Strong Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale predicted

Officials at Inglis are optimistic that their Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, which gets underway on Sunday and runs for four days, will continue the trend set by the major yearling sales in Australia so far in 2018 by posting significant increases across the board.

The sale has transitioned in recent years from being a key domestic auction to one of international significance and there is every indication that this year's sale will not disappoint.

A total of 564 lots were catalogued for the sale and Inglis's Victorian bloodstock manager Simon Vivian is bullish about the quality on offer at the Oaklands Junction complex, located approximately 20 miles north of Melbourne.

"I think this is the best draft of Victorian-bred horses that we have ever had in Melbourne and we also had great support from Hunter Valley farms like Yarraman Park, Sledmere, Vinery and other Hunter Valley studs," he said.

"All of the sales have been strong and I see no reason why this one won't be. There are so many really nice horses here, so there should be demand from trainers to buy. I think there are some belters here who are, quite frankly, Australian Easter Yearling Sale quality."

Vivian's optimism is in spite of an anticipated reduction in spending by South African buyers, who have long looked to this sale to source talent including the likes of The Conglomerate and Alboran Sea, in the wake of Markus Jooste's departure from the buying bench.

While Vivian acknowledged South African spend is likely to drop, he remains optimistic that the likes of Form Bloodstock's Jehan Malherbe, who is heading to Melbourne with Mike de Kock, will still make an impact.

South Africa's loss could be Asia's gain though and Vivian has been encouraged by the presence of potential buyers from the region.

"There is an extensive list of buyers from Hong Kong coming in and we are hosting a group of 20 Chinese clients at the races, so we are going to have a serious Chinese influence at the sale," he said.

"This sale has gone from a traditional Victorian market, it has broadened to a national market and now it is an international market."

Demi O'Byrne, a number of Coolmore Stud representatives and Newgate Farm's Henry Field have also been on site at Oaklands Junction in the lead up to the sale.

"We have internationals who are walking around and we have very strong representation from Europe. I am pretty comfortable with who is attendance," he said.

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