughbreds / Vin Cox Bloodstock | NSW | $425,000 |
| 189 | B. | Colt | Riverstone Lodge, Blandford | Hellbent | Miramare (NZ) | BK Racing / Gary Portelli | NSW | $400,000 |
| 56 | B. | Colt | Rheinwood Pastoral Co, Mittagong | Zousain | Happy Pilgrim | Archibald Racing / William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) | NSW | $300,000 |
| 124 | B. | Filly | Monarch Stud, Muswellbrook | Too Darn Hot (GB) | Lady Sioux | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing / Kestrel Thoroughbreds / Kurrinda Bloodstock | NSW | $300,000 |
| 180 | B. or Br. | Filly | Arrowfield Stud, Scone | The Autumn Sun | Memphis (IRE) | Byerley Bloodstock | WA | $300,000 |
| 246 | Br. | Colt | Sledmere Stud, Scone | Per Incanto (USA) | New Status Quo (NZ) | Hong Kong Jockey Club | HONG KONG | $300,000 |
| 15 | B. | Colt | Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge, NZ | Sword of State | Florencenightngale (NZ) | Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Kurrinda Bloodstock | VIC | $260,000 |
| 143 | Ch. | Colt | Lime Country Thoroughbreds, Blandford | The Autumn Sun | Little Stevie | Gollan Racing Stables / The Racing League / John Foote Bloodstock | QLD | $240,000 |
| 220 | B. or Br. | Filly | Riversdale Farm, Scone | Cool Aza Beel (NZ) | Mumford | Mitch Freedman Racing / Astute Bloodstock | VIC | $240,000 |
| 78 | Br. | Colt | Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | Stay Inside | If You Can Dream | Equine Growth Fund / Bluebloods Thoroughbreds / SP Bloodstock | NSW | $230,000 |
Buyers by gross
| Vahala Racing / SM & KB Bloodstock | 4 | $560,000 | $140,000 | $150,000 | WA |
| Portelli Racing | 5 | $485,000 | $97,000 | $115,000 | NSW |
| O'Shea / Charlton Racing / James Bester Bloodstock | 3 | $450,000 | $150,000 | $170,000 | NSW |
| John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 3 | $430,000 | $143,333 | $160,000 | HONG KONG |
| Star Thoroughbreds / Vin Cox Bloodstock | 1 | $425,000 | $425,000 | $425,000 | NSW |
| Hawkes Racing | 3 | $420,000 | $140,000 | $130,000 | NSW |
| BK Racing / Gary Portelli | 1 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | NSW |
| Archibald Racing / William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) | 2 | $390,000 | $195,000 | $195,000 | NSW |
| Lindsay Park Racing / Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 3 | $355,000 | $118,333 | $110,000 | VIC |
| Byerley Bloodstock | 1 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 | WA |
Buyers by average (2 or more bought)
| Archibald Racing / William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) | 2 | $390,000 | $195,000 | $195,000 | NSW |
| O'Shea / Charlton Racing / James Bester Bloodstock | 3 | $450,000 | $150,000 | $170,000 | NSW |
| John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 3 | $430,000 | $143,333 | $160,000 | HONG KONG |
| Vahala Racing / SM & KB Bloodstock | 4 | $560,000 | $140,000 | $150,000 | WA |
| Hawkes Racing | 3 | $420,000 | $140,000 | $130,000 | NSW |
| R Yiu | 2 | $280,000 | $140,000 | $140,000 | HONG KONG |
| Gollan Racing Stables | 2 | $240,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 | QLD |
