The Inglis 2026 Easter Yearling Sale has concluded with a Record Yearling Sale Average of $461,258 and a Median at $350,000 with the gross of $146,680,000.
318 Sold (77%) whilst 97 Passed In (23%).
* A total of 26 horses sold for $1m or more to 18 different buyers. They were by 10 different stallions and offered by 12 different vendors.
* The sale’s average sits at $461,258 a record for the Easter Sale.
* Arrowfield was leading vendor by gross at $19,485,000, averaging $422,605 and a median of $310,000.
* The depth of the international buying bench was incredible with buyers coming from: China, France, USA, UK, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and Australia wide.
* Snitzel was the sale’s largest-grossing stallion with 32 of his progeny selling for a total of $19,205,000.
* Extreme Choice was the best by average, with nine of his 10 progeny offered selling at an average of $1,561,111 and 7 for $1m+
Yearlings from USA bred Broodmares Inspire Market
Inglis Easter Yearling Sale vendors as a group that offered yearlings from USA bred Dams were well rewarded in the salering.
Across the sale there were 26 catalogued yearlings from USA bred mares; 3 Withdrawn, 2 Passed- In, 21 Sold.
They Grossed $12,330,000 for an Average $587,142 and a Median of $350,000.
They Averaged $125,884 (27.3%) higher than the sale Averaged, and their Median matched the market.
That’s impressive in its own right, but when we are looking at the data and looking for trends in the market, some fascinating stats come to the fore.
Initial facts show that USA bred mares performed well against European bred mares.
Across the sale there were 47 European mares with catalogued yearlings.
There were 8 Withdrawn, 12 Passed- In, 27 Sold. They Grossed $9,220,000 for an Average $341,481 and a Median of $320,000.
Yearlings from USA bred mares outperformed European bred mares on Averages by $245,661 which equals 71.8%.
Inglis Philosophical:
Post-sale there was a hint of discontent from Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch as he reflected on the fact that this year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale did not live up to the bullishness of 12 months ago.
“It becomes simple economics, it’s supply and demand.
“There's strong demand for the quality stock, and there's a subjectivity to the appraisal of that, because people very strategically, will land stock in certain places, with a view to thinking where it can sit best.
“And certainly, vetting around this sale will indicate that we (Inglis) had probably a larger than normal percentage of yearlings end up in this catalogue, because spring and early summer vetting said that those horses needed some time.
“In the case of some of those horses, those horses had improved to the standard necessary to sell. Alternatively, it appears a significant number of those horses did not, and ultimately, that's affected either their sale price or not selling at all.”
From any sales company’s perspectives their two metrics of importance are clearance and aggregate.
Both went backwards at the 2026 Easter edition.
Clearance for the sale is at 77%, down from 88% in 2025 and 80% in 2024.
Inglis did present a larger catalogue this year than last year. There were 51 more lots catalogued but after scratchings, the total numbers offered was 415 as compared to 388 in 2025 so the total lots were up 27 horses.
There were 100 horses originally passed-in (now 97) at the close of trading, compared to the 41 passed-in lots in 2025, so that is 59 more horses were passed-in this year compared to last year.
The 315 horses sold under the hammer during the sale were, with the exception of the COVID 2020 edition, the fewest traded at Easter in the past 26 years.
The Easter aggregate spend year-on-year despite 27 more lots was down $5.595 million (3.96%) with $145.88 million spend.
However, the average of $461,258 was the highest ever at any Australian yearling sale.
That proves the standard was extremely high on the right horses.
The number of seven-figure lots was one more than last year and just one short of the all-time record.
Total spend across Easter and Magic Millions was down $10.682 million, but every other sale grew, apart from Adelaide. Across every other Australian sale, Classic, Premier, Tasmania, Perth and Gold Coast March, the gross was up $18.4 million.
The total Australian yearling market to this point in 2026 is up $4.1 million compared to 2025 to $532.86 million.
The average price of a 2026 Australian sold yearling has jumped to $156,264, up from $154,877 in 2025.
The overall number of yearlings sold has remained constant at 3,410 compared to 3,414 in 2025. This proves the appetite from buyers remains strong.
