From Harness Racing to the Inglis Auction Floor

For someone who had very limited experience with horses growing up, Will Gardner has certainly made up for lost time.

Growing up in Wagga Wagga, his first real introduction to the racing industry came at around 14, when he undertook work experience with harness racing trainer Bernie Kelly. 

What began as a small taste of life around horses quickly developed into a genuine passion.

That interest followed him to Armidale, where he completed a Bachelor of Agriculture and Business. It was during university that a friendship with Charlie McAlpine would prove pivotal to his future career.

On leaving university, he called McAlpine to ask if there was an opportunity to work at Eureka Stud. He planned to stay for just two months. Instead, he stayed for two seasons.

“I have to give credit to the whole McAlpine family for my horse knowledge and experience, as without them I wouldn’t be here today,” he says.

His time at Eureka Stud opened another door, with Harry McAlpine and Will Johnson helping him secure a position in England with trainer Roger Varian. Two years in England provided invaluable international experience and reinforced his desire to build a career in the thoroughbred industry.

Returning to Australia, the next step was bloodstock and the Inglis Internship proved to be the perfect opportunity.

“I always had a desire to gain good experience in bloodstock and Inglis struck me as a leader in that field,” he says. 

“It was a great way to get  exposure to many great leaders within the industry whilst working alongside or observing the best breeders, agents and trainers in the industry. 

The internship delivered experiences few young people get the chance to witness, but one stands above the rest.

Standing on the auction floor as bids came in for the Pierro/Winx filly that ultimately sold for $10 million is a moment he will never forget.

“What an amazing experience. I have never heard an auditorium go so quiet.”

While the glamour of the auction ring is an obvious highlight, the internship also provide valuable insight into the less visible side of the bloodstock business.

“Inglis prides itself on providing an industry-leading standard of service to our clients and that requires total commitment to doing every job well. 

“When I started, I couldn’t believe the amount of research and analysis that is done by everybody on a daily basis, whether it is pedigrees, form, vendors, buyers – every plausible step is taken to allow us to offer the best possible service and that means a huge amount of time in front of the computer screen and on the phone.”

For someone whose original motivation for entering racing was simply being around horses, it was an important lesson: a career in bloodstock requires just as much analytical thinking as horsemanship.

He has continued to seek opportunities to maintain that connection with horses, reaching out to Tom Charlton and now regularly attending trackwork at Randwick when his schedule allows.

The value of the internship, however, extended well beyond the formal training. Working alongside people such as Chris Russell and James Price, inspecting horses with Craig ‘Boomer’ Rounsefell and spending time with the Mick Price/Michael Kent Jnr team provided exposure to some of the industry’s most respected operators.

And then there was one lesson from his early days as an intern that has stayed with him. Attention to detail.

Given a job by Sebastian early in his internship, the message was drilled into him and it remains front of mind today.

“It really resonates with the industry as a whole, whether that is breeding a mare, training a horse or putting together pitch documents for a sale. Attention to detail is critical in all facets of the game.”

Today, he is a full-time member of the Inglis Bloodstock team, working with vendors and buyers throughout the year across Inglis’ schedule of live and Digital sales.

During the sales season, much of his time is spent managing buyers and ensuring they have a positive Inglis experience. He has also recently begun auctioneering and is enjoying that opportunity as well as excelling at it, having auctioned the top-priced weanling at the Inglis Great Southern Sale in June.

“I was encouraged to give auctioneering a try and while it took a little while to get into a groove with it, there are incredible mentors at Inglis – Rusty, Brett, Jonathan D’Arcy, Angus – and there is a great system in place which allowed me to develop my skills in a controlled environment, which helped me to build my confidence with it.

Constant learning, constant development is another theme that consistently arises when chatting to Gardner.

“Being involved in Inglis allows you to experience all facets of the industry from breeding, racing, marketing, buying and selling.”

His advice to others looking to break into racing is simple: take the opportunity.

“You can’t underestimate taking on any opportunity that presents itself, be it data analysis in the office or hands-on work with the horses.”

He is also a strong advocate for travelling and working overseas, particularly in England, Ireland and America, where young people can gain experience while building an international network in an industry that is increasingly global.

For those looking for a first step into the auction ring, he points out that Inglis is regularly looking for bid-spotters, a role that can provide valuable exposure and potentially open the door to further opportunities.

For now, Will’s long-term ambitions are clear.

“I have always set out with the ambition to be the best at whatever career path I take. 

But my ultimate goal has always been to be involved in a G1 winner, whether that is purchasing the horse, training it or breeding it. Hopefully I have many!”.