| Lindsay Park Racing / Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 3 | $355,000 | $118,333 | $110,000 | VIC |
| Robert Heathcote Racing / Paul Willets Bloodstock | 2 | $210,000 | $105,000 | $105,000 | QLD |
| Hunters Lodge / Liam Ruddy Bloodstock | 2 | $200,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 | NSW |
Vendors by gross
| Extreme Choice | 2 | 0 | 0 | $525,000 | $262,500 | $262,500 |
| The Autumn Sun | 3 | 0 | 1 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $240,000 |
| Home Affairs | 3 | 0 | 3 | $590,000 | $196,667 | $210,000 |
| Harry Angel (IRE) | 2 | 2 | 1 | $350,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 4 | 0 | 1 | $660,000 | $165,000 | $157,500 |
| Zousain | 6 | 2 | 2 | $880,000 | $146,667 | $150,000 |
| Stay Inside | 4 | 0 | 5 | $500,000 | $125,000 | $110,000 |
| Hellbent | 7 | 1 | 1 | $865,000 | $123,571 | $90,000 |
| Profondo | 2 | 1 | 0 | $245,000 | $122,500 | $122,500 |
| Cool Aza Beel (NZ) | 5 | 0 | 1 | $600,000 | $120,000 | $100,000 |
Vendors by average (2 or more sold)
| Rheinwood Pastoral Co, Mittagong | 2 | 2 | 0 | $350,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 |
| Newgate Farm, Aberdeen | 5 | 0 | 0 | $775,000 | $155,000 | $85,000 |
| Riversdale Farm, Scone | 4 | 2 | 3 | $600,000 | $150,000 | $145,000 |
| Amarina Farm, Denman | 2 | 3 | 2 | $300,000 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | 2 | 0 | 2 | $290,000 | $145,000 | $145,000 |
| Riverstone Lodge, Blandford | 4 | 0 | 1 | $575,000 | $143,750 | $60,000 |
| Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | 2 | 1 | 0 | $280,000 | $140,000 | $140,000 |
| Sledmere Stud, Scone | 12 | 2 | 4 | $1,535,000 | $127,917 | $140,000 |
| Monarch Stud, Muswellbrook | 3 | 0 | 0 | $380,000 | $126,667 | $50,000 |
| Davali Thoroughbreds, Luskintyre | 3 | 0 | 2 | $375,000 | $125,000 | $140,000 |
Sires by gross
| Zousain | 6 | 2 | 2 | $880,000 | $146,667 | $150,000 |
| Hellbent | 7 | 1 | 1 | $865,000 | $123,571 | $90,000 |
| The Autumn Sun | 3 | 0 | 1 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $240,000 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 4 | 0 | 1 | $660,000 | $165,000 | $157,500 |
| Capitalist | 8 | 1 | 3 | $641,000 | $80,125 | $67,500 |
| Trapeze Artist | 7 | 1 | 1 | $602,000 | $86,000 | $60,000 |
| Cool Aza Beel (NZ) | 5 | 0 | 1 | $600,000 | $120,000 | $100,000 |
| Home Affairs | 3 | 0 | 3 | $590,000 | $196,667 | $210,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 2 | 0 | 0 | $525,000 | $262,500 | $262,500 |
| Stay Inside | 4 | 0 | 5 | $500,000 | $125,000 | $110,000 |
Sires by average (2 or more sold)
| Extreme Choice | 2 | 0 | 0 | $525,000 | $262,500 | $262,500 |
| The Autumn Sun | 3 | 0 | 1 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $240,000 |
| Home Affairs | 3 | 0 | 3 | $590,000 | $196,667 | $210,000 |
| Harry Angel (IRE) | 2 | 2 | 1 | $350,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 4 | 0 | 1 | $660,000 | $165,000 | $157,500 |
| Zousain | 6 | 2 | 2 | $880,000 | $146,667 | $150,000 |
| Stay Inside | 4 | 0 | 5 | $500,000 | $125,000 | $110,000 |
| Hellbent | 7 | 1 | 1 | $865,000 | $123,571 | $90,000 |
| Profondo | 2 | 1 | 0 | $245,000 | $122,500 | $122,500 |
| Cool Aza Beel (NZ) | 5 | 0 | 1 | $600,000 | $120,000 | $100,000 |
