It would be impossible to calculate the number of times ‘Sale-O’ has been called under Newmarket’s infamous Moreton Bay Fig Tree, how many champions have been made, how many have gathered in the name of greatness, how many ripples have been set into motion by the single fall of the gavel.
The Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale is as rich in legacy as it is in legend. Having developed as one of the biggest chapters in the William Inglis and Son 150 year history, the sale has been conducted by the family-owned auctioneer house for over 100 years; making a name for itself as an integral part of thoroughbred racing in Australia.
In 2017, a chapter in that history ends when Newmarket hosts its final Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The last Easter at Newmarket is set to be a bitter-sweet farewell. Concluding a longstanding history of Inglis auctions at the famous Newmarket site, the final Easter sets the tone for the ambitious and promising future Inglis has in store.
When the company decided to purchase the Randwick complex and move the Inglis operations out of its original home in the bustling Pitt St, it was an ambitious leap that was unforeseeably one of the most important milestones in the company’s history. It is with that same innovativeness and ambitiousness that Inglis approaches the close of its final sale season at Randwick.
The unveiling of the new Chairman’s Sale, which offers buyers the chance to purchase some of the most sought after racing and breeding stock on offer, is set to take the already action-packed week of The Championships in Sydney to new heights. Positioned either side of The Championships, The Chairman’s Sale features two sessions - a Racing Prospects Sale on March 30 followed by a Breeding Prospects Sale on April 8.
Throw in the Australian Easter Yearling Sale on April 4-6, and the newly scheduled Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale from April 10-12, a massive fortnight of buying and selling will become a befitting farewell for the historic Newmarket complex before moving to the new Warwick Farm site for 2018.
The move to Warwick Farm will take the Inglis sales to even greater heights. Set to be arguably the greatest sales complex in the world, Inglis has spent several years designing and creating a space that is sure to rival the charm of its old home.
Much like the foresight of John Inglis all those years ago Mark Webster, Managing Director of Inglis, is confident that the new complex is the right move for Inglis and for their longstanding clientele.
“In the end it became quite simple – we simply outgrew our beautiful Newmarket premises so we needed to move to a bigger precinct, given the demand of our clients,’’ Webster said. “The Warwick Farm precinct will be world-class, no doubt about that. It’s an exciting time for the company and with this being the last year of sales at Newmarket, it adds extra significance to everything we do.’’
And while all look on with a keen eye for what the future home may hold for the Easter Yearling Sale, the eyes of the thoroughbred industry turn one last time to Newmarket, for what is sure to be a fantastic three days for buyers and sellers alike. With many a champion’s fate sealed at an Inglis Easter Sale, the sale has seen some of the greatest names in thoroughbred racing history go through the ring including the likes of Might and Power, Luskin Star, Wenona Girl, Rory’s Jester and 2016 World’s Best Sprinter Chautauqua. This year, the sale does not shy away from the same expectations, confidently boasting the best of the best, cataloguing 480 of the finest yearlings in Australia to an incredibly strong buying bench that spans all corners of the globe.
Turn to the next page for an overview, and timeline, of what's on offer at Easter 2017.