The Magic Millions reduction in gross was easy to understand. The sale company reduced its catalogue by 83 lots. Also 105 more lots sold in 2026 compared to 2025 supporting market sentiment that purchasers and vendors were willing to meet the market.
However, at Easter some vendors appeared to have exhibited more greed in their expectations or alternatively, arrived at the sale with yearlings of inferior conformation or veterinary issues. At this sale, buyers rejected anything that had a defect. Certainly, after their horse had a spin around the salering, vendors appeared to be more realistic to doing a deal back at the stable door.
Obviously, a lot has happened on a global level between January and March.
The outbreak of war in the Middle East, the resulting shock to oil prices, inflation fears, and interest rate rises clearly affected sentiment. So, to escape with the highest ever average at a yearling sale proves the market is resilient to outside geopolitical and fiscal pressures.
That stat also highlights a divided market. The top end remains strong, the middle market is astute whilst the lower end or those horses with obvious defects find the market to be soft or non-existent.
At Easter there was little to no speculation in the market by Australian buyers. In the past, trainers would buy a horse they liked “on spec,” and find buyers for the horse.
However, some trainers still owe for yearlings from the 2025 sales or are long their 2026 purchases so couldn’t risk buying here at Easter.
Lower numbers competing on horses added to a soft landing.
Top 5 Sires Data: (3 or More Sold)
| Name |
Sold |
Aggregate |
Avg |
Top |
Median |
| Extreme Choice |
9 |
$14,050,000 |
$1,561,111 |
$3,000,000 |
$1,600,000 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) |
9 |
$6,765,000 |
$751,667 |
$2,200,000 |
$440,000 |
| Zoustar |
26 |
$17,705,000 |
$680,962 |
$1,800,000 |
$600,000 |
| Snitzel |
32 |
$19,205,000 |
$600,156 |
$2,000,000 |
$560,000 |
| I Am Invincible |
32 |
$19,005,000 |
$593,906 |
$1,700,000 |
$500,000 |
Data on Individual Sires of Interest to Dynamic Syndications.
These were the results achieved by 9 Different Sires whose yearlings we have purchased at other sales in 2026.
| Sire |
Sold |
Gross |
Ave |
Top |
Med |
| Zoustar |
26 |
$17,705,000 |
$680,962 |
$1,800,000 |
$600,000 |
| Snitzel |
32 |
$19,205,000 |
$600,156 |
$2,000,000 |
$560,000 |
| Dundeel (NZ) |
14 |
$5,540,000 |
$395,714 |
$1,300,000 |
$295,000 |
| Home Affairs |
11 |
$4,195,000 |
$381,364 |
$1,300,000 |
$280,000 |
| The Autumn Sun |
8 |
$2,735,000 |
$341,875 |
$550,000 |
$260,000 |
| Ole Kirk |
12 |
$3,810,000 |
$317,500 |
$525,000 |
$330,000 |
| Maurice (JPN) |
10 |
$2,435,000 |
$243,500 |
$475,000 |
$200,000 |
| Farnan |
7 |
$970,000 |
$194,000 |
$300,000 |
$200,000 |
| St Mark's Basilica (FR) |
5 |
$905,000 |
$181,000 |
$260,000 |
$200,000 |
Our 2026 Yearling purchases now look great value against these figures:
| ZOUSTAR x SITEKI Filly |
$250,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| SNITZEL x NORDIQUE (GB) Filly |
$250,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| DUNDEEL x FAIROUS (USA) Filly |
$80,000 + GST
|
Classic |
| HOME AFFAIRS x BIT OF CHEEK Colt |
$150,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| THE AUTUMN SUN x PRINCESS NOIR (JPN) Filly |
$150,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| OLE KIRK x CASA TRANQUILA (NZ) Colt |
$150,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| MAURICE x SCANDALEUSE (USA) Filly |
$50,000 + GST |
Classic |
| FARNAN x HUBOOR (IRE) Colt |
$130,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| ST MARK’S BASILICA x BRILLILANCE Colt |
$140,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |
| SAVABEEL x SMASHING Colt |
$160,000 + GST |
NZ Karaka |
| TRAPEZE ARTIST x SALLY’S REALM Filly |
$100,000 + GST |
Magic Millions |