The Yarradale Stud team have arrived back home after a tumultuous seven-figure spend at the blue-chip Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney.

Owner Lyn Sayers and manager Davy Hanratty heralded a new era for the Gidgegannup stud at Riverside Stables bidding solo and in partnership with trainers in Sydney and Perth.

They were full-on for fillies starting in the first hour of trade on Day 1 with a $500,000 bid Sunday lunchtime for a stunning daughter of Champion Australian Sire I Am Invincible (Lot 15) from Silverdale Farm.

“She looks a very sharp type and we were prepared to go higher,” Hanratty said.  “We bought her in partnership with clients of Dan and Ben Pearce.  They’re top-class trainers and they have our mare Platinum Shot (Shooting To Win) qualified for the WA Provincial Championship Final next month.”

Pearce Racing had also purchased a high-priced Playing God colt for $400,000 from Yarradale at the Perth Magic Millions in February when the underbidder was Neville Parnham.

Back at the Inglis Easter Sale on Monday, Hanratty’s jewel in the crown was the Zoustar – Threeood filly (Lot 222) who was also being offered by Silverdale Farm.  “She cost $600,000 and Lyn loves her, too.  They say buy the one you want and I didn’t want to go home without that one.  I went to bed dreaming about her the night before.”

Davy’s wife Susan notwithstanding, that was understandable.  “She’s gorgeous,” he continued.  “And that’s how we came to buy the Vinnie filly.  They were in the same barn and hopefully we’ve been blessed twice from the same farm.”

Darley shuttler Pinatubo (Shamardal) had his first southern-bred yearlings for sale and his Day 2 filly from G1 Canterbury Stakes (1200m) winner Cosmic Endeavour (Lot 331) was fair game for WA at $475,000.  “We bought her in partnership with Luke Fernie and his clients Kim Doak and Maria Manfredini.  Luke is on the way to being a champion trainer and Kim and Maria are great people.”

Yarradale is also in the Snitzel – Dame Giselle filly (Lot 338) that was purchased for $725,000 in partnership with Neville Parnham and Ridgeport Farm owner Santo Guagliardo.  “She looks an exciting filly,” Hanratty said.  “And she has Snitzel over a serious pedigree.” 

She’s the second foal out of Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible) who was a multiple Group 2 winner in Sydney and second dam Ballet Society (Stravinsky) was a multiple Group 2 winner in Melbourne.

“We’ve also embarked on a new venture with Bjorn Baker with a quarter share in the Wootton Bassett – Zouzarella filly (Lot 267) that cost $575,000.  Bjorn is a very good trainer and Lyn is happy to spread her wings into Sydney.  It was a privilege having the opportunity to take on the big boys at the Easter Sale and the fillies will help build new and existing partnerships.”

It’s getting on for three years since the death of Yarradale’s guiding force Ron Sayers but there’s green shoots at the Gidgegannup property he launched in 1997.  The Easter buys were targeted as dual-purpose black-type race fillies with the aspiration of eventually infusing new blood into the stud’s broodmare band.

Yarradale’s homebred graduate Elite Beau (Brazen Beau) opened his career with a brilliant victory at the Ascot midweeks earlier this month and he races for a partnership managed by China Horse Club.  He was the most expensive colt at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions and is starting to start live up to a $375,000 price-tag.

$600,000 Zoustar filly pictured prior to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale