The Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale on Sunday was topped by a stylish brown colt by Newgate young gun Artorius from Azarose (NZ) that sold for $160,000.

Consigned by Kingstar Farm, the colt was bought by Stefan Pardi of SP Racing with the plan to re-offer him at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale in October.

“The hype around the Inglis breeze up sale later in the year is already gaining huge momentum and it’s a sale I want to be involved in as a vendor,’’ Pardi said.

“There was a huge Asian and local presence last year at the sale and I think with Ka Ying Rising running in The Everest again this year just two days after the sale, there’s just going to be so many buyers at the sale and I think this colt will fit right in.

“He was the best colt on the grounds this week for me, he had real presence about him, yet there’s still so much room for improvement and I think over the next six months leading into the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, he will come on even more.’’

Kingstar’s Adam Cook was stunned by the result.

“That was out of the blue, double what I thought he would make,’’ Cook said.

“Over the moon, $160,000, wow, that’s unbelievable really. I was almost going to put him into the Classic Sale but I’m glad I didn’t now, he had more vet hits than any of our draft and it’s a huge result.

“From Thursday onwards I knew we were going to have a good sale, the foot traffic was up a lot on last year’s sale, which was big in itself, so to see that translate into results is what it’s all about. We honestly couldn’t be happier.’’

The sale-topping colt is the fourth foal of Azarose, a winning half-sister to Group II winner Artistry.

Azarose has a weanling colt by Cosmic Force and was covered last spring by In The Congo.