Cover image courtesy of Inglis
At A Glance
Fifteen lots sold for $1 million or more on a strong day of trading, making 25 in total for the sale, compared to 18 in 2024 and 26 in 2023. This year’s sale topper was sold on Day 1 for $3 million, while the top lot of Day 2 made $2.6 million being the Zoustar filly from The Actuary (Sebring) who was one of the only two fillies in the top 10 lots on Day 2.
Last year, the yearling filly out of Champion racemare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) broke the highest price yearling record selling for $10 million, with the previous record being $5 million. The record number of seven figure lots occurred in 2008 when there was 28.
The median price across both days was $360,000, compared to $375,000 on the first day of the sale. The sale average was well up on 2024 at $451,913 (332 sold) compared to $429,786 (356 sold) at close of business. Last year, the average without the Winx filly was $396,774 from 355 lots sold - a staggering increase in the market climate.
The clearance rate is currently 86 per cent. Last year, the clearance rate at the end of sale was 79 per cent and rose to 80 per cent over the next week. The gross topped $150 million compared to $151.8 million last year including the Winx filly.
The highest spending buyer across both days of the sale was Coolmore’s Tom Magnier who spent $10.4 million on seven yearlings at an average of $1.4 million. KPW was the leading buyer for most yearlings purchased with 10 horses costing $4.7 million, while both Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock was equal with Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster Bloodstock with nine purchases each.
Arrowfield Stud led the vendors list with $22 million worth of yearlings across 39 sales at an average of $565,600, ahead of Coolmore who sold 33 yearlings for $17.8 million. Widden Stud were the leading vendor by average price at $734,000. Tyreel Stud came in second, selling three yearlings at an average price of $713,000.
Snitzel led the sires list by aggregate with 31 yearlings sold for $22 million at an average of $718,000, edging out Zoustar whose 28 yearlings sold made $18 million at an average of $660,000.
Across the two days of selling, the leading first season sire was Home Affairs with 22 yearlings sold for an average of $395,000 with the sale topping $3 million colt on the first day.
#1. Fantastic sale for Widden and Zoustar
Zoustar and Too Darn Hot (GB) were the key reasons historic Widden Stud into the leading vendor by average position with 18 yearlings sold at an average of $734,000. Zoustar, a Champion Sire in the waiting, had three seven figure lots in the Widden draft led by Resolute Racing’s purchase of the Zoustar filly from The Actuary (Sebring) for $2.6 million.
“I guess she had that X factor and had international appeal as well, so we're thrilled to see John Stewart of Resolute Racing interested.
“Obviously, he made a big play here last year and has been a major investor globally, for him, and his model to try and pick the finest bloodstock in the world to buy the filly off us is a real thrill and something we're really proud of,” said Antony Thompson of Widden Stud about Lot 217.
Lot 217 - Zoustar x The Actuary (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
The full brother to Group 1 winner Schwarz (Zoustar) sold as Lot 198 for $1.4 million, while on day 1 the colt from Lady Lupino (Sebring) made $1.15 million. Of Widden’s top eight lots, five were by Zoustar and three by Too Darn Hot (GB). Rounding out their top ten were a pair by I Am Invincible.
Zoustar had four seven figure lots across the sale, with the non-Widden sold one being Lot 297, sold by Little Avondale Stud for $1.7 million. The colt is the first foal of Group 3 winner Belluci Babe (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
#2. Inglis celebrates the success of a vibrant two days
With all the metrics up across the board, and even the gross almost matching last year’s figures despite a smaller catalogue, Inglis were jubilant at the end of Day 2.
“We’ve always set out with the intention of having every sale be the best we can make it. This is a sale that we seek to showcase as many of the best of the yearlings we can here. This year, we’ve had a perfect storm where we’ve had exceptional graduates such as the two best sprinters in the country with Joliestar and Overpass,” said Sebastian Hutch, CEO of Inglis.
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
With a smaller catalogue, there was a sense that some buyers went home disappointed, and the high clearance rate certainly would point to that discussion around the ground.
