Inglis confirms 2021 yearling sale dates as entries open

By Bren O'Brien

Inglis has confirmed its 2021 Select Yearling Sales Series will revert largely to its traditional timing, with entries to close on August 21.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact in the 2020 Sales season, with Inglis' marquee Easter Sale split into two parts, a virtual Round 1, and traditional but delayed Round 2 Sale, while the timing and format of the Melbourne Gold and Scone Yearling Sale were also significantly impacted.

While the impact of the pandemic is still being felt, Inglis has opted to confirm its intention to stage its three primary yearling sales, the Classic (February 7-9), Premier (February 28-March 2) and Easter (April 6-7) Yearling Sales in their regular places on the sales calendar in 2021.

The Classic and Easter Sale will be held at Inglis's headquarters at the Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm, while the Melbourne Premier Sale will be staged at Oaklands Junction as usual.

Inglis has also confirmed that the HTBA Scone Yearling Sale will permanently be moved to Riverside Stables and be re-branded as the HTBA May Yearling Sale to take place as an expanded sale on May 2-3. The Gold Yearling Sale will then follow at Oaklands Junction on Sunday May 16.

With entries for the Sales now open, Inglis will be working closely with vendors as to the optimum Sale to offer their yearlings through.

“There is no disguising that the year to date has generated a huge number of challenges, but we have worked very hard as a team to help vendors achieve optimum outcomes in as many instances as possible,’’ Inglis’ General Manager of Bloodstock and Marketing, Sebastian Hutch, said.

“It has been hugely rewarding to see the growth in key metrics across sales like Classic and Premier in particular and while it was disappointing to have circumstances conspire against what was on-track to be the best ever Easter Yearling Sale, our experiences this year have made us even more determined to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the best results for our patrons.

“Each of the Highway Session at Classic, the Showcase Session at Premier, the Gold Yearling Sale and the Scone Yearling Sale posted remarkable figures under the circumstances and in the case of the latter sale, this year’s results have prompted a further expansion of it. "

Hutch is confident that the format and timing of the sales are best designed for the market.

“Our sales offer a depth and variety of buyers that is unparalleled and this is something we work extremely hard on, right throughout the year," he said.

“Whether attending a sale in person, working with members of our bloodstock team or bidding through our online platform – which recorded over 3600 individual bids through our yearling sales series this year – we are in a position to offer a standard of service to our buyers which is unmatched and this is something our vendors can have huge confidence in."

Inglis has already shown its ability to adapt to the most disruptive of circumstances, rescheduling and reformatting its major sales, especially Easter, on several occasions in 2020.

Given what 2020 has thrown at the bloodstock industry, Hutch is more confident than ever in the capability of his team to deliver for both vendors and buyers.

"As a team, we have demonstrated the capacity to work effectively with vendors through any number of challenges this year and it will stand us in good stead over the next 12 months and beyond," he said.

“The very simple fact is buyers want to spend their money on horses that will help them to win the best races and Inglis offers more of those than anyone else - our sales have produced double the number of Group 1 winners of any other Australasian auction house over the past three years.’’

2021 Inglis Yearling Sale dates