The last lot of the night at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale was always tipped to top as an extremely rare offering with Chayan being an elite current season two year-old filly by champion sire I Am Invincible.
The Annabel and Ron Archibald trained filly started favourite in the Golden Slipper following a scintillating win in the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes, so is a filly packed with potential, but nobody saw coming what ultimately unfolded.
Consigned by Newgate on behalf of her owner Eric Koh, Chayan paraded like a true professional at Riverside Stable before a packed crowd as Coolmore and Yulong settled in for a bidding duel for the ages.
Tom Magnier was surrounded by team Coolmore while Yulong bid online through the ‘green screen’ as bidding escalated beyond $2million, then $3million and $4million before Tom Magnier finally won with a final bid of $5.6million making her the most expensive horse in training ever sold by Inglis.
An amazing result for a filly that was bought by Eric Koh as a yearling at Magic Millions from Longwood Thoroughbred Farm for $250,000.
His decision to cash in early on his investment has certainly proven an inspired one!
“Unbelievable, unbelievable… I came here thinking maybe 3.6m, but to go beyond 4million and then 5 million is just unbelievable,” said an elated Eric Koh.
“I have a heavy heart now to lose her and obviously she’s special. From day one I inspected her three times, and then to see her here today, solid, nice, not 100% in front, but that is why she was cheap back then and I was able to afford to buy her.”
Koh revealed it was a three pronged decision to offer Chayan at the sale involving input from Inglis, Newgate and one of his old friends.
“Having bought horses and attended sales, this is the biggest result and achievement for myself, so I am very happy and very satisfied,” he said.
“Like I said, I have a heavy heart and am sad to lose her, but happy for Tom and Coolmore and I think she has huge potential ahead.”
The dam of Chayan is Group winning Snitzel mare Lubiton, who was on-sold by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm in 2024 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $400,000 to Ridgeport Holdings.
She is now based at Yarraman Park and is in foal to Chayans’s sire I Am Invincible.