“We didn’t set out with the objective to have a catalogue of 421 yearlings. I’d rather a bigger catalogue. We are picking them eight or nine months before they get sold, you get some right and some wrong. It’s a challenge of looking at them, but we’ve gotten a lot right. I think there’s capacity in the market here for more yearlings, but this is what we were supported with.
“I can’t stress how grateful I am to those farms who supported us, like Arrowfield, Coolmore, Widden, Segenhoe, Sledmere, and others. This sale relies on having a certain number of quality vendors and yearlings. With the support we had, we could go into the sale with some confidence. We really wanted to paint a scenario that this sale is where you want to be, and we’ve achieved that in many respects.
“This is the best place to sell the best yearlings.”
“With the support (from vendors) we had, we could go into the sale with some confidence... This is the best place to sell the best yearlings.” - Sebastian Hutch
Hutch was quick to point out that it takes a team to create an outstanding sale, from the ground staff who inspect all the yearlings, to the finance and marketing personnel, and the agents who have built strong relationships with buyers.
“We have a team of people who work exceptionally hard and this is the essence for our clients. I speak sincerely when I say the people in our team want our clients to succeed because that creates a platform for success. We provide good service in a difficult environment and that’s how we’ve ended up here.”
#3. Snitzel still on top commerically
With 26 million-dollar lots in 2023, and 18 in 2024, this year saw 25 seven figure lots across the two days. Inglis confirmed that the record for this sale was set in 2008 with 28 seven figure lots.
Snitzel was the leading sire for the big ticket lots with seven of the 25 million-dollar plus lots, led by the full brother to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland who sold for $2.7 million on the first day. Overall, Snitzel was the leading sire by gross with 31 lots sold for $22.3 million with an average over $700,000 that shows why breeders spend the big money to utilise him.
Zoustar managed four million plus lots, while I Am Invincible and Extreme Choice both had three.
| Snitzel | 7 |
| Zoustar | 4 |
| I Am Invincible | 3 |
| Extreme Choice | 3 |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 2 |
| Home Affairs | 1 |
| Maurice (JPN) | 1 |
| Written Tycoon | 1 |
| So You Think (NZ) | 1 |
| Pierro | 1 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 1 |
Table: Sires of million-dollar plus lots at Inglis Easter
#4. Emirates loves Snitzel’s progeny
Emirates Park have won the G1 Golden Slipper three times with Marhoona (Snitzel), Estijaab (Snitzel), and Mossfun (Mossman) who is out of Snitzel mare Eye For Fun. On Day 2 they went back to the well with another Snitzel filly, Lot 201, paying $1.2 million for the third foal of triple Group 2 winner Super Cash (Written Tycoon), who was also twice Group 1 placed.
Lot 201 - Snitzel x Super Cash (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“She’s a lovely filly. As you know we like Snitzel after winning the Slipper, and we identified her from the moment she came out of her box the other day. Just loved her physical and mental capacity. She just got on with the job and she’s got the pedigree to match,” said Emirates Park’s Bryan Carlson.
“We’d love to win some more Slippers. She’s a filly that we think could do that and hopefully we can be there next year. Sam and Anthony (Freedman) liked her a lot and they’re happy to train her. We bought Estijaab here too, and on the pedigree side, they’re both out of fast mares, by Snitzel.
“We’d love to win some more Slippers. She’s a filly that we think could do that and hopefully we can be there next year.” - Bryan Carlson
“She’s a great physical type. But also we liked her mental attitude as she just gets on the with the job and doesn’t put a foot wrong. Hopefully she can win us some races and then later on as a broodmare. Snitzel is the dominant 2-year-old sire. I think she can run at two and hopefully she can be there next year.
“Hussain’s here. It’s good for him to see the horses and when he’s got his eye on something, he wants it.”
Estijaab was a $1.7 million purchase from Arrowfield in 2017 and the G1 Golden Slipper winner is out Group 1 winner Response, while Marhoona was a homebred for Emirates Park. This year's yearling filly is out of Super Cash who was a triple Group 2-winning sprinter.
#5. Dean Hawthorne active for Pinecliff Racing
Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock purchased nine fillies across the two days including two seven lots with Lot 387 costing $1.05 million on Day 2. She is an Extreme Choice filly from Ganda (Encosta De Lago) who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tempt Me Not (Strategic Maneuver) and Listed winner Castanya (Capitalist).
“We’ve bought some beautiful pedigrees and running types of fillies, but you really have to stump up to pay for them. We’ve got good individual value for all of them, they are all by excellent sires Zoustar, Frankel, etc.”
“We’ve bought some beautiful pedigrees and running types of fillies, but you really have to stump up to pay for them.” - Dean Hawthorne
On Lot 387, Hawthorne said, “The really good quality (Extreme Choice)’s are scarce, and she was a good physical type.”
On day 1, he bought the Lot 156, the Maurice (Jpn) filly from Shoals for $1.4 million.
“Pinecliff Racing team have bought 12 this year, but no trainers will be sought for another month or so, until they’ve gone through the breakers and we can assess them and then they’ll be allocated. We come to Easter for the quality. (Pinecliff) have a lovely broodmare band, and shares in two young stallions, Super Seth and Castelvecchio, and we are always looking to refresh our broodmares.
Dean Hawthorne | Image courtesy of Inglis
“The sale is very strong, and we are restocking the shelves for the future, and you don’t come here expecting to get a bargain.”
#6. Arrowfield back on top as leading vendor
Arrowfield Stud have been the leading vendors at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for nine of the past 11 years with one of those misses coming in COVID affected 2020 when they elected not to send a draft. In 2024, Coolmore knocked them off their perch, thanks in part to Quinceanera (Pierro), the daughter of Winx, who sold for $10 million.
John Messara | Image courtesy of Inglis
In 2025, they were back at the top with 39 sales for gross receipts of $22 million at an average of $565,000. Of their top three lots, two were by Snitzel, being the full brother to Switzerland and Lot 195, the colt from Dubawi (Ire)’s family, with their next biggest lot being the Maurice (Jpn) filly from Group 1 winning mare Shoals (Fastnet Rock) who made $1.4 million.
Arrowfield Stud’s resident stallions also sold very well with Maurice achieving an average of $503,000 from 10 sold. Dundeel (NZ) sold nine at an average of $414,000, and The Autumn Sun sold 12 yearlings for an average of $341,000.
Day 2 Top lots
| 217 | B. | Filly | Zoustar | The Actuary | Resolute Racing | USA | Widden Stud, Widden Valley | $2,600,000 |
| 333 | B. | Colt | I Am Invincible | Covent Garden | T Magnier | NSW | Segenhoe Stud, Scone | $1,800,000 |
| 297 | B. | Colt | Zoustar | Belluci Babe (NZ) | S & Douglas Whyte | HONG KONG | Little Avondale Stud, Masterton, NZ | $1,700,000 |
| 195 | B. | Colt | Snitzel | Subella (IRE) | T Magnier | NSW | Arrowfield Stud, Scone | $1,500,000 |
| 374 | B. | Colt | Snitzel | Festival Miss | T Magnier | NSW | Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | $1,500,000 |
| 198 | Ch. | Colt | Zoustar | Summer Sham | James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership / Tony Fung Colts | NSW | Widden Stud, Widden Valley | $1,400,000 |
| 241 | B. | Colt | Wootton Bassett (GB) | Upfront (USA) | T Magnier | NSW | Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | $1,400,000 |
| 410 | Ch. | Colt | Written Tycoon | Hungry Heart | Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock | NSW | Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | $1,250,000 |
| 201 | Ch. | Filly | Snitzel | Super Cash | Emirates Park / A & S Freedman / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) | NSW | Arrowfield Stud, Scone | $1,200,000 |
| 350 | B. or Br. | Colt | Wootton Bassett (GB) | Egyptian Missile | T Magnier | NSW | Ridgmont, Segenhoe | $1,200,000 |
