Cover image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 233 – Extreme Choice x Nais Ko (Exceed And Excel), filly – $425,000
One of just three Extreme Choice yearlings offered at the 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Lot 233 was always going to draw plenty of attention. The chestnut filly out of the winning Exceed And Excel mare Nais Ko offered by Newgate Farm lived up to that expectation, selling for $425,000 to the combination of Star Thoroughbreds and Vin Cox Bloodstock.
“They’re a rare commodity, Extreme Choice horses,” Cox said. “They have that scarcity value and when you see a nice one, you’ve got to dig deep, put the seatbelt on and get in.”
Lot 233 - Extreme Choice x Nais Ko filly | Image courtesy of Inglis
Physically, the filly ticked plenty of boxes.
“She’s a lot like her sire and a lot like her grandsire in Not A Single Doubt. She’s quite a strong, precocious-looking type of filly. She’s got a good head on her - she’s sensible.
“She’s (Lot 233) a lot like her sire and a lot like her grandsire in Not A Single Doubt. She’s quite a strong, precocious-looking type of filly.” - Vin Cox
“She looks like she’s up and ready to roll. The sire’s done exceptionally well in the stable and Star has done very well with the breed as well, so let’s hope those purple colours with the white stars come to the fore again.”
Cox said the buying strategy was measured but decisive.
“You judge the market as you will, and we figured that she was probably going to be somewhere in the $400,000 to $500,000 range and we were hoping there wasn’t going to be anyone north of that.”
Vin Cox | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly was bred by Gooree Park Stud and is the fourth live foal out of Nais Ko, a winner over 1257 metres. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Your Song. Nais Ko foaled an Extreme Choice colt last spring and was subsequently served by King’s Gambit.
Lot 189 – Hellbent x Miramare (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), colt – $400,000
Hellbent’s continued momentum in the market was again evident when Lot 189, a strong colt out of Miramare (NZ), was knocked down to BK Racing and Gary Portelli for $400,000 from the Riverstone Lodge draft.
BK Racing Manager Ben Vassallo said familiarity with the sire played a significant role in the decision, with the group already racing the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes winner Savvy Hallie.
“He’s a lovely colt. He is by a super stallion in Hellbent, which we’ve had a lot of success with,” Vassallo said.
“He’s (Lot 189) a lovely colt. He is by a super stallion in Hellbent, which we’ve had a lot of success with.” - Ben Vassallo
“He’s an early foal and he’s going to the right stable, and I think he’ll be up and going early for Gary Portelli.”
That confidence extends to the stable itself.
Lot 189 - Hellbent x Miramare (NZ) colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We have had Long Legs with Gary. She was a nice Premier purchase by Russian Revolution, but she’s needed time, and I think he’s done a great job managing that. He obviously can train any horse, but he’s got a brilliance about it.
“To have two Golden Slippers with about 40 or 50 horses in work is pretty amazing. We’re very excited to put in a nice, well-bred colt that looks like he’s going to run early.”
Gary Portelli | Image courtesy of Gary Portelli Racing
Past success from the same source added confidence.
“We bought a very good horse off the same farm by the same stallion in Savvy Hallie, so that obviously helps a lot when you’re making a decision to spend this much money.
“I believe he has an awesome profile. He’s going to run and get up and going early for us, and that’s very attractive to buyers. I didn’t think it was going to be easy — that was going to bottom us right out — so thankfully they didn’t bid again.”
The colt is the fourth living foal from Miramare, a full sister to leading New Zealand stallion Shamexpress (NZ), recently in the spotlight as the sire of star sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ). The family also includes the three-time Listed and Group 3 winner O’Reilly Rose (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun).
Since producing this colt, Miramare has foaled a Native Trail (GB) filly foal and was served by Starlust (GB).
Lot 56 – Zousain x Happy Pilgrim (Congrats {USA}), colt – $300,000
Happy Pilgrim (Congrats {USA}) continues to be a cornerstone mare for Rheinwood Pastoral, and her reputation was further enhanced when her Zousain colt sold for $300,000 to Archibald Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA).
The mare is already the producer of G1 Galaxy Handicap winner Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), while her Captivant filly sold for $220,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Co-purchaser Annabel Archibald made no secret of her admiration for the colt.
