An ultra selective approach in compiling the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale has been vindicated, with the company defying global economic chaos to hold a record-breaking auction.
With almost $150 million changing hands over the two days of Easter, despite world stock markets crashing in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s trade war, the buying bench assembled at the company’s blue riband sale showed remarkable resilience, helping Inglis achieve a record average of $451,913.
After the momentum set on Sunday, Monday’s second session was led the three-quarter sister to Zougotcha - one of four million dollar yearlings to be sold at Easter by Zoustar - who made a session-topping $2.6 million early on Monday, continuing benchmark demand for the progeny of Widden’s flag bearer.
The valuable filly was one of 15 seven-figure yearlings to trade on day two after 10 were sold during Sunday’s shortened afternoon session.
And it was Resolute Racing’s John Stewart who bought the sale’s most expensive filly, the second foal out of black type earner The Actuary and the half-sister to three-time Group 1 winner Zougotcha and Listed winner Persuader.
He was bidding via the phone from America to Inglis’ Mark Webster.
Widden Stud also sold the Zoustar brother to Rosemont Stud’s William Reid winner Schwarz for $1.4 million earlier in the session to the James Harron and TFI partnership earlier in the day.
“I think she had 260 parades and vets have been all over her from all parts of the world. She had that x-factor and had that international appeal as well,” Widden’s Antony Thompson said.
“So, we're thrilled to see John Stewart’s Resolute Racing (buy her). Obviously, he made a big play here last year and he's been a major investor globally.
“For him, his model is to try and pick the finest bloodstock in the world, so for him to buy her from us is a real thrill and something we're really proud of.
“It was a duel with two global forces, really, (between) John Stewart and Coolmore, who were the underbidders.”
And that's a wrap on the 2025 @inglis_sales Easter Yearling sale.
— The Straight (@TheStraightonX) April 7, 2025
.@streetruffian and @rowe_tim work through the sale and the results for Inglis.
Sales Figures
SOLD: 331 (85%)
Gross: $149,885,000
Average: $452,825
Plus, the winner of Nearest the Pin ⛳️ powered by… pic.twitter.com/h9o1OPxPbp
The support for Zoustar’s yearlings didn’t end there, with Kiwi breeders Sam Williams and his wife Catriona brought to tears after their colt out of their Group 3 winner Belluci Babe sold for $1.7 million.
He was purchased by Hong Kong trainer Douglas Whyte and agent Sam Wright and the horse will, at least initially, be trained in Victoria by Liam Howley.
“This colt goes back to a direct descendant of my grandmother's first yearling she sold 85 years ago, so this is very satisfying,” Little Avondale principal Sam Williams said.
“This is the industry I've grown up in. My grandmother sold the first ever $100,000 yearling (in the southern hemisphere), so to sell a million dollar yearling is just everything, it really is. Look, we've loved it. It's been very special, he’s a special horse.”
Zoustar would be short-priced favourite to win his first general sires’ premiership when the season ends on July 31, with the 14-year-old stallion just $400,000 in prize money earnings behind leader Pride Of Dubai, whose seasonal fortunes have been shaped by Everest winner Bella Nipotina.
From the time Zoustar’s first crop yearlings went to market in 2017, he can be deemed nothing less than a commercial success story.
But he’s gone to another level in 2025, averaging a career-high $503,076 in nine crops to go to market so far.
“It doesn't just happen. As you say, everything from investing in mares, doing the matings, making sure every step of the way that everything's done right,” Thompson says.
“It only takes one little thing and it slips through your fingers. So, with these really beautiful and valuable horses, you need a really good team. And we're very lucky to have a great team.”
Coolmore, which sold the Easter sale-topping Home Affairs-Shout The Bar yearling for $3 million on Sunday, continued his colts partnership’s select high-end investment strategy by paying $1.8 million for a son of I Am Invincible out of Covent Garden, an Exceed And Excel half-sister to champion mare Winx who was bred by John Camilleri.
Tom Magnier also paid $2.7 million on Sunday for the brother to Coolmore’s soon-to-be retired Group 1-winning sprinter Switzerland and two other seven-figure colts by Arrowfield-based stallion across the two days.
Snitzel, who had seven million dollar yearlings go under the hammer at Easter, had 31 yearlings, conceived off a service fee of $220,000 (inc GST), sell for an average of $718,387.
The Coolmore Australia principal also signed for two colts by its own shuttler Wootton Bassett at $1.4 million and $1.2 million respectively at an Easter sale.
Staff Writer
Asked about having too many horses by the same sires - Coolmore will stand Snitzel sons Best Of Bordeaux, Golden Slipper winner Shinzo and Switzerland this year - Magnier responded: “I think we had eight sons of Galileo or Sadler’s Wells at stud at one stage.
“Listen, they've all got good pedigrees and horses like Switzerland, they will be very popular when they go to stud.”
Nine of the top 10 highest-priced yearlings were colts as buyers competed for what they hope will be the next Group 1-winning stallion prospect, while the 25 seven-figure yearlings was three short of the record 28 sold in 2008 and one fewer than the 26 sold in 2023.
The Easter sale cleared 86 per cent with 331 yearlings sold out of 386 horses to go through the ring. The 421-lot catalogue is the smallest since 2017.
Inglis Easter sale statistics:
Catalogued: 421 (500)
Offered: 386 (455)
Sold: 332 (351)
Clearance: 86% (79%)
Aggregate: $150,035,000 ($150,855,000)
Average: $451,913 ($429,786)
Median: $360,000 ($300,000)
Top Lot: $3 million ($10 million)
*2024 in brackets
