Artorius colt tops HTBA, headed to breeze-up sales

A first-crop son of Artorius stole the limelight at Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale in Sydney, with SP Bloodstock paying $160,000, the highest price in three years, for the colt from the draft of Kingstar Farm.

On what was a day of solid trade, with $3.54 million spent at an average of $23,273 – the highest at this sale since 2022 – it was the Stefan Pardi-led SP outfit who secured the Artorius colt.

Pardi confirmed the plan was to re-offer the colt via the Inglis Ready2Race Sale in October.

“The hype around the Inglis breeze up sale later in the year is already gaining huge momentum and it’s a sale I want to be involved in as a vendor,’’ Pardi said.

“There was a huge Asian and local presence last year at the sale and I think with Ka Ying Rising running in The Everest again this year just two days after the sale, there’s just going to be so many buyers at the sale and I think this colt will fit right in.

“He was the best colt on the grounds this week for me, he had real presence about him, yet there’s still so much room for improvement and I think over the next six months leading into the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, he will come on even more.’’

Kingstar’s Adam Cook was understandably pleased by the result.

“That was out of the blue, double what I thought he would make,’’ Cook said.

“Over the moon, $160,000, wow, that’s unbelievable really. I was almost going to put him into the Classic Sale but I’m glad I didn’t now, he had more vet hits than any of our draft and it’s a huge result.

The colt is out of Azarose, a three-times winning Azamour mare who is a half-sister to Group winner Artistry.  

With a much smaller catalogue than last year, 216 to 299, the aggregate was down just under $1 million, but the clearance rate was strong at 83 per cent, with the median of $18,000 up from $15,000 12 months ago.

Kingstar Farm also sold the second highest lot of the day, a Home Affairs colt out of an unraced Thronum daughter of champion filly Faint Perfume.  

Tyler-Donaldson Aitken paid $115,000 for the colt, he is the second foal of his dam Gwader Bay, who is also a granddaughter of another Oaks winner, Dandendri, and a half-sister to Group winner Good Idea and Chains Of Honour.

“I thought he was a really athletic horse, balanced and while he’ll need a bit of time, he’s from a family that has proved if you give them the time, you get the results,’’ Aitken said.

“I’ll get him home and into the system, break him in and hopefully watch him mature and develop over the next few months as we get him ready for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.”

Bob and Liam Peters Byerley Bloodstock paid $110,000 for a colt by Anamoe out of Al Samer mare Profound Wisdom, who has already produced the Group 3 winner Sebonack.

That family also includes Group 2 winner and successful sire Santos, as well as Group 1 winners Fat Al and Shaftesbury Avenue.

Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said the sale brought an end what has been a successful 2026 yearling season for the sales company.  

“Turnover across our yearling sales this year is up over $8 million on 2025, which is very pleasing, particularly considering what has been going on in the world over the past couple of months,” Hutch said. 

“Our team has worked exceptionally hard to market all of our sales effectively and canvass buyers at all levels, ultimately with the objective of delivering a market leading service and achieve market leading results.”

“To have sold over 1670 yearlings at a clearance rate of 83% across the series is something that I think the team is understandably very proud of.”