Stefan Pardi is hoping lightning strikes twice after parting with $600,000 to secure the top lot on the opening day of the Australian Weanling Sale at Riverside.
Twelve months ago Pardi bought the sale-topping Too Darn Hot x Enbihaar colt for $775,000 and pinhooked him into this year’s Easter Yearling Sale in the Widden Stud draft, where he sold for $2.2m.
Today Pardi purchased a Shinzo x Special Lover filly (lot 43) from Noorilim Park with the exact same plan – take her to Easter next year, again with Widden and hope for a similar outcome.
“It was more than I wanted to pay, I had $500,000 for her but when you get these quality weanlings like last year…you’ve got to go hard,’’ Pardi said.
“She was my number one pick of the sale so I wanted to go away with her and I think she’s a real Easter candidate for next year.
“She just floated when she moved, she was all quality, she’s the right height, she’s not going to get too big.
“Shinzo, in Australia we have a love affair with first season sires, he’s a Golden Slipper winner, everyone is going to be all over them. I think he’s just a standout as a first season sire.
“Hopefully we’re back here at Easter next year with the Thompson crew having a celebration like we did a few weeks ago with the Enbihaar colt.’’
It’s the second consecutive year Noorilim has enjoyed a big result at the Australian Weanling Sale after offering the leading filly (Stay Inside x Sheidel) in 2025, which realised $650,000.
Noorilim’s Peter Carrick was thrilled – but not surprised – by today’s result.
“I had her on the market at $500,000 and if we didn’t get it, I was happily going to take her home but there was plenty of love for her in the ring…which I was confident there would be given she had 190 inspections, 18 X-Rays and quite a few vet inspections, so she was very busy,’’ Carrick said.
“I thought she might do 150 parades but it went through the roof, the X-Rays went through the roof. I’m very happy, it’s a really great result.
“We topped the sale year last year for the fillies and now we’ve got the top again overall and I hope she stays at the top. We only bring our best ones up here because it’s a really good sale.
“She was ready to go, she’s got so much character and when we foaled her down on the farm, just her nature is amazing and I said ‘this is probably the best foal I’ve ever had’.’’
Today’s second-top lot was a Frankel x Awhile colt of Coolmore, which sold to Grenville Stud for $400,000.
Speaking on behalf of the Grenville team, Stefan Pardi said the decision to purchase the colt was simple economics.
“Supply and demand. There are only two Frankel colts that are candidates for yearling sales next year, it’s as simple as that,’’ Pardi said.
“You can look at the pedigree page but all you need to do is underline Frankel, two of his colts next year only being sold and that was the whole philosophy around the decision to buy him, simple supply and demand, supply is going to be small and demand is going to be high.’’
Coolmore’s Tom Moore added: “It’s a great price for a quality colt with a pedigree that could be presented at any sale next year. He’s a standout.
“It’s one of the best families, he’s a beautiful colt, very mature.
“We brought him here expecting that he’d sell well and he did. He was popular all week and was bought by a very good judge.’’
Magnier was serious about it being one of the best families in the world with 2026 Newmarket 1000 Guineas winner True Love on the page!
The third highest price of the day was Fairhill Farm's Harry Angel (IRE) colt from China Road that sold for $360,000 to Shane McGrath Bloodstock / Clinton McDonald.
The colt is a half-brother to Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi, who was also purchased from Fairhill Farm at this sale back in 2022 for $47,500 by Shane McGrath and partners and was also trained by Clinton McDonald.
At the conclusion of Day 1 the sale has grossed $10,599,000 at an average of $73,604 and a median of $50,000, figures that are up 13%, 37% and 67% respectively on Day 1 last year.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was delighted with how the sale had begun.
“I’m pleasantly surprised, but really I shouldn’t be…we knew we had been supported by good breeders with a good catalogue of foals and given who is here, it makes sense that there were plenty of positives to the day,’’ Hutch said.
“We offered 45 less foals than the same day as last year, but for the median to be up 67% is striking and it speaks volumes for the greater depth to the catalogue, which has been recognised by buyers.
“There were 34 weanlings sell for $100,000 or more today and of the top 19 highest-priced foals, they were bought by 18 different entities.
“It’s not all blue sky – there are still plenty of challenges in the market, particularly in terms of stock perceived to be at the lower end – but all things considered, I think it was a very good day.
“There is a huge amount of opportunity through the catalogue, which has been recognised by buyers.
“Looking ahead to Thursday, I think the strength of the weanling market is a good reminder to breeders and buyers of the potential in the pregnant mares that are in the Chairman’s Sale too.’’
To enquire about a passed in lot from today’s action contact Will Gardner on 0480 515 694.
The second and final day of the Australian Weanling Sale will commence at 10am tomorrow at Riverside, where 223 weanlings have been catalogued.
To view the catalogue CLICK HERE.
Following the conclusion of the Australian Weanling Sale the Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series continues on Thursday evening with The Chairman’s Sale from 4pm, where 115 lots are catalogued in what is one of the nights of the year on the global sales calendar.
Among the Chairman’s highlights are the G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Benedetta, triple G1 winner Provence, millionaire mare Arabian Summer, quality race fillies and mares such as Philia, Ahha Ahha, Appin Girl, Cashel Palace, Cosmonova, Dark Glitter, Eternal Flame, Good Banter, Infancy, Jennilala, Just Feelin’ Lucky, Mare Of Mt Buller, Miss Icelandic, Snow In May, Terra Mater, The Black Cloud, The Playwright, Tiger Shark etc, three mares in foal to – and a share in – freak stallion Extreme Choice, Aeliana’s half sister Sunshine In Capri, Classique Legend’s half sister I Am Famous, as well as the dams of three of the four G1-winning 2YOs in Australia this season in Advance Party (Fireball), Flamboyant Lass (Guest House) and Zouper Star (Streisand) plus the dam of G1-winning 2YO Captured By Love.
To view The Chairman’s Sale catalogue CLICK HERE.
Breeding sales action then heads to Melbourne for the Great Southern Weanling Sale, for which entries must close tomorrow, Wednesday May 6.
The sale will be held at Oaklands on Friday June 12.
To enter CLICK HERE.
2026 AUSTRALIAN WEANLING SALE DAY 1 STATISTICS (2025 in brackets)
Offered: 204 (249)
Sold: 144 (174)
Clearance: 71% (70%)
Average: $73,604 ($53,838)
Median: $50,000 ($30,000)
Gross: $10,599,000 ($9,367,750)
