An extraordinary fortnight of sales and 112 years of history ended on Wednesday when the gavel came down for the last ever time at Inglis Newmarket Sales Complex at Randwick, capping off a remarkable select sales season for Inglis.
Team Dynamic under the famous Morton Bay Fig Tree at the Inglis Newmarket Complex
Mr Jamie Inglis, company director and the eldest of the fifth-generation family still involved in the company, auctioned the final Lot in emotional scenes in the Newmarket sale ring.
The parade ring at the Newmarket Complex
It brought to an end a phenomenal sale period in 2017 which included:
*$254 million traded by Inglis since the start of the Classic Yearling Sale in February.
*Among this, there have been 20 x $1 million Lots, of a total of 24 which have been sold in Australasia in 2017
*Inglis has sold $156 million worth of yearlings, weanlings, racing and breeding stock at Newmarket since Thursday 30 March
Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said the final Easter period at Newmarket was "exceptional for all participants''.
"It truly has been a memorable few weeks and I would like to thank and congratulate everybody involved, from the breeders, vendors, buyers and my staff for a fantastic few weeks,'' Webster said.
"Whilst understandably people are a bit emotional tonight at leaving Newmarket, I encourage everybody to look forward to what we have coming at Riverside Stables, because it truly is going to be a world-class precinct.
"It really will be the start of a new era for the company and everybody involved in the racing industry.''
On the final day at Newmarket – Day 3 of the Australian Broodmare & Weanling sale -
The highest price was Lot 442, Pretends, in foal to Lonhro, which Yu Long Investments bought for $230,000.
Yu Long were the day's leading buyer, securing two of the top four Lots including the top Lot, Passion Cheval, in foal to More Than Ready, for $270,000 from Vinery Stud.
Yu Long's Mr Zhang "had been waiting the whole sale'' for Lot 426, the day's top buy.
"She has a great page, the family is very strong and I'm very happy with the buy,'' Mr Zhang said.
The Chairman's Sale and Australian Broodmare & Weanling Sale element of the past fortnight ended with a gross of $42,232,500 for 496 Lots sold at an average of $85,146 and clearance rate of 87%.