Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
2026 broke the record gross again at $30.7 million, breaking last year’s record of $20 million up from $15.37 million in 2024.
There were 256 horses (after withdrawals) catalogued versus 163 last year. The clearance rate was 70% per cent down from 73% last year.
A trio of colts by Anamoe, Toronado (Ire) and Wild Ruler made $600,000 to top the sale. The sale’s record top of $1 million price was set by Signature Scent (Written Tycoon) in 2024.
The average price was $171,192, up from $156,180 in 2025. The median rose to $120,000 up from $100,000. Eight horses sold for $500,000 or more, up from seven last year.
Toronado was the leading stallion by aggregate ($2.22 million) with seven lots sold, while Anamoe led the averages at $510,000 for two lots sold.
Hermitage was the leading buyer by gross ($2.175 million) and average ($435,000) with five horses purchased, including one of the sale toppers.
Hawthorne Lane was the leading vendor by aggregate, selling nine horses for $2.695 million, with an average of $299,444. Ohukia Lodge was the leading vendor by average, achieving $487,500 average across two lots.
Record gross smashed with almost $31 million in sales
Last year’s record gross of $20 million was smashed on Thursday when a larger catalogue and a lift in the average and median resulted in a record $30.7 million through the ring at Riverside.
“We had an internal meeting the other day and I speculated that we should be aspiring to turnover $30 million in sales and people laughed. It was very obvious from inspections on Monday and Tuesday that we had good horses here and the breeze ups were so professionally done. Going through the videos, it was very evident that our vendors had done a really good job of preparing the horses,” Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch said.
“Some of the numbers were more bullish than what I was expecting in terms of individual horses. We had plenty who I thought would make $150,000 to $200,000 who kicked into $300-400,000.
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I was reasonably happy with how the clearance was tracking through the day to get us comfortably to 70%. We’re at 71% now and we might break through $31 million soon.”
A bigger catalogue was part of the reason for the lift in gross with almost 100 more horses offered (after withdrawals) in 2026 with 256 walking through the ring with a clearance rate of 70%, compared to 163 in 2025. The average price was $171,192, up from $156,180 in 2025. The median rose to $120,000 up from $100,000.
“It's a far cry from where we were seven years ago. It’s a testament to the work of the vendors who supported the establishment and evolution of the sale. A lot of those vendors are still involved now and are able to reference good horses they’ve sold,” Hutch said.
“I'm most excited about this sale as I think there is significant scope for it to get better again. There are things we can do structurally to improve the sale.
“It's a very resolute industry; it’s a vocation for most people involved who just don’t want to do anything else, so the reality is if you want to be involved, you’ve got to have stock and that means buying weanlings and yearlings again.
“We are very grateful for the support of every vendor.”
“We are very grateful for the support of every vendor.” - Sebastian Hutch
Hutch was thrilled with the team effort that has gone into growing this sale from a $5.5 million turnover in 2017 to nearly $31 million on Thursday.
“We have a competent, talented group of people, all the people who make the wheels turn. We have a fantastic team who are more than capable of driving the business further. They deliver as many optimal results for vendors as possible.
“This is another example of reward for effort and I think if you're someone who chooses to sell your stock with Inglis you do so knowing that you'll get a wholehearted effort from everybody in the team to try and help you achieve your best results.”
Trio of top lots have more than price in common
At $600,000 Lot 83 and Lot 116 held the top spot in the sale for much of the day. Coincidentally, the two joint top lots breezed up in the same time, 10.72s, albeit in different locations.
Lot 83, the Anamoe colt from Woburn Farm breezed at Taupo on a Soft 6 track, while Lot 116, the Toronado (Ire) colt from Matt Vella Racing breezed at Warwick Farm on a Good 4 surface.
Lot 83 had a pedigree upgrade this month when his 3-year-old half-sister Low Key (Pinatubo {Ire}) won in Sydney. He is out of stakes-placed Really Discreet (Helmet), a half-sister to Group 2 winner Too Darn Discreet (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
“A great result. I haven't had a horse like him before, a proper horse with a great attitude and a great brain on him and a lovely physical type,” Adrian Stanley of Woburn Farm said.
“A great result. I haven't had a horse like him (Lot 83) before, a proper horse with a great attitude and a great brain on him and a lovely physical type.” - Adrian Stanley
“Lots of Hong Kong buyers here, and the locals too. The locals were on this Anamoe, trying to snap him up. There were some big syndicators here competing on him.”
Lot 83 was purchased by MyRacehorse in conjunction with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA). His second dam is G1 Australasian Oaks winner Maybe Discreet (Shamardal {USA}).
Adrian Stanley | Image supplied
Lot 116 was purchased by Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire})’s owners, Hermitage.
