[3] By the 1940s, William Inglis and Son was acknowledged as a prominent auction firm, not just in bloodstock, but in general livestock auctions at the then Sydney saleyards in the suburb of Homebush[4] However, as this article claims, by this stage William Inglis and Son Pty Ltd was most notable for its "world famous Sydney Yearling Sales", held at its Newmarket facility at Randwick Racecourse.
[9] Cummings spent a whopping $13.6 million on 43 yearlings at the 1989 Inglis Easter Sale on behalf of two accounting firms, as part of a horse syndication scheme.
The global stock market crash in 1987 saw Cummings' backers abandon the deal post-auction, leaving him to face possible bankruptcy.
Called The Night of the Stars, the auction was designed to recoup money paid for 67 yearlings across multiple Thoroughbred sales.
[12] Broodmare Milanova - in foal to Encosta de Lago - set a new Southern Hemisphere record for a thoroughbred sold at auction in 2008, with $5 million paid for the daughter of Danehill by Coolmore Stud.
The sale was successfully conducted without horses, vendors or buyers at the Inglis Riverside complex, eliciting praise from industry participants worldwide.
[14][15] The live stream coverage included video footage of each yearling and two auctioneers in an empty sale auditorium.