Buyers at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale in October will be the beneficiaries of the top two lots at today’s HTBA Yearling Sale, which resulted in an effective day of trade at Riverside.
SP Bloodstock’s Stefan Pardi signed for the top lot - an Artorius x Azarose colt of Kingstar Farm at $160,000 - and immediately confirmed the colt would be re-offered at Riverside on Thursday October 15.
“The hype around the Inglis breeze up sale later in the year is already gaining huge momentum and it’s a sale I want to be involved in as a vendor,’’ Pardi said.
“There was a huge Asian and local presence last year at the sale and I think with Ka Ying Rising running in The Everest again this year just two days after the sale, there’s just going to be so many buyers at the sale and I think this colt will fit right in.
“He was the best colt on the grounds this week for me, he had real presence about him, yet there’s still so much room for improvement and I think over the next six months leading into the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, he will come on even more.’’
Kingstar’s Adam Cook was stunned by the result.
“That was out of the blue, double what I thought he would make,’’ Cook said.
“Over the moon, $160,000, wow, that’s unbelievable really. I was almost going to put him into the Classic Sale but I’m glad I didn’t now, he had more vet hits than any of our draft and it’s a huge result.
“From Thursday onwards I knew we were going to have a good sale, the foot traffic was up a lot on last year’s sale, which was big in itself, so to see that translate into results is what it’s all about. We honestly couldn’t be happier.’’
Today’s second-top lot was secured by Victorian Tyler Aitken, paying $115,000 for a Home Affairs x Gwader Bay colt, also out of Kingstar’s draft.
Aitken confirmed the colt would be part of his breeze up draft which is also set to include progeny of the likes of Toronado, The Autumn Sun and Anamoe, among others.
“I thought he was a really athletic horse, balanced and while he’ll need a bit of time, he’s from a family that has proved if you give them the time, you get the results,’’ Aitken said.
“I paid more than I thought he’d go for but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
“I’ll get him home and into the system, break him in and hopefully watch him mature and develop over the next few months as we get him ready for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.’’
On the Home Affairs colt, Cook added: “He was a late foal with good length and a great action, he’s a nice animal.
“He looks like he’ll run this horse. He was very popular, as the majority of our draft was, so it’s a great outcome again.’’
In total today’s sale grossed $3,537,500 with an average of $23,273 and median of $18,000, the latter both year-on-year increases.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch noted that the sale brought to a close what has been a hugely successful yearling sales series for Inglis.
“Turnover across our yearling sales this year is up over $8m on 2025, which is very pleasing, particularly considering what has been going on in the world over the past couple of months,” Hutch said.
“Our team has worked exceptionally hard to market all of our sales effectively and canvass buyers at all levels, ultimately with the objective of delivering a market leading service and achieve market leading results.
“To have sold over 1670 yearlings at a clearance rate of 83% across the series is something that I think the team is understandably very proud of.
“We are hugely grateful for the support of breeders and vendors of our sales and similarly appreciative of the support of each of our sales by a huge range of buyers.
“In advance of today’s sale, we had plenty of vendors tell us that the foot traffic in the lead-up was very strong so we were confident of facilitating a competitive market today.
“To have buyers from Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand and then WA, SA, ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria all participate was a reflection of the good work done by our team in canvassing buyers for the sale.
“The clearance rate is 83% and rising, while the average and median are strong compared with last year and particularly impressive when compared to 2024 when a similar number of horses were offered.
“The selectivity of the market has been a challenge throughout the sales year and is particularly pronounced at a sale like this, but we will continue to work constructively with vendors to identify ways in which we can develop our markets to facilitate improved returns.
“Finally, I must thank the committee of the HTBA and the members generally for the support of this sale and note that there is a shared belief that we can continue to progress this sale further in years to come.”
To enquire about a passed in lot from today’s HTBA Sale, contact Will Gardner from the Inglis bloodstock team on 0480 515 694.
Attention now switches to Inglis Digital for the April (Late) Online Sale – featuring the first of two Australian Broodmare Sale Sessions exclusively for race fillies and broodmares – for which entries are now open.
Lots offered through the Australian Broodmare Sale Sessions on Inglis Digital will have the added benefit of edited pedigrees being available on the Inglis Digital website and Inglis catalogue app.
The April (Late) Sale will include a group of 11 young commercial mares to be offered by Willow Park Stud - which will be available for inspection by appointment at the farm – while an Anamoe breeding right and strong drafts from the likes of Coolmore and Aristia Park are also confirmed early entries.
The regular catalogue will close out for bidding on Wednesday, April 29 like usual while the Australian Broodmare Sale Session will close out the following day, Thursday April 30, both from 10am.
Entries close at midnight this coming Wednesday, April 22.
To enter CLICK HERE.
The Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series then takes centre stage with a week of action in Sydney starting with the Australian Weanling Sale (May 5 and 6) followed by the Chairman’s Sale (May 7).
More than 600 lots have been catalogued for the week, which is headlined by the Chairman’s Sale where some of the most sought-after fillies and mares of the year will be offered including Chayan, Benedetta, Provence, Arabian Summer, Generosity, Philia, Ahha Ahha, Appin Girl, Cashel Palace, Cosmonova, Dark Glitter, Eternal Flame, Good Banter, Infancy, Vestas, Jennilala, Just Feelin’ Lucky, Mare Of Mt Buller, Miss Icelandic, Snow In May, Spicy Martini, Terra Mater, The Black Cloud, The Playwright, Tiger Shark etc, Aeliana’s half sister Sunshine In Capri, Classique Legend’s half sister I Am Famous, Jigsaw’s half sister Lumosity, the dams of the G1 Golden Slipper quinella in Guest House and Streisand, the dam of yesterday’s G1 Champagne Stakes winner Fireball, the dam of G1-winning 2YO Captured By Love as well as mares carrying lucrative pregnancies to the likes of freak stallion Extreme Choice.
To view The Chairman’s Sale catalogue CLICK HERE.
2026 HTBA YEARLING SALE STATS (2025 in brackets)
Offered: 184 (247)
Sold: 150 (199)
Clearance: 82% (81%)
Average: $23,273 ($22,471)
Median: $18,000 ($16,000)
Gross: $3,537,500 ($4,471,800)
