A new record price for the Australian Weanling Sale was set at Riverside on Monday when a Stay Inside x Sheidel filly offered by Noorilim Park sold for A$650,000.
The popular filly was part of Robert Crabtree’s dispersal, who was dissolving a partnership with Noorilim and offering his stock this year as weanlings through Inglis.
Lot 102 sets new record price (Pic – Inglis)
Such was Crabtree’s affiliation with this filly, he bought his partners out and purchased her under Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock banner, in the process seeing off an army of rivals, including eventual underbidder Silverdale Farm.
“Noorilim and us are dispersing all of our stock as weanlings because I sold the farm but then you have to stand back and say to yourself ‘OK, independently as a buyer, do I want her?’ And it’s not that I only wanted her, I couldn’t let go of her,’’ Crabtree said.
“As a purchaser, I simply could not go past this filly. I would have been much happier a couple of hundred thousand less as the buyer but still, when you think you’ve got a horse that is priceless, you’ve got to back your judgment.
“I think Stay Inside is potentially one of the best stallions we’ve seen. I think he could be anything.’’
Noorilim’s Peter Carrick added: “There is good money around here for weanlings with a good page, especially with a mare of her quality.
“We always knew that she’d make good money but didn’t think we’d get exactly that amount.
“We’ve had great success with yearling sales but this is a new one. Here we go. I can only break a record and keep going! We’ve got a strong hand with some really nice weanlings here.’’
The second top lot was a The Autumn Sun x The King’s Widow filly of Rheinwood Pastoral – on behalf of her breeder Brigid Kennedy – which sold to Equine Growth Fund for A$280,000.
Rheinwood’s Kirsty Willis described the result as “absolutely fantastic’’.
“We always knew she was a nice filly, plenty of people tried to buy her out of the paddock before the sale but Brigid held firm under the guidance of, Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager, Brett Gilding who was very keen to have her here and present her to the market and let the market decide her value and we couldn’t be happier,’’ Willis said.
“The filly has been an absolute superstar all week, she’s been paraded 213 times and had 32 hits on X-Ray so we knew there was plenty of interest, we put a A$120,000 reserve on her and couldn’t believe the end price. It was just great to see so many good judges on her.
“She 100% exceeded expectations. The year’s just gone from great to fantastic to better off the back of a really strong Classic Sale, Private Harry’s Group 1 win, Libertad a Group 2 last weekend so for a small farm we’re seeing the fruits of our labour come to fruition.’’
Equine Growth Fund’s Stefan Pardi said the filly would now be aimed at next year’s Easter Yearling Sale at Riverside.
“We pulled her out three or four times during the week and she’s just a great mover. We love The Autumn Sun,’’ Pardi said.
“At this stage she’ll head to Easter. The underbidder was Coolmore and they’ve come up and asked if they could prep the horse for Easter, so I’m really happy.’’
At the conclusion of Day 1 the sale has grossed A$9,367,750 at an average of A$53,838 and a median of A$30,000.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch felt there were plenty of positives to come out of the day’s trade.
“Demand for stock that hits the bullseye for buyers seems particularly strong,’’ Hutch said.
“We had 28 weanlings sell for A$100,000 or more, which is tracking well ahead of last year, and of the top 20 highest-priced foals, they were bought by 17 different buyers.
“Buyers have been very selective, which is in keeping with our expectations in advance of the sale, but the metrics for the sale are in line with the final result for the sale 12 months ago, which is encouraging.
“Outside of the very best weanlings, it has been a buyers market and the expectation is that there will continue to be fantastic opportunities for buyers through Day 2, when we have another nice group of weanlings to offer.
“Lot 367, the Too Darn Hot x Enbihaar colt, a brother to Too Darn Lizzie, is a particularly special offering and we are looking forward to seeing him go through the ring.’’
Following the conclusion of the Australian Weanling Sale on Tuesday, the Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series continues on Thursday with The Chairman’s Sale, where 96 lots are catalogued.
Among the Chairman’s highlights are some of the best race fillies and mares of recent seasons including Bella Nipotina, Amelia’s Jewel, I Am Me, Too Darn Lizzie, Tiz Invincible, Estriella, Makarena, Coco Sun, Semana, Mumbai Muse, Grinzinger Belle, Royal Merchant, She Dances, Catchy, Enbihaar, Waikato Girl, Vagrant, Sirileo Miss, Eagle Nest, A Little Deep, Ethereal Star, Hell Hath No Fury, Honey Girl, Shesallshenanigans, Tulsi, Lekvarte, Castanya etc.
To view the Chairman’s Sale catalogue CLICK HERE.
Friday’s Australian Broodmare Sale concludes the week-long action at Riverside before focus switches to Melbourne for the Great Southern Sale, which will be held at Oaklands on June 12 and 13.
2025 AUSTRALIAN WEANLING SALE DAY 1 STATISTICS (2024 in brackets)
- Offered: 249 (233)
- Sold: 174 (175)
- Clearance: 70% (75%)
- Average: A$53,838 ($63,500)
- Median: A$30,000 ($36,000)
- Gross: A$9,367,750 ($11,112,500)
