Sale Overview

An unbelievable atmosphere during the three days of trading at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale has seen every record re-written. Unprecedented competition has set new levels in all key metrics, with vendors who supported the sale with their best types rewarded handsomely with a remarkable 90% clearance rate, and an exceptional average up 37% year-on-year to $57,426, complemented by a enormous 47% jump in the median to another record $44,000.

Gross receipts for Classic vendors have more than doubled in the last two years, from $13 million in 2014 to a massive $26.7 million this week at Newmarket.

69 yearlings from 36 individual vendors sold for $100,000 or more, which is more than double the 27 in 2015, further demonstrating the extraordinary strength of the sale.

“The competition is as strong as I’ve ever witnessed at Newmarket, with an outstanding 44 vendors recording 100% clearance,” said Inglis National Bloodstock Director Jonathan D’Arcy.

“The presence of buyers from Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and New Zealand, along with Australia’s leading trainers, and a multitude of country and provincial trainers, and syndicators from across the country, highlights that Classic is now on every serious buyers’ calendar as a sale to attend,” added D’Arcy.

Fittingly, I Am Invincible was one of the leading sires at the sale, averaging in excess of $100,000, a feat he shared with Written Tycoon, Snitzel and Smart Missile (3 or more sold). A Classic graduate himself, 26 of his yearlings sold for an average of $105,269, assisted by the determined bidding for his progeny from a number of parties, with leading buyers YuLong Investments his biggest supporters.

The Chinese-based organisation outlaid $1,129,500 for 11 yearlings in total, nine by the Yarraman Park-based sire including $260,000 for the colt from Docherty Woods (Lot 501) from Murrulla Stud, which will head to the Caulfield stable of Mick Price.

“He’s a lovely forward colt that looks like a two-year-old that will train on as a three-year-old. I just fell in love with him. Bred by the same people who bred Brazen Beau, he will make a lovely stallion prospect if he could win the right race,” said Wilkinson.

Michael Wallace went to $305,000 for the striking Written Tycoon x Zals colt (Lot 362), securing the impressive yearling for China Horse Club in conjunction with American-based Winstar Farm, and will race him in Australia under the guidance of Peter Snowden.

“He’s by a stallion that we’re really fond of. He’s a great-looking horse that handled the week really well. He looks an early type so we’ll take him home and get going on him and we hope to see him in some early races,” said Wallace.

The colt was pinhooked from the 2015 Inglis Great Southern Sale for $34,000 by Sledmere’s Treen and Royston Murphy, who also achieved another great result later in the day, selling the Pins x Da Vinci Code colt (Lot 475) for their client, New Zealand’s Little Avondale Stud, to Carmel Size for $260,000.

“We’ve been delighted with our sale; we’ve cleared 100% and it’s just proven that if you support this sale and bring the right product it’s a very good sale with just rewards. We’ve aimed at this sale for the last few years, and we’ve had great results. It’s a credit to Inglis. Vendors are getting rewarded for bringing the right types of horses here,” said Royston Murphy.

Another vendor to sell each of their offerings was Yarraman Park Stud, who, after selling the sale topper yesterday, achieved another notable result selling their Hinchinbrook x Carlton Ace colt (Lot 442) to James Harron Bloodstock for $260,000.

After securing the yearling, which will be trained by Peter Snowden, Harron commented “He was a lovely athletic colt. He is a good-tracking and strong sort, with a nice pedigree to back it up.”

The 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale has been confirmed to begin with an evening session on Saturday 11 February following Apollo Stakes Day at Royal Randwick.

“We would like to thanks all our clients, both buyers and vendors, for making this Classic Sale the success it has been. Our attention now turns to Oaklands in Melbourne where we look forward to seeing our buyers compete for an outstanding catalogue of 775 quality yearlings at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale on 28, 29 February and 1, 2 March,” said D’Arcy.

GetRacing.com.au will be utilised by many syndicators to promote their Inglis Classic purchases over the coming weeks. New owners looking to start the journey into racehorse ownership via Syndication are encouraged to browse Australia’s greatest marketplace for racehorse shares at GetRacing.com.au

Photos from the 2016 Inglis Classic Book One are available on our Facebook page InglisBloodstock

Inglis’ Make-An-Offer Service is available for lots which passed-in at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

All yearlings offered at the sale are eligible for entry into the $5 million Inglis Race Series covering their 2YO, 3YO and 4YO racing seasons. For more information go to inglis.com.au/races

2016 Classic Yearling Sale statistics (2015 in Brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 575 (574)
Lots Sold: 466 (459)
Clearance Rate: 90% (86%)
Average Price: $57,426 ($41,782)
Median Price: $44,000 ($30,000)
Top Price: $410,000 ($310,000)
Gross: $26,760,500 ($19,178,000)