by Dane McLeod/TTR AusNZ
The action came to a crescendo late in the Inglis Chairman's Sale on Thursday night, with three of the last five lots selling for seven figures. The best was saved for last when Coolmore Stud prevailed over Yulong to secure G2 Reisling Stakes winner Chayan for a new sales record of A$5.6 million.
At A Glance
- Clearance for the Inglis Chairman's Sale dropped to 73% (87%), and the aggregate was A$39.085 million. 2025 (A$54.4 million) and 2024 (A$35.3 million). From a larger catalogue, 79 horses sold this year compared to 77 in 2025.
- The average was down to A$494,747 (A$706,883), while the median lowered in 2026 to A$300,000 (A$400,000).
- There were nine seven-figure lots, compared to 14 in 2025.
- The top lot was A$5.6million for G2 Reisling Stakes winner Chayan (I Am Invincible), who was sold by Newgate Consignment to Coolmore Stud. Last year's sale topper multiple Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) was the previous record holder for the sale at A$4.2 million.
- Top Buyers: Yulong Investments was the sale's top buyer by gross, spending A$8.45 million on eight lots. Coolmore's Tom Magnier topped the buyers chart by average with two purchases at an average of A$3.2 million.
- Top Vendors: Newgate Consignment headed the vendors by aggregate, selling 15 lots for A$12.855 million. They also sold Provence for $1.8 million in conjunction with Milan Park. By average (two or more sold), Widden Stud finished the sale with four lots sold for an average of A$962,500.
- Top Sires: Extreme Choice led the covering sires by gross at A$2.85 million for three lots and by average at A$950,000. Thanks to the sale topper, Chayan, I Am Invincible led the stallions by gross with A$7.015 million from five lots, and he also topped the averages chart at A$1.4 million.
Benedetta Realises A$1.9 Million to Bid of Yulong
The price skyrocketed quickly for G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Benedetta (Hellbent), and ultimately it was Yulong who prevailed in the bidding to secure the eight-time winner for a price of A$1.9 million.
“She's one of the better mares who has raced over the past 24 months, and we already own a little share in her, so it's great to be able to get the remainder of her,” said Yulong CEO Sam Fairgray. “A decision is yet to be made about whether she races on through the winter, but she'll definitely be going to stud this spring. With our new acquisition in the Hunter, it's likely that she will go to Segenhoe to let down and get ready for the breeding season.”
A mating has not yet been selected for the daughter of Hellbent, but Fairgray shared that when viewing her, the team had pencilled her in for G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Devil Night's first season at stud.
“We look at the physical and their performance, and we try and think which stallions would be suitable for them, and jot down a couple that they're likely to go to,” he said. “She's a mare that I'm sure Devil Night would love to see in his first year at stud. She's a mare with a great turn of foot and a lot of quality about her. I think it's nice to be able to give them (a young stallion) a mare of her quality in their first year at stud.”
Yulong were the most active buyers of the evening, securing eight lots for an average spend of A$1.06 million.
Benedetta won six of her first eight starts, and ran fourth or better seven times at Group 1 level. She was originally a A$75,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale purchase for Eales Racing Syndications from the Mill Park draft.
Her Group-performed dam Whatalovelyday (Domesday) was offered on the same evening in foal to Harry Angel (Ire) and was purchased for A$325,000 by Matt Houldsworth, Group 1 Bloodstock, and Merricks Station.
Provence destined for date with Devil Night or Private Harry
She was one of the most anticipated mares to walk through the ring, and ultimately the hammer fell at A$1.8 million for triple Group 1 winner Provence (Savabeel), purchased by Yulong. Sam Fairgray confirmed that the sale's third highest-priced lot would head to the newly purchased Segenhoe to be prepared for the breeding season, when she would be set for a date with either Devil Night or Private Harry.
“She's got a lot of quality about her, and she's the full sister to one of the best 3-year-old fillies in New Zealand,” said Fairgray, referring to last season's R. Listed NZB Kiwi and R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic victress Damask Rose (Savabeel). “The pedigree is only going to keep on improving.”
A granddaughter of G2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes victress Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) from the family of Brutal, Provence's seven wins are highlighted by the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes, the G1 Thorndon Mile, and the G1 Captain Cook Stakes.
“She's by Savabeel out of a Flying Spur mare and her grandmother was a very good 2-year-old, so there's a lot of speed in the family. You don't find many Savabeel mares that have won three Group 1 races, so to be able to add a mare like her to the broodmare band is fantastic.”
Theatrical Finish to Chairman's Sale
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch described the evening as an “incredible spectacle”.
“The Chairman's Sale is without peer as the most enjoyable session of horse selling of the year in this part of the world, maybe even anywhere in the world,” he said. “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.
“I think our team has reason to be incredibly proud of what has been created with this sale – it is a wonderful night and the result of a huge amount of work by any number of people.
“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.”
While the clearance rate was below last year, Hutch sent out assurances that the Inglis team would be hard at work over the next few days getting that number to rise.
“There are so many positives for us to take out of the night and, as ever, we are incredibly grateful for the support of the sale by both vendors and buyers,” he said.
For the complete sale results, please visit the Inglis website.
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