Inglis Breeze Ups put Wangaratta on the international stage

Wangaratta Turf Club again welcomed some of the thoroughbred industry’s most promising young horses last week, hosting the Victorian leg of the Inglis Ready2Race Breeze Ups. The breeze ups form an important part of the lead-up to the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, giving prospective buyers across Australia and internationally the opportunity to assess two-year-old's before they enter the sales ring. A breeze up sees each horse gallop over a set distance, with its performance timed and filmed. The footage allows buyers to assess the horse’s speed, action and athletic ability and forms an important part of the information available ahead of the sale. More than 100 horses breezed at Wangaratta on 29 September, bringing trainers, vendors, riders and other industry participants from across Victoria and further afield to the region. The Wangaratta session is part of a broader Australasian program, with Inglis also conducting Breeze Ups in New Zealand and New South Wales before the horses converge on Riverside Stables in Sydney for the 2026 Inglis Ready2Race Sale on Thursday, 15 October. Inglis’ Will Stott said Wangaratta had become an important Victorian base for the program. “Wangaratta provides us with a fantastic venue for the Victorian Breeze Ups and once again the track was presented in outstanding condition," he said. "Emma, Greg and the entire team are so willing and easy to work with and certainly help us run a smooth and efficient program. “These days are incredibly important for our vendors and their horses. "We need a surface that is fair and consistent and gives every horse the opportunity to show what it can do, and Wangaratta continues to provide that. “The Ready2Race Sale continues to grow and attract buyers from across Australia and internationally, so having a strong Victorian base for the Breeze Ups is an important part of the program.” The commercial significance of the Wangaratta Breeze Ups was highlighted by last year’s results, with horses that breezed at Wangaratta going on to generate more than $7.8 million in sales at the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale. Among them was the I Am Invincible x Maroon Bay colt, which sold for $675,000, highlighting the calibre and value of horses being showcased through the Wangaratta program. Wangaratta Turf Club CEO Emma Merlo said hosting the event demonstrated the broader role the racecourse plays within the regional thoroughbred industry. “People naturally associate the turf club with race days, but racing in Wangaratta is a 365-day-a-year industry and events like the Inglis Breeze Ups really demonstrate that," she said. “To have more than 100 quality young horses come through Wangaratta, supported by trainers, vendors, riders and industry participants, and then have their performances viewed by buyers across Australia and internationally is fantastic exposure for our club and our region. “We are incredibly proud of the facilities we have here and particularly proud of Greg and our track and grounds team. "A lot of work goes into preparing the surfaces and ensuring everything is right for an event of this standard, so to receive such positive feedback from Inglis and the vendors is a great reflection of their work.”

Inglis Breeze Ups put Wangaratta on the international stage

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