A new record top price, coupled with record-achieving key financial indicators across the board, has resulted in today’s Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale being crowned “unquestionably the best ever’’.

Held in front of an enthusiastic buying bench at Oaklands Junction, a striking Fighting Son colt took top individual honours while average, median and gross were all new records.

At the sale’s conclusion, the average was up from last year’s overall figure of $16,957 to a record $22,593, median increased 44% to $18,000 while gross was up from $3,968,750 in 2016 to $4,518,500.

The clearance rate finished at an extremely healthy 88%.

The figures reflected the appreciation of the revised format of the VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, where only SuperVOBIS-qualified horses were catalogued, and the sale restricted to one day of selling.

Blue Gum Farm enjoyed leading vendor honours, selling 14 of its 15 offerings for an aggregate of $453,000 while Harvey Park was leader by average, selling all three of their Lots - including the day’s top Lot - at an average of $67,000.

Alice Springs Turf Club purchased the most Lots with seven, the leading stallion by aggregate was First Season Sire Kuroshio ($289,000) and by average for three or more sold was Fighting Sun at $48,000.

The day’s top Lot – and a VOBIS Gold record – was Lot 103, a Fighting Sun x Sinuous colt offered by Harvey Park which Anton Koolman paid $110,000 for.

Anton’s son Oliver, who was bidding on behalf of his father, said the colt by the First Season Sire “stood out’’.

“I was lucky,’’ Koolman said.

“I came here to buy a horse and found one.

“I was actually here looking for a trade horse but it appears we’ve probably paid too much for him to be a trade horse, so we’re going to race him.’’

Inglis’ Victorian Bloodstock Manager Simon Vivian was overjoyed with the results.

“There’s really no doubting this is the best ever edition of the Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, the results are there for all to see,’’ Vivian said.

“There was plenty of positive and aggressive bidding and the atmosphere was right up there with a Premier Yearling Sale.

“The support of the buyers was extraordinary today, the vendors produced extremely healthy and well-prepared yearlings and the combination of those two things led to a fantastic overall sale.

“Our revised format was embraced by vendors and buyers alike, and provides a phenomenal foundation for the sale’s future.’’

Every yearling offered today is Super VOBIS qualified, making them eligible for millions of dollars of bonuses through the lucrative VOBIS incentive scheme.

Further to this, all the yearlings at the sale are also eligible to be nominated for the VOBIS Gold bonuses and the Inglis race series.

Inglis’ next auction is the annual HTBA Scone Yearling Sale, this year held over two days of May 14 and 15 at White Park and complemented by an additional Weanling and Mixed Thoroughbred Sale.

To view the Scone Yearling Sale catalogue, CLICK HERE.

To view the Scone Weanling and Mixed Thoroughbred Sale catalogue, CLICK HERE.

2017 INGLIS VOBIS GOLD YEARLING SALE STATISTICS

(2016 stats in brackets)

Lots Sold: 200 (234)

Clearance Rate: 88% (90%)

Average Price: $22,593 ($16,957)

Median Price: $18,000 ($12,500)

Top Price: $110,000 ($85,000)

Gross: $4,518,500 ($3,968,750)