William Inglis & Son
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bloodstock auctioneering, Livestock auctioneering |
| Founded | 1867 |
| Founder | William Inglis |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Bloodstock auctions, Livestock auctions |
| Owner | Inglis family |
William Inglis and Son Pty Ltd holds the distinction of being Australia's most longstanding and largest auctioneer specializing in bloodstock. Established in 1867 by William Inglis, the firm continues to operate as a family-owned business with ongoing participation from members of the Inglis lineage. By the 1940s, its reputation extended beyond bloodstock to encompass general livestock auctions at Sydney’s Homebush saleyards. Nevertheless, its foremost acclaim is tied to the prestigious "Sydney Yearling Sales," traditionally conducted at its Newmarket venue located within Randwick Racecourse.
In 2015, the company divested its Randwick site for redevelopment purposes and revealed intentions to transfer its operations in 2018 to a more expansive facility at Warwick Farm Racecourse.
The equine community mourned deeply in 2016 following the untimely death of Olivia Inglis, daughter of Deputy Chairman Arthur Inglis, due to an equestrian accident.
1867 - 1900
The initial yearling sale at Inglis took place on May 1, 1867, at their Young Street premises in Newmarket, Randwick. William Inglis, whose father Thomas Inglis was a Scottish immigrant, purchased the family’s original site on Pitt Street, Sydney, in 1880. This location was used by William Inglis & Son primarily for selling work horses before the company expanded into Thoroughbred auctions.
In 1883, trainer Michael Fennelly acquired Newmarket and maintained training operations for former owner James White. Among the notable horses trained there was Martini-Henry, winner of the Melbourne Cup that same year.
The first yearling catalogue issued by William Inglis & Son appeared in 1905, listing over one hundred entries. The auction house relocated to Newmarket in 1918 and remained there until 2017 when it shifted to 'Riverside Stables,' adjacent to Warwick Farm Racecourse, coinciding with the opening of the five-star William Inglis Hotel.
1900-1990
In 1945, Bernborough was sold for 2,600 guineas after being disqualified from metropolitan racing due to ownership complications; he went on to secure fifteen consecutive victories including prestigious events like the Newmarket Handicap and Doomben Cup. Shannon, a Hall of Fame racehorse, set an Australian sales record in 1947 when sold for 26,000 guineas to W.J. Smith, chairman of Australian Consolidated Industries. After his owner’s passing, Shannon was auctioned again and subsequently stood at stud in the United States.
The champion stallion Tulloch was also offered at auction at Newmarket in 1957.
Australia’s first yearling sold for $100,000 occurred at Inglis’ Newmarket complex in 1978. A significant milestone was reached in 1988 when Bart Cummings, a renowned trainer, purchased the nation’s inaugural million-dollar yearling—a colt sired by Bletchingly out of Verdi—for $1.1 million; this colt had been bred by Sir Tristan Antico.
In 1989, Cummings acquired forty-three yearlings totaling $13.6 million during the Inglis Easter Sale on behalf of two accounting firms as part of a syndication initiative. However, after the global stock market crash of 1987, his financial backers withdrew support following the auction, placing him at risk of bankruptcy. To mitigate these losses, a follow-up event named The Night of the Stars was organized at Newmarket later that year to resell these two-year-olds purchased across several sales.
1990-2022
John Inglis, representing the third generation of the Inglis family auctioneers at Newmarket, retired in 1998 and passed away in 2006 at the age of 88. In 2008, the broodmare Milanova, pregnant by Encosta de Lago and a daughter of Danehill, achieved a Southern Hemisphere auction record by selling for $5 million; she was offered by Coolmore Stud. The historic Newmarket venue hosted its final Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on April 12, 2017.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Inglis broke new ground by organizing the first significant virtual Thoroughbred yearling auction. The two-day Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale took place entirely online and via telephone, with no horses or participants physically present. The event was live-streamed, showcasing videos of each yearling alongside auctioneers operating from an empty auditorium. The company recorded close to 300,000 online interactions from over 100 countries throughout the sale. Nevertheless, over 150 yearlings were withdrawn prior to the event, including all 60 yearlings from Arrowfield Stud’s consignment. Despite these challenges, the digital auction format received widespread acclaim from international industry professionals and highlighted Inglis’s capacity for innovation in virtual sales.