“He’s a lovely horse who was bought by a good judge at Easter, so there was never any doubt that we were bringing the right product to the sale. Being a Toronado off the back of Tron Bolt winning the JJ Atkins and now his owners have bought into the same,” Matt Vella said.
Lot 116, out of Showoroses (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), was purchased by KB Bloodstock for $400,000 from Corumbene Stud’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft. Corumbene Stud purchased triple Group 2 winner Showoroses as a broodmare prospect in 2022 for $525,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. This is her first foal and she has a yearling colt by Street Boss (USA) and delivered a colt by Extreme Choice this spring.
Matt Vella with Lot 116 | Image courtesy of Matt Vella Racing Services
The colt’s first three dams are all stakes winners with Showoroses out of Group 3 winner and dual Group 1-placed Rodrigo Rose (NZ) (Rodrigo De Triano {USA}) who in turn is out of four-time Listed winner Rosebrook (Vain).
“If you have a horse that's breezed well, of good height and weight and by the right sire you'll have no dramas, which is what the sale has proven today. It's the same every year, good horses sell. Vetting is a massive part of this sale with so many Hong Kong buyers.
“I just want to thank my clients who’ve sent me the right types of horses.”
“I just want to thank my clients who’ve sent me the right types of horses.” - Matt Vella
Late in the day, a Wild Ruler colt Lot 314 also sold for $600,000 to match the top price for the sale. Woodlow Equine sold the colt to Hong Kong's Lucky Owners group.
He is the fourth foal of Group 3-placed Icebomb (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) whose first foal is a winner. He was a $110,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling graduate from Mill Park Stud. He breezed up in a speedy 10.08s at Warwick Farm.
Top Lots
| 83 | Colt | Anamoe | Really Discreet | Woburn Farm, Ohaupo, NZ | MyRaceHorse / Bott Waterhouse Racing / Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) / Kestrel Throroughbreds | $ 600,000 | 10.72 |
| 116 | Colt | Toronado (IRE) | Showoroses (NZ) | Matt Vella Racing Services, Clarendon | Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | $ 600,000 | 10.72 |
| 314 | Colt | Wild Ruler | Icebomb (NZ) | Woodlow Equine, Theresa Park | Lucky Owners Pty Ltd | $ 600,000 | 10.08 |
| 127 | Colt | Capitalist | Speedboat | Sullivan Sales Consignment, Kialla East, Vic | Douglas Whyte Racing | $ 500,000 | 10.45 |
| 182 | Colt | Ole Kirk | Ain'tnofallenstar | Fernrigg Farm, Denman | Ciaron Maher Bloodstock | $ 500,000 | 10.38 |
| 193 | Gelding | All Too Hard | Athens | Matt Vella Racing Services, Clarendon | Upper Bloodstock | $ 500,000 | 10.64 |
| 250 | Colt | Justify (USA) | Crystal Fountain (NZ) | Hawthorne Lane, Meerschaum Vale | John Moore International Bloodstock / Pob Bloodstock | $ 500,000 | 10.11 |
| 255 | Colt | All Too Hard | Deep Sorrow | Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | $ 500,000 | 10.42 |
| 48 | Gelding | Zoustar | Miss Canada | Sullivan Sales Consignment, Kialla East, Vic | Lindsay Park Bloodstock Pty Ltd | $ 475,000 | 10.78 |
| 260 | Colt | Super Seth | Dollarbeel (NZ) | Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | $ 475,000 | 10.57 |
Hong Kong buyers make their presence felt
Buyers from Hong Kong purchased 41 lots across the sale, spending $11 million. NSW buyers spent $7 million over 41 lots while Victorian buyers spent $5.77 million on 42 horses. There was plenty of diversity in the buying bench with fifteen different locations represented in the buyer’s chart.
“We had 17 out of the 23 Hong Kong trainers here. When you canvas people to attend on the basis that the catalogue is good, then people respect that,” Hutch said.
“Graduates of our sales have a lot of luck in Hong Kong. Nicky (Wong) and James (Price) and other people have done a lot of work over the years to build that foundation. People like Jonathan D’Arcy are very much engaged in the market.
“Graduates of our sales have a lot of luck in Hong Kong.” - Sebastian Hutch
“Amy Feng has done a really good job in China, and it was good to see plenty of buyers from China here. Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia. We had a very enthusiastic Japanese buyer here.”
Hong Kong buyers bought four of the top ten. Lot 314, the sale topping Wild Ruler colt, went to Lucky Owners for $600,000. Douglas Whyte paid $500,000 for Lot 127, the full brother to Group 1 winner and young sire Captivant.
Lot 127 - Capitalist x Speedboat colt | Image courtesy of Inglis
Upper Bloodstock spent $500,000 on Lot 193, an All Too Hard gelding from the family of G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Attica (Lonhro). The Hong Kong quartet were completed by the $500,000 Justify (USA) colt, Lot 250, bought by John Moore International Bloodstock and Pob Bloodstock. He is a full brother to stakes-placed Clear Proof from the family of G1 Australian Derby winner Green Spaces (Street Boss {USA}).
