The theatre of Inglis' state-of-the-art selling auditorium was set for fireworks last Friday evening, and eventuated when four mares fetched $1 million or more and a further seven sold for $500,000 or more, at The Chairman's Sale, held at its Riverside Stables, Warwick Farm.
Two mares - Maastricht and Srikandi - doubled up to a top of $2.25m and $2m respectively, with both bought by Coolmore Stud and connections, and both likely to be among the first book of mares to the US Triple Crown winner Justify.
By Johannesburg's Scat Daddy, Justify will stand his first southern hemisphere season at Coolmore's Jerrys Plains location later this year.
Offered via Henry Field's Newgate Farm, Aberdeen, Maastricht is the dam of this season's stakes winner and Group 1 placed Loving Gaby, with the Mastercraftsman mare being in foal to Australia's hot sire I Am Invincible.
A dual Group 1 winner, Srikandi who is in foal to Coolmore's other US Triple Crown winning shuttler American Pharoah, was sold from Kitchwin Hills, Scone.
Lime Country Thoroughbreds at Burradoo was the vendor of champion Australian three-year-old filly Norzita, which sold for $1.7m, while Melbourne Group 1 winner Aloisia was another seller via Newgate and fetched $1.2m.
For elite breeding prospects, The Chairman's Sale saw buyers splash out $22.265m for the 51 sold lots (from the 60 offered) for an average of $436,569.
The sale opened with a nomination on offer to exciting first season sire Trapeze Artist, who has retired to stand at Widden Stud. The nomination was donated by major Sydney shareholder Bert Viera, with its proceedings going to Hawkesbury based injured jockey Tye Angland, who rode the Snitzel horse to success earlier in his racing career. Tye - along with wife Erin, were at the auction to witness the sale, which fetched $105,000 and sold to Sun Stud, Victoria.
This was followed by a stallion share in another Snitzel stallion, Russian Revolution (at Newgate Farm), which was purchased by Steve Morley Bloodstock and Glenlogan Park for $510,000.
Meanwhile, the previous Thursday saw 173 weanlings sell at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, where the highest ever sold I Am Invincible weanling to sell in Australia went for $600,000.
Consigned from Kitchwin Hills, the weanling filly was produced from $2.3m earner Srikandi (mentioned previously).
Coolmore sold the second top weanling at $220,000 - a first crop Australian bred colt by American Pharoah, from Triband, and was bought by Aquis Farm.
The average weanling price was $36,652.
A total of 14 youngsters sold for $100,000 or more and were by 12 different sires - American Pharoah, Brazen Beau, Capitalist, Dundeel, Exceed And Excel, Extreme Choice, I Am Invincible, Maurice, Pierro, Rubick, Sebring and Zoustar.
The Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale continued with two mares, Roses For Deb and She Said No, each selling for $220,000 on Sunday.
Consigned by Segenhoe Stud, Australia, Roses For Deb (in foal to Coolmore's first season horse Merchant Navy) is an unraced daughter of High Chaparral and multiple Group winner Chinchilla Rose. The four-year-old mare was purchased by Fernrigg Farm, Denman, with spokesperson Rae-Louise Farmer saying "we are trying to put together a group of nice young foundation mares for the farm."
A three-year-old full sister to stakes winner Meidung, She Said No, is in foal to US bred No Nay Never and was sold via Coolmore Stud to the Chinese connected Yulong Investments. Yulong purchased four lots for $517,000 as Sunday's leading buyer.
The third and final day of the Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale concluded on Monday.
Vale John Fletcher
Highly regarded former administrator and industry participant, John Fletcher, a stalwart with the Illawarra Turf Club (ITC), passed away last week at age 89.
Mr Fletcher was on the board of the ITC for 39 years and was vice-chairman for several years before retiring. He was then asked to be an ITC ambassador, and was also honoured with a life membership. In 2011, Mr Fletcher was recognised as the recipient of the prestigious Ted McCabe Provincial Recognition Award, presented to him at the glamorous annual NSW Country and Provincial Racing Awards.
Supported and survived by partner Joan, Mr Fletcher had great joy when part-owning racehorses including Darci Be Good (won Hawkesbury Gold Cup and Newcastle's Spring Stakes) and Captain Dash (won Sir James Kirby Quality at Grafton).