Edited Inglis press release

The prestigious Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale starts this weekend at Newmarket in Sydney. Five hundred and two horses are catalogued to be offered Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, with a brand new Select Session II of 195 yearlings set for Thursday.

This year’s big spenders are expected to be Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation, which recently purchased Woodlands Stud in a multi million-dollar deal, Nathan Tinkler who has already spent in excess of $30 million on yearlings this year and Bob Ingham is expected to purchase yearlings for his new trainer Chris Waller.

Top sire Redoute’s Choice, whose progeny averaged Aust$660,000 at this sale last year, is represented by 75 yearlings in the catalogue, while the current leading Australian stallion, Encosta De Lago, has 62 Easter babies.

Last year, the 447 yearlings sold grossed more than Aust$148 million and averaged Aust$331,935. A record 23 yearlings brought Aust$1million or more apiece. The most expensive was a Rock Of Gibraltar -- L’On Vite colt which was knocked down to trainer Gai Waterhouse for $3million. The Australian record mark of Aust$3 million was also achieved in 2006, with a son of Redoute’s Choice sold to leading South African trainer Charles Laird.