The Riverside Stables sales ring produced one of the most remarkable evenings seen in Australian bloodstock history on Thursday night when star juvenile filly Chayan was sold to Coolmore for an extraordinary $5.6 million after a prolonged bidding battle that captivated everyone inside the auditorium.
For more than 10 minutes, the unbeaten daughter of I Am Invincible circled the Riverside stage as two international racing and breeding operations, Coolmore and Yulong, traded bids in a contest that steadily climbed into record territory. When the hammer finally fell, Chayan became the most expensive lot ever sold at a Chairman’s Sale and the second-highest priced race filly or mare sold in Australia.
Chairman’s Sale results.
The filly, winner of the Group 2 Reisling Stakes and a leading contender for elite juvenile honours earlier this season, was offered through the Newgate Consignment on behalf of owner Eric Koh, who travelled to Sydney to watch the sale unfold firsthand.
Even after the final bid was confirmed, Koh appeared stunned by the scale of the result and the theatre that accompanied it.
“Unbelievable. I came here thinking maybe $3.6m would be the absolute top for her so to go beyond four, beyond five, five point six, unbelievable,” Koh said.
“It’s an amazing result. It got to a point when I cried a little myself and thought ‘stop already’. But they just kept going. It was unbelievable.”
The dramatic exchange became the defining moment of the evening and instantly entered discussions alongside some of the most memorable Chairman’s Sale results in recent memory.
Coolmore representative Tom Magnier confirmed the filly would remain with trainers Rob and Annabel Archibald, who had campaigned her throughout her two-year-old season.
“When there’s a filly as highly rated and highly thought of as she is, you expect to have all the top people on her and that’s clearly how things played out,” Magnier said.
“I’m delighted for Eric, he’s a really good guy and he’s done very well out of her. Yulong are always very strong and that was some duel.”
Magnier also indicated the filly possessed significant long-term broodmare appeal, while stressing there remained substantial racing upside before her eventual retirement to stud duties.
The sale added another major achievement for Longwood Thoroughbred Farm, operated by breeder Michael Christian, who also bred last year’s sale-topper Bella Nipotina. Twelve months ago, Bella Nipotina set a then-record mark when she realised $4.2 million at the same event.
While Chayan dominated the headlines, there was strong demand throughout the catalogue.
Group 1 Goodwood Handicap winner Benedetta emerged as the evening’s second-highest priced lot after being secured by Yulong for $1.9 million. Offered through the Widden draft on behalf of Laurence Eales and partners, the mare completed a lucrative journey after originally being purchased as a yearling for $70,000.
“It’s a bloody fantastic sale,” Eales said.
“We bought her from Inglis as a yearling for $70,000, to see her do the full circle and come back here through Inglis to be sold, it’s very fitting.”
Yulong’s Sam Fairgray said a final decision on whether Benedetta races again would be made in coming weeks before she commences her breeding career later this year.
The strength of the market extended well beyond the headline acts. Nine lots reached seven-figure territory during the session, including Provence ($1.8m), Philia ($1.4m), Kiki Express ($1.2m), Snow In May ($1.05m), Hazlebrook ($1.05m), Arabian Summer ($1m) and Moldova ($1m).
Chairman’s Sale results continued to underline the international appeal of elite Australian race fillies and broodmares, with buyers from major global operations competing aggressively throughout the evening.
Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch described the atmosphere surrounding the auction as among the finest he had experienced in the industry.
“The atmosphere in the room from the preamble, culminating in the sale of Chayan at the end of the sale, was electric – it felt really special to be a part of it,” Hutch said.
“The theatre surrounding the sale of Chayan was incredible. I think with the exception of the Winx filly at Easter 2024, that was the most amazing atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at a sale in my time in the industry.”
Attention now shifts toward the Inglis Digital May (Early) Online Sale, which opens Friday afternoon and will include the second and final Australian Broodmare Sale Session for 2026. Catalogues feature broodmares, race fillies and racing prospects from several leading farms and operations across Australia.
The Australian Broodmare Sale Session will conclude on May 14 following the close of the regular May (Early) catalogue on May 13.
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