A Home Affairs colt offered by Armidale Stud topped a strong opening day of the Great Southern Weanling Sale at Oaklands today, selling for $330,000.
Tamworth trainer Mel O’Gorman and her partner Duncan McRae teamed up with close friend James Carolan to secure the colt (ex Myhro) in what was a “life changing’’ result for the Tasmanian nursery Armidale.
“You can breed a life-changing horse or you can own a life-changing horse and something like this is huge for us,’’ Armidale’s David Whishaw said.
“We brought him here knowing he was the right product, Home Affairs is very hot and he’s out of a Lonhro mare who’s doing the job.
“We had a reserve of $150,000 and we disclosed that to anyone that asked, we’re realistic vendors and we come here to sell.
“It’s a huge result for (breeders) Ken and Jen Breese, to get a result like this for them is just huge.
“The Inglis team is working really hard, not just at the weanling sales but Will Stott and Britt Hussey from Inglis have been doing a great job coming down and inspecting and they’ve certainly given us the confidence to bring the right product here, as we do when we bring yearlings to the Premier Sale.
“For small breeders like us, this is the reason we stay in the game, you can get that life-changing horse and it gives you that confidence to buy a new mare and bat up and go to these expensive stallions and hope you get a huge result like this.’’
Carolan conceded he went beyond budget to secure the colt (pictured) but didn’t want to go home without him.
“There’s plenty of buoyancy in the market when you’re paying $330,000 for a weanling but he’s got the pedigree so hopefully he can do the rest for us now down the track,’’ Carolan said.
“You’ve got to buy quality in this market. Mel has a great eye for a young horse and she’s looked at every lot in the catalogue and really homed in on this colt so we’re thrilled to have got him.
“We thought he was worth around the $300,000 mark, we’ve obviously had to cop a bit more but it’s a partnership between myself, Mel and Duncan and that’s all part of it sometimes.
“Home Affairs is one of the most exciting young sires around and as for this colt, we might race him, we might trade him, we’ll just get him back to Tamworth where we all live and let him grow out and make that decision later in the year.’’
Today’s second-top lot was a Shinzo x Je Suis Belle colt of Burnewang North, which sold to SP Bloodstock for $240,000.
It capped off a perfect start for Burnewang North, who sold all four of their Day 1 offerings, each realising six figures.
“We’ve been absolutely stoked at the way these horses have been received today, inspections in the lead-up were super active, it would have to be the busiest sale we’ve ever been involved with and that has translated into action in the ring today,’’ Burnewang North’s Emma Todd said.
“The Shinzo colt was well found, he’s a lovely style of horse that we certainly felt deserved to sell well and he did just that.
“We’ll come back tomorrow and do it all again and we’re especially excited to offer the Anamoe x Witches colt, he’s a really special horse, he’s impossible not to love and we’re certainly excited to get him up to the ring to see how the market receives him.’’
SP Bloodstock’s Stefan Pardi added: “He was a great moving colt, he floated over the ground, good bone, a great hip and the walk and the presence was what I really loved.
“This particular colt could go to any yearling sale next year and at this stage I’ve earmarked Easter. It’s an Easter pedigree.
“The Great Southern Sale is my sale, I believe you can find diamonds here… so I always come here, I love it, it’s just a great sale.’’
Inglis’ Victorian Bloodstock Manager James Price was pleased with how the sale had started.
“There are plenty of signs that the market is extremely bullish on the right horses and while year on year comparisons are hard with the extra selling day this year, it’s encouraging to have 17 foals make $100,000 or more today considering it was 27 for the whole sale last year,’’ Price said.
“The clearance is short of where we would like it to be, but selectivity in the market has been a theme for the year and it’s very much a factor here.
“There are a huge number of buyers engaged with the sale and it’s encouraging to see plenty of new names on the sheet, but buyers in general are being very particular in terms of their preferences, which is holding back the clearance as things stand.
“There are many more great opportunities tomorrow in what is the last day of the season to acquire stock at a live sale on the eastern seaboard so the time for waiting is over and we’ll be looking to facilitate as strong a market as we can through the day tomorrow.’’
To enquire about a passed in lot from today’s sale, contact Britt Hussey on 0409 333 823.
The second and final day of the 2026 Great Southern Weanling Sale will begin from 10am tomorrow at Oaklands, where a further 278 weanlings have been catalogued.
If you are unable to attend Oaklands but wish to participate in the sale, Inglis’ online bidding platform will again be available or you can contact a member of the Inglis bloodstock team.
To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.
2026 GREAT SOUTHERN WEANLING SALE DAY 1 STATS
Offered: 137
Sold: 91
Clearance: 66%
Average: $50,516
Median: $24,000
Gross: $4,597,000
