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2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale - The Second Biggest In 150 Years!

Written on the 7 April 2017

"Easter has always been one of the world's top sales and it's never been more evident than this year," Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

In fact, the 2017 Easter Yearling Sale resulted in the second greatest sales in the 150 year history of the company.

This year there were 480 listings, billed as the best of the best, over the 3 day event from 4th to 6th April, which was held at the Newmarket Sydney Complex for the last time.

"Inglis has always maintained a strict selection policy with the Easter sale and this year we have trimmed the catalogue to showcase what we feel are 480 of the finest yearlings to be offered in Australasia in 2017," Inglis National Bloodstock Manager Jonathan D'Arcy said.

Out of the 480 listings, Snitzel was the leading stallion with 44 progeny, ahead of Redoute's Choice with 36, Sebring with 35, Piero (33), Fastnet Rock (27) and Medaglia d'Oro with 26.

Ten First Season Sires were also represented - Zoustar, Fiorente, Dundeel, Shamus Award, Camelot, Dawn Approach, Declaration of War, The Factor, Fighting Sun and Epaulette.

Of the 480 Lots on offer, 146 Lots were from Stakes-winning mares, including 22 Group 1 winners and first foals from Samaready, Secret Admirer, Gondokoro and Steps In Time. 304 Lots contained black type in the first dam.

Arrowfield was the leading vendor with 51 Lots, followed by Widden (36) and Coolmore (32).

The 3 day event saw buyers gather from all corners of the globe, with records set across the board including:

  • Arrowfield Stud grossing $20,040,000 which is the highest ever for a vendor at an Australian Yearling Sale, beating the previous record set in 2008.
  • There have been 22 yearlings sell in Australasia in 2017 for $1 million or more, of which 18 were sold at Inglis and 17 at this Easter Sale alone.
  • 17 Yearlings selling for $1 million or more in one sale is the third highest, behind 2008 Easter (28 Lots) and 2007 Easter (23).
  • Record prices were set for the progeny of Medaglia d'Oro ($2.4m), I Am Invincible ($1.6m), Sebring ($1.4m), Not A Single Doubt ($1.25m), Exceed And Excel ($1.2m), Written Tycoon ($1m) and Zoustar ($1m).
  • The sale average of $356,755 is the second-highest Easter average in the company's history.

At the end of the third day, the clearance rate was set at a healthy 85% with almost half of the vendors enjoying a 100% clearance rate.

Seganhoe Stud were leaders by average, selling 10 Lots at an average of $650,000.

Arrowfield topped the gross figures by more than $11 million. Their star sale-topper was Lot 333 Redoute's Choice x Secluded, brother to Blue Diamond runner-up Pariah, purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's racing manager Tim Stakemire for $2.5m. Arrowfield ended with a 92% clearance rate.

Arrowfield's John Messara wasn't surprised the Redoute's Choice x Secluded colt attracted significant attention from the buying bench.

"I was expecting a big price but I didn't know what that price would be," he said.

"It's fitting that Redoute's should top the sale too because he's been leading sire here for so long now."

Messara gave a lot of the credit to Inglis.

"Inglis put together a very strong buying bench so all credit must go to them in all honesty.

"We brought a very strong product to market but Inglis brought the market together from all around the world and when you get a strong product and a strong market, you get maximum results.

"We had the product that was in demand and the market was there for it. We're very fortunate."

Leading buyer by Lots purchased was Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with 14 Lots, while by aggregate was Shadwell Stud with $5,755,000.

The leading sire by aggregate was Snitzel ($20,425,000) with a remarkable 38 of his 39 progeny offered selling, while by average was Not A Single Doubt at $750,000 from three sales.

Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster was thrilled with the overall results and pleased both vendors and buyers left Newmarket for the final time, happy.

Next years' sales will be moved to the new $140m precinct adjacent to the Warwick Farm racecourse, set to be completed December this year.

(Photo: $2.5m Redoute's Choice x Secluded - Photo credit: inglis.com.au)

(Bottom photo: Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster - Photo credit: inglis.com.au)


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Authorised Representative
(AR 001 272 774) under the TTSC's AFSL (288-213)