Scoring Up

The 2027 standardbred yearling sales calendar is beginning to take shape, with Australian Pacing Gold and Nutrien Standardbreds both making significant announcements this week.

Australian Pacing Gold (APG), which is moving into a new era of standardbred selling through its online sales platform, has confirmed its sales schedule for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.

The first cab off the rank will be APG’s Ready To Run Sale, to be conducted online from December 1 to 3.

The sale will be restricted to pacing and trotting horses aged two years and older that are either currently racing or ready to race.

Importantly, all entries must be accompanied by video footage of a recent racetrack or trackwork performance, giving prospective buyers the opportunity to assess each horse under genuine racing or training conditions.

Entries for the Ready To Run Sale open on September 4 and close on Sunday, October 25.

APG will then turn its attention to its National Yearling Sale, which will be conducted online from February 1 to 5, 2027.

Restricted to Australian-bred yearlings, the sale will be open to vendors from across the country and is set to become the first Australian standardbred yearling sale of 2027.

Restricted to Australian-bred yearlings, the sale will be open to vendors from across the country and is set to become the first Australian standardbred yearling sale of 2027.

Entries open on September 4 and close on Sunday, December 20.

APG has also confirmed that two further online sales will be conducted in April and June.

Meanwhile, Nutrien Standardbreds has released the dates for its extensive 2027 yearling sales series.

The Nutrien calendar begins in Melbourne on February 12, followed by Brisbane on February 21, Tasmania on February 27, Sydney on March 7, Perth on March 14 and Bathurst on March 21.

There is also a significant boost for graduates of the Bathurst sale.

Nutrien Standardbreds and the Bathurst Harness Racing Club have announced that the Bathurst Sales Graduate races will be split by sex, with a $40,000 event for fillies and a $40,000 race for colts and geldings.

Nutrien’s Mark Barton said the change was another step forward for a race series that has grown considerably since Nutrien became involved with the Bathurst sale.

“When we took over Bathurst, the sales race was worth $20,000. We increased it to $50,000 and now, by popular demand, we will conduct split-sex races worth $40,000 each,” Barton said.

The announcements provide breeders, vendors and buyers with plenty to consider as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 yearling sales season, while the increased Bathurst graduate offering provides another valuable incentive for buyers supporting the Nutrien sales program.