Buyers by aggregate
| T Magnier | 7 | $10,400,000 | $1,485,714 |
| Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 9 | $7,075,000 | $786,111 |
| Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock | 9 | $6,220,000 | $691,111 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 8 | $5,830,000 | $728,750 |
| KPW Bloodstock | 10 | $4,740,000 | $474,000 |
| China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock & Partners | 6 | $3,345,000 | $557,500 |
| YLP Racing | 6 | $2,705,000 | $450,833 |
| Resolute Racing | 1 | $2,600,000 | $2,600,000 |
| James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership / Tony Fung Colts | 3 | $2,510,000 | $836,667 |
| C Ramsay | 4 | $2,425,000 | $606,250 |
Buyers by average (3 or more bought)
| T Magnier | 7 | $10,400,000 | $1,485,714 |
| Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock / B2B Thoroughbreds | 2 | $2,050,000 | $1,025,000 |
| James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership / Tony Fung Colts | 3 | $2,510,000 | $836,667 |
| Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 9 | $7,075,000 | $786,111 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 8 | $5,830,000 | $728,750 |
| Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock | 9 | $6,220,000 | $691,111 |
| B2B Thoroughbreds | 3 | $1,950,000 | $650,000 |
| Yulong Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd | 2 | $1,250,000 | $625,000 |
| Hong Kong Bloodstock / NPC | 2 | $1,250,000 | $625,000 |
| C Ramsay | 4 | $2,425,000 | $606,250 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Arrowfield Stud, Scone | 42 | 3 | 39 | $22,060,000 | $565,641 | |
| Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains | 39 | 2 | 4 | 33 | $17,795,000 | $539,242 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley | 23 | 1 | 4 | 18 | $13,215,000 | $734,167 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone | 16 | 1 | 15 | $7,500,000 | $500,000 | |
| Segenhoe Stud, Scone | 17 | 2 | 2 | 13 | $6,985,000 | $537,308 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | $6,220,000 | $518,333 |
| Sledmere Stud, Scone | 24 | 3 | 5 | 16 | $5,395,000 | $337,188 |
| Newgate Farm, Aberdeen | 13 | 1 | 12 | $5,120,000 | $426,667 | |
| Gilgai Farm, Nagambie, Vic | 10 | 10 | $4,220,000 | $422,000 | ||
| Silverdale Farm, Avoca | 10 | 2 | 8 | $3,670,000 | $458,750 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley | 23 | 1 | 4 | 18 | $13,215,000 | $734,167 |
| Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | $2,140,000 | $713,333 |
| Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, NZ | 3 | 3 | $1,875,000 | $625,000 | ||
| Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | 11 | 5 | 6 | $3,600,000 | $600,000 | |
| Arrowfield Stud, Scone | 42 | 3 | 39 | $22,060,000 | $565,641 | |
| Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains | 39 | 2 | 4 | 33 | $17,795,000 | $539,242 |
| Segenhoe Stud, Scone | 17 | 2 | 2 | 13 | $6,985,000 | $537,308 |
| Evergreen Stud Farm, Heatherbrae | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | $1,600,000 | $533,333 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | $6,220,000 | $518,333 |
| Ridgmont, Segenhoe | 7 | 1 | 6 | $3,105,000 | $517,500 |
Sires by aggregate
| Snitzel | 45 | 8 | 6 | 31 | $22,270,000 | $718,387 |
| Zoustar | 36 | 2 | 6 | 28 | $18,530,000 | $661,786 |
| I Am Invincible | 32 | 2 | 5 | 25 | $14,965,000 | $598,600 |
| Home Affairs | 28 | 1 | 5 | 22 | $8,710,000 | $395,909 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | $8,070,000 | $504,375 |
| Extreme Choice | 13 | 13 | $7,775,000 | $598,077 | ||
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 17 | 2 | 3 | 12 | $6,335,000 | $527,917 |
| So You Think (NZ) | 33 | 3 | 8 | 22 | $5,880,000 | $267,273 |
| Maurice (JPN) | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | $5,030,000 | $503,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 10 | 2 | 8 | $4,510,000 | $563,750 |
