Riverside, the venue for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale in Australia, recorded a historic milestone as three colts reached a joint top price of $600,000 and total turnover crossed $30 million for the first time. The record-breaking session delivered the strongest day of trade in the sale’s history, with turnover, average price and median price all reaching new highs in the Australian two-year-old market.
The sale generated total turnover of $30,721,000, marking a 61% increase on the previous year’s record. The average price rose 9% to $169,729, while the median increased 20% to $120,000. The results highlighted the growing demand for quality two-year-old prospects and the continued development of the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
The achievement also followed the success of Tron Bolt, a Group 1-winning two-year-old purchased at the previous year’s sale. His subsequent performances provided an encouraging reference point for buyers returning to Riverside for another selection of young horses.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Sees Toronado Colt Lead at $600,000
Guy Mulcaster secured one of the three top-priced colts for $600,000 on behalf of Hermitage Thoroughbreds. Offered by Matt Vella Racing Services as Lot 116, the son of Toronado was out of Showoroses and was set to join the stable of trainer Chris Waller.
The purchase carried similarities to the previous year’s sale, when Mulcaster signed for a sale-topping Toronado colt on behalf of Hermitage Thoroughbreds. That youngster developed into Tron Bolt, who went on to become a Group 1-winning two-year-old for Waller.
Mulcaster said the success of Tron Bolt and other horses purchased at the previous sale had strengthened the confidence of Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Waller in returning to invest again. He also praised the vendors for the quality of their preparation, explaining that the horses bought the previous year had settled at Hermitage before moving into training and had progressed well.
Describing the latest acquisition as a lovely colt, Mulcaster expressed satisfaction at securing him for $600,000. He noted the similarities with Tron Bolt, including their sire, the sale and the involvement of Hermitage Thoroughbreds, while hoping the new purchase would achieve comparable success on the track.
Vendor Matt Vella was equally pleased with the outcome. He said the colt had attracted numerous inspections and veterinary examinations, with several experienced judges showing interest before the auction. Vella added that he was particularly happy to see the horse join Hermitage Thoroughbreds, given the operation’s success with Tron Bolt from the previous year’s sale.
Anamoe Colt Joins Waterhouse and Bott Partnership
The second colt to reach $600,000 was a son of Anamoe out of Really Discreet, offered by Woburn Farm. He was purchased by a partnership involving Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, MyRacehorse, Belmont Bloodstock and Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Bott, who trained the colt’s half-sister Low Key alongside Waterhouse, had visited Riverside in the days leading up to the sale to inspect the two-year-olds on offer. He praised the continued development of the Ready2Race format, highlighting improvements in the horses presented and the standard of their preparation.
The family connection with Low Key provided an additional point of interest, but Bott explained that the colt had also impressed the team on his individual merits. His breeze-up performance and demeanour during the sale preparations helped reinforce their interest in the youngster.
Woburn Farm had purchased the colt for $180,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale before presenting him at Riverside. Adrian Stanley of Woburn said the horse had developed into a strong, attractive prospect and had attracted substantial attention throughout the week.
Stanley also highlighted the presence of international buyers and Australian trainers, describing the level of interest as a positive sign for the sale’s future. The colt’s $600,000 result represented a substantial increase on his earlier purchase price and provided one of the standout moments of the session.
Wild Ruler Colt Completes $600,000 Top-Priced Trio
The third colt to reach $600,000 was a son of Wild Ruler out of Icebomb, offered by Woodlow Equine and purchased by Merrick Staunton on behalf of Lucky Owners.
Staunton praised the colt’s physical attributes, describing him as a well-shaped horse with good size and an appealing overall build. He also highlighted the youngster’s breeze-up performance, which had led him to expect considerable interest from prospective buyers.
The result marked a major achievement for Woodlow Equine, which presented its first Ready2Race draft through Shenae Lowings. She expressed delight at the outcome and described the experience of participating in the sale as exciting, adding that the result had encouraged her to continue offering horses at future renewals.
Lowings also praised the Wild Ruler colt’s temperament and attitude, expressing confidence in his potential. His sale price completed a notable trio of $600,000 transactions and underlined the strength of demand for selected young horses at Riverside.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Records Stronger Demand Across the Market
The three leading colts formed part of a broader improvement across the Inglis Ready2Race Sale. A total of 100 lots sold for at least $100,000, an increase of 49% compared with the previous year. Meanwhile, 58 lots reached $200,000 or more, representing a 45% rise.
Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch welcomed the figures and credited the market’s progress to long-term investment in the sale format by Inglis and its vendors. He praised the quality of the horses presented and the support provided by vendors, which helped build confidence among buyers.
The sale attracted participants from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. The international presence reflected the event’s expanding reach and its appeal to buyers seeking young horses with racing potential.
Hutch acknowledged that demand remained selective in certain sections of the catalogue, but said the overall result demonstrated the progress made by the sale over recent years. The record turnover and stronger average and median prices provided further evidence of the market’s development.
Buyers Turn Attention to Inglis Digital October Late Sale
Following the Riverside session, attention was scheduled to shift to the Inglis Digital October Late Sale, with online bidding due to open at 3 pm the following day.
The catalogue was set to include Confederation, a horse with Group 2 and Group 3 placings, as well as shares in a recent Group 1 placegetter, a recent two-year-old stakes placegetter and young stallion Ole Kirk.
The upcoming online sale would offer buyers another opportunity to assess bloodstock prospects following a landmark session at Riverside, where three colts shared the top price and the Inglis Ready2Race Sale surpassed the $30 million turnover mark for the first time.
The Inglis Ready2Race Sale achieved record turnover of $30.721 million, up 61% on the previous year, as three colts reached $600,000. A Toronado colt bought by Hermitage Thoroughbreds, an Anamoe colt purchased by a Waterhouse and Bott partnership, and a Wild Ruler colt acquired for Lucky Owners shared the top price at a landmark Riverside session.
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