Lot 56 - Zousain x Happy Pilgrim colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Very exciting. It was probably obvious I liked him, as I came back to see him about four times. I just thought he was the best one,” Archibald said.
“Obviously the mare has already produced a Group 1 winner in Private Harry, and we’ve been successful buying from Rheinwood before. We purchased our own Group 1 winner Libertad from the farm.”
She was also taken by the colt’s physical attributes and value.
“He’s very, very athletic - really, really good movement. He’s still a young stallion, and I think if he was by Zoustar he’d cost four times as much.
“He’s (Lot 56) very, very athletic — really, really good movement. He’s still a young stallion, and I think if he was by Zoustar he’d cost four times as much.” - Annabel Archibald
“So I thought he was a $300,000 horse, which is a good price for a Classic yearling. There’s a bit going on in the family, and I’m sure we haven’t seen the best of Private Harry either. We’re very excited. He was bought on spec, so if anyone else likes him, they can get in touch.”
Annabel Archibald | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Happy Pilgrim was a three-time winner on the track and is a Group 1 producer among her three winners. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed duo of Snipzu (Snippetson) and Paredo (Better Than Ready), and this is also the family of Eureka Stud’s young Group 1-placed sire Don Corleone.
Happy Pilgrim missed to Harry Angel (Ire) in 2024 but was served again by him last spring, with a full sibling to Private Harry expected later this year.
Lot 124 – Too Darn Hot (GB) x Lady Sioux (Jet Spur), filly – $300,000
The proven combination of Kurrinda Bloodstock with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott has already delivered at Group level through the talented 2-year-old Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}), winner of the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on debut before adding another juvenile victory at the Gold Coast.
Looking to replicate that success, the group went to $300,000 to secure Lot 124, the Too Darn Hot (GB) filly out of Lady Sioux (Jet Spur).
Lot 124 - Too Darn Hot (GB) x Lady Sioux filly | Image courtesy of Inglis
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was quick to highlight the filly’s professionalism and attitude through the sale process.
“One of her best attributes is the way she handled the sale so well. I think that will stand her in great stead for the early part of her career,” Bott said.
“One of her (Lot 124) best attributes is the way she handled the sale so well.” - Adrian Bott
“We were able to partner with Kurrinda Bloodstock for her. We have had a bit of luck with the progeny of Too Darn Hot, so hopefully we will see her back here really early next year.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing
Physically, the filly also impressed.
“She is a lovely, big, strong filly, and to go with her attitude, she has that constitution. She physically really looks like she’s about to handle the early pressures of racing and education.
“She (Lot 124) physically really looks like she’s about to handle the early pressures of racing and education.” - Adrian Bott
“So she will be given her chance to go early and we will go from there.”
Lady Sioux was a seven-time winner up to 1400 metres and this filly is her fifth foal. She has had two to race, both winners, with the best being the six-time winner Prince Shalaa – Solid Shalaa (HK). The filly’s third dam was the classy La Lagune (Danehill {USA}), a dual Listed winner and a placegetter in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.+
Lot 180 – The Autumn Sun x Memphis (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), filly – $300,000
A classy The Autumn Sun filly from the Arrowfield Stud draft proved popular, with Byerley Bloodstock landing the filly for $300,000.
Paul Messara | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Very excited. She is a lovely, lovely filly from a great European family, out of a Dubawi mare,” Paul Messara of Arrowfield Stud said.
“Very excited. She (Lot 180) is a lovely, lovely filly from a great European family, out of a Dubawi mare.” - Paul Messara
“The stallion is doing an outstanding job, and he has the likes of The Autumn Glow back up and going, which is very exciting. She is a lovely filly and we are very pleased.”
Lot 180 - The Autumn Sun x Memphis (Ire) filly | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly is out of the unraced Dubawi (Ire) mare Memphis (Ire), a three-quarter-sister to stakes-placed Bright Melody (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and a half-sister to G1 Newmarket Fillies’ Mile winner Lyric Of Light (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}). The extended family has been a strong one for Windsor Park Stud, producing Group winners such as Leebaz (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Polish Knight (Encosta De Lago), Euro Angel (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and young New Zealand stallion Mr Mozart.
Memphis missed during the 2024 breeding season but was served early by Maurice (Jpn) on September 1.
