The curtain has come down on a remarkable chapter in Australian bloodstock history, as the Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series wrapped up with a resounding success at the Great Southern Weanling Sale in Oaklands. This year’s series has broken all previous records, underscoring its dominance as the premier breeding stock marketplace in the country.
Spanning events at both the Riverside Stables and Oaklands Junction, this year’s weanling and broodmare sales have rewritten the record books. The combined gross of the four major sales — Australian Weanling Sale, Chairman’s Sale, Australian Broodmare Sale, and the just-concluded Great Southern Weanling Sale — surged to an unprecedented $87.42 million. This surpasses the 2023 mark by over $9 million, reflecting both strong demand and industry confidence.
Weanlings alone contributed nearly $30 million to the tally across the Australian Weanling and Great Southern Sales — cementing Inglis’ series as the leading weanling marketplace for the fourth consecutive year. A total of 80 foals fetched six-figure sums, including 27 in the Great Southern Sale alone. The clearance rate for the final session reached 79%, with a gross of just over $10 million.
Reflecting on the month-long achievement, Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch called it an “incredible” effort by the team and a major step forward for the company’s standing in the breeding sector. He emphasized the significance of surpassing rival sales by a wide margin and acknowledged the trust placed by breeders and vendors in the platform.
A major highlight of the final day was the sale of an Ole Kirk x Rainy Daze filly from Lemrac Lodge, fetching a phenomenal $475,000. What makes this result even more compelling is that the dam, Rainy Daze, was originally purchased for just $12,000 through an Inglis Digital sale last year. Lemrac Lodge’s Megan Kirsopp-Cole, overwhelmed by emotion, called the moment “a dream come true” for their small but passionate operation.
Wilrace, represented by Cannon Hayes Stud’s Dave Morrissey, secured the top lot, citing the filly’s strong physical presence and pedigree as key factors. “We set a budget — and promptly went over it. Luckily, it was the winning bid,” Morrissey said, affirming the colt’s quality and appeal.
The second-highest price of the day went to a Wootton Bassett x Jadeerah filly from Rosemont, sold for $350,000 to Peter Morgan and Gall Bloodstock. Ryan McEvoy of Rosemont described the filly as “gorgeous” and full of promise, praising her movement and overall quality.
With momentum still high, Inglis now turns its focus to the digital realm. Entries are currently open for the Inglis Digital June (Late) Online Sale, which closes on June 18. Given the extraordinary success of this year’s series, expectations are riding high for another competitive round of online trading.
For buyers interested in passed-in lots from the Great Southern Weanling Sale, inquiries can be directed to Inglis representative Sinead Flannery.