Top buyer by gross
| Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | 5 | $2,175,000 | $435,000 | $600,000 | $475,000 |
| Douglas Whyte Racing | 4 | $1,630,000 | $407,500 | $500,000 | $415,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Bloodstock | 6 | $1,630,000 | $271,667 | $500,000 | $275,000 |
| James Cummings, Hong Kong | 5 | $1,245,000 | $249,000 | $460,000 | $200,000 |
| Gao Sanxiong | 5 | $1,040,000 | $208,000 | $340,000 | $210,000 |
| Calvin Tao / Miki Chan | 2 | $800,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Doyle Racing / Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) | 2 | $720,000 | $360,000 | $370,000 | $360,000 |
| Lindsay Park Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 4 | $715,000 | $178,750 | $475,000 | $90,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Gao Sanxiong | 2 | $670,000 | $335,000 | $420,000 | $335,000 |
| R Yiu | 3 | $660,000 | $220,000 | $325,000 | $250,000 |
Top buyers by average (2 or more bought)
| Hermitage Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | 5 | $435,000 | $2,175,000 | $600,000 | $475,000 |
| Douglas Whyte Racing | 4 | $407,500 | $1,630,000 | $500,000 | $415,000 |
| Calvin Tao / Miki Chan | 2 | $400,000 | $800,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Doyle Racing / Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) | 2 | $360,000 | $720,000 | $370,000 | $360,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Gao Sanxiong | 2 | $335,000 | $670,000 | $420,000 | $335,000 |
| Bridle Bloodstock | 2 | $290,000 | $580,000 | $430,000 | $290,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Bloodstock | 6 | $271,667 | $1,630,000 | $500,000 | $275,000 |
| James Cummings, Hong Kong | 5 | $249,000 | $1,245,000 | $460,000 | $200,000 |
| E Koh | 2 | $227,500 | $455,000 | $270,000 | $227,500 |
| R Yiu | 3 | $220,000 | $660,000 | $325,000 | $250,000 |
| Gao Sanxiong | 5 | $208,000 | $1,040,000 | $340,000 | $210,000 |
Blake Ryan celebrates a decade
Blake Ryan Racing celebrated a decade of selling at Inglis Ready2Race with his best ever result, finishing the sale as the second-top vendor by gross. He sold 16 2-year-olds for $2.45 million.
“Things take time and to finally get it all together and get the clients around me to invest, to get results like that and get the job done and get these horses home is a feather in my staff’s cap. You are only as good as the people around you, they’ve got to come with you for the ride and they really have,” Ryan said.
“I’ve got a great team. I’m really proud of them and proud of the results we got today.”
“I’ve got a great team. I’m really proud of them and proud of the results we got today.” - Blake Ryan
Their top lot for the sale was Lot 263, a Home Affairs colt who made $460,000 to the bid of Hong Kong’s Michael Chang. He paid $180,000 for him at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from Widden Stud’s draft.
“All we are trying to do here is build the quality of the catalogue, not just our draft and to go to Easter and be able to secure a Home Affairs, who had just sired the Slipper winner and had the vibe of the heir apparent, in a range that you’ll think there’s a margin in, is hen’s teeth but we were lucky to get him and he vetted well and did everything right.
“He’s still got a bit to go, but he showed himself. He breezed well and paraded here well all week. I was confident he’d reach reserve and he exceeded that in spades.
“I’ve got a partner in him who used to race Peltzer and who was in Arctic Glamour with dad (Gerald Ryan), and it’s his first foray into this. He rang me after I bought him and asked what I was doing with him, and he said I wouldn’t mind having a crack at this, so he took 25%. Really pleased for him.”
The colt is out of unraced Dream Cirque (Dream Ahead {USA}) who is the dam of G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Lightsaber and four other winners. Lightsaber stands at Western Australia’s Darling View Thoroughbreds where his first crop are 2-year-olds.
Ryan has seen this sale evolve over the last ten years. In 2017, the Inglis Ready2Race Sale grossed $5.5 million with a median price of $50,000.
Blake Ryan | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It’s chalk and cheese from when it started. The sale format had a bit of a stigma being horses that people couldn’t sell, especially locally, but it’s really changed and it’s been a big push from the team at Inglis. They gave us the confidence to stick with it for the long haul and ten years down the track, we are here,” Ryan said.
“There’ll always be a market for a nice horse, and if everything falls into place, you get the results. There are a couple we didn’t make anything on, but we got them sold and the others have offset that in spades. You work it as a portfolio, rather than on each individual.”
Top vendors by gross
| Hawthorne Lane, Meerschaum Vale | 9 | 0 | $2,695,000 | $299,444 | $500,000 | $300,000 |
| Blake Ryan Racing, Sydney | 17 | 1 | $2,600,000 | $152,941 | $460,000 | $100,000 |
| Sullivan Sales Consignment, Kialla East, Vic | 5 | 2 | $2,085,000 | $417,000 | $500,000 | $430,000 |
| Hannover Lodge, Wilberforce | 11 | 6 | $1,990,000 | $180,909 | $450,000 | $150,000 |
| Fernrigg Farm, Denman | 10 | 3 | $1,820,000 | $182,000 | $500,000 | $155,000 |
| Hunter's Lodge, Glendon Brook | 14 | 9 | $1,755,000 | $125,357 | $340,000 | $100,000 |
| Baystone Farm, Gnarwarre, Vic | 8 | 5 | $1,550,000 | $193,750 | $440,000 | $110,000 |
| Prima Park, Matamata, NZ | 6 | 0 | $1,525,000 | $254,167 | $460,000 | $265,000 |
| Matt Vella Racing Services, Clarendon | 5 | 5 | $1,450,000 | $290,000 | $600,000 | $150,000 |
| Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | 14 | 1 | $1,265,000 | $90,357 | $350,000 | $60,000 |
Top vendors by average (2 or more sold)
| Ohukia Lodge, Cambridge, NZ | 2 | 2 | $487,500 | $975,000 | $500,000 | $487,500 |
| Sullivan Sales Consignment, Kialla East, Vic | 5 | 2 | $417,000 | $2,085,000 | $500,000 | $430,000 |
| Woodlow Equine, Theresa Park | 2 | 0 | $387,500 | $775,000 | $600,000 | $387,500 |
| Woburn Farm, Ohaupo, NZ | 3 | 3 | $326,667 | $980,000 | $600,000 | $240,000 |
| Hawthorne Lane, Meerschaum Vale | 9 | 0 | $299,444 | $2,695,000 | $500,000 | $300,000 |
| Matt Vella Racing Services, Clarendon | 5 | 5 | $290,000 | $1,450,000 | $600,000 | $150,000 |
| Kiltannon Stables, Cambridge, NZ | 2 | 1 | $287,500 | $575,000 | $375,000 | $287,500 |
| Prima Park, Matamata, NZ | 6 | 0 | $254,167 | $1,525,000 | $460,000 | $265,000 |
| Highden Park, Palmerston North, NZ | 4 | 6 | $230,000 | $920,000 | $310,000 | $230,000 |
| Baystone Farm, Gnarwarre, Vic | 8 | 5 | $193,750 | $1,550,000 | $440,000 | $110,000 |
Top sires by gross
| Toronado (IRE) | 7 | 3 | $2,225,000 | $317,857 | $600,000 | $260,000 |
| Hellbent | 6 | 0 | $1,440,000 | $240,000 | $400,000 | $275,000 |
| Capitalist | 5 | 3 | $1,440,000 | $288,000 | $500,000 | $320,000 |
| Zousain | 7 | 4 | $1,329,000 | $189,857 | $460,000 | $150,000 |
| All Too Hard | 4 | 2 | $1,240,000 | $310,000 | $500,000 | $350,000 |
| Justify (USA) | 3 | 2 | $1,225,000 | $408,333 | $500,000 | $400,000 |
| Home Affairs | 4 | 1 | $1,185,000 | $296,250 | $460,000 | $322,500 |
| Zoustar | 4 | 0 | $1,035,000 | $258,750 | $475,000 | $200,000 |
| Anamoe | 2 | 1 | $1,020,000 | $510,000 | $600,000 | $510,000 |
| Cosmic Force | 6 | 0 | $885,000 | $147,500 | $350,000 | $112,500 |
Top sires by average (2 or more sold)
| Anamoe | 2 | 1 | $510,000 | $1,020,000 | $600,000 | $510,000 |
| Justify (USA) | 3 | 2 | $408,333 | $1,225,000 | $500,000 | $400,000 |
| Ghaiyyath (IRE) | 2 | 1 | $337,500 | $675,000 | $375,000 | $337,500 |
| Toronado (IRE) | 7 | 3 | $317,857 | $2,225,000 | $600,000 | $260,000 |
| Wild Ruler | 2 | 0 | $317,500 | $635,000 | $600,000 | $317,500 |
| All Too Hard | 4 | 2 | $310,000 | $1,240,000 | $500,000 | $350,000 |
| Home Affairs | 4 | 1 | $296,250 | $1,185,000 | $460,000 | $322,500 |
| Capitalist | 5 | 3 | $288,000 | $1,440,000 | $500,000 | $320,000 |
| Written By | 2 | 3 | $265,000 | $530,000 | $380,000 | $265,000 |
| Zoustar | 4 | 0 | $258,750 | $1,035,000 | $475,000 | $200,000 |
