Turnover and clearance rates up, average down at Bathurst sale

The challenging times at the lower end of the yearling market came to the fore at the Nutrien Equine Bathurst Gold Crown Yearling Sale, with the average price from the sale down on last year’s corresponding edition.

At the close of trade, figures told the tale of a challenging day for vendors. All told, 45 horses sold at a clearance of 76 per cent, up from 58 percent the previous year while the aggregate increased from $481,500 in 2025 to $500,000.

However, the overall average struggled, falling 10 per cent to $11,111. Twenty-two colts averaged out at $13,250 and 22 fillies at $9,204.

The top priced colt and filly were both sired by the Cobbitty Equine Farm stallion Huntsville. The sale topper at $27,000 was Lot 25, a half-brother to the cups-winning pacer Spare Me Days consigned by Yirribee Pacing Stud and secured by Limeburners Creek horseman Stephen Kilroy.

The highest price paid for a filly was $20,000 for Lot 45, a sister-in-blood to the Group 1 winner My Ultimate Byron, offered by Michael Tanner’s Chlomax Pty Ltd and bought by Taree dairy farmer Douglas Johnston.

The final stopover for this year’s round of Australian Pacing Gold yearling sales will be Gawler on Sunday starting at 1 pm.

A total of 18 lots by nine different stallions representing eight vendors will go up for sale.

Champion sire Art Major has three entries, emerging young sire Stay Hungry has two, the leading South Australian sire Major Secret has six, Ultimate Sniper (2) and the siring colossus Bettor’s Delight, the Breeders Crown and North America Cup winner Pebble Beach and the successful colonial bred stallions For A Reason, The Storm Inside and Tiger Tara one each.

Among the dams represented are the SA BOTRA Pace winners Purple Royale and Jimbaran Bay, the Mermaid Stakes victor Reil Quick and the sub 2:00 mares Kash NZ, Our Burning Desire NZ, Tiddly Winx, Rosiano, Blue Beach Angel, Closure, Crown Royale, Mamma Kass and Whirly Girly.

There’s siblings to the Southern Cross winners No Notthebuttons, Brighton and Bay Jim Major, the SA Silver Salver and Sapling Stakes winner Star Man, the SA Kindergarten and Sapling Stakes winner Rupert Ross, the cup class pacer Gee Smith, the Vicbred 2YO Silver winner The Huntress and the Mermaid Stakes victor Quick Dip.

On the same day as the Gawler auction the Garrard’s Redcliffe Yearling Sale will be held at Redcliffe Paceway, starting at 12 noon.

The 28-lot catalogue features the progeny of 16 different stallions, headed up by the Top Ten sires Downbytheseaside, Rock N Roll Heaven and A Rocknroll Dance and the emerging young sires Stay Hungry, Captain Crunch, Ride High, The Storm Inside and Captn Midnight.

The established colonial bred stallions For A Reason, Bling It On and Raging Bull are represented, while the three-time Queensland Horse of the Year Colt Thirty One has yearlings from his second crop, the North America Cup winner and USA and Canadian 3YO Colt of the Year Pebble Beach is represented by his first crop and Franco Nelson has a gelding from his last crop.

Among the top racemares listed in the catalogue are the NSW Ladyship Mile and Queen of the Pacific winner Good Lookin Girl, the QBred Triad 3YO winner Aqua Miss, the Group 3 victor Come Cullect, the Australian Pacing Gold heat winner Shechoseus, the Canadian mare Our Ice Ice Baby ($240,000) and the Group and Listed placegetter Venus Jujon.

The sale features half-brothers or sisters to a cavalcade of star performers. They include the Redcliffe Sales Classic winner Basilisk Bob, the APG Brisbane Sales Graduate winner Amylee, the Tasmania Cup winner Gotta Good Reason, Sheza Bonny Sheila (Changeover 2YO Classic), Mister Reactor ($140,000), the QBred For Life runner-up Gleneagle Vee Cee and the cups-winning trotter Rocknroll Baby.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink