Further proof, if any were needed, of the outstandingly healthy state of the Australian thoroughbred market was apparent to all at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling and Broodmare sales last week. Vendors are becoming increasingly comfortable in offering quality weanlings for sale, which is being reflected in prices which are up 70% on two years ago.
Twelve months ago Segenhoe Stud presented an outstanding filly at this sale, a Lonhro filly out of True Blonde, from the amazing family of Snippets. She was secured by JHB for $710,000 on behalf of Edmund and Belinda Bateman and is now under the care of Team Hawkes. This year JHB again came away with an outstanding foal on behalf of the Batemans, Lot 111, the colt by Medaglia d’Oro out of Starfish from Bob Scarborough’s Wood Nook Dispersal. Bob is the breeder of a plethora of Gr.1 winners, such as Final Card, Gallica, Gold Ace, Hit the Roof, Leica Guv, Light Fantastic, Marble Halls, Sleek Chassis and Stella Cadente, so it was no surprise to see their offerings in high demand. This was a colt who was, physically, of the very highest order, and with a pedigree to match. He is a half-brother to Gr.2 placed two-year-old of this season Wolf Cry, as well as multiple city-winning mare Glenbawn Dame, who pleasingly gained her first stakes placing 6 days after this colt passed through the ring. The Bateman’s had also invested into Vancouver subsequent to his Breeders’ Plate win and before his brilliant Golden Slipper win, so Medaglia d’Oro is a sire they have already had success with.
The Kolivos family raced another Golden Slipper hero – Triple Crown winner Pierro and later sold him through JHB to Coolmore Stud as a stallion. It was, therefore, especially pleasing to see the stock of Pierro so well represented, selling for an average of over $190,000. A particularly impressive representative of his stock was the colt out of Walk Alone lot 216, secured by JHB on behalf of the Kolivos family for $280,000. This colt is a half-brother to the tough and consistent city performer You’ll Never, who went on to gain another city win 5 days after this colt passed through the ring. Walk Alone was a 5-time winner in Sydney herself, including at stakes level, and a half-sister to the dam of Rain Affair – so there is plenty of tough, sprinting blood in this colt.
With this sale following a buoyant yearling season, and aforementioned gains in weanling prices, it necessarily follows that the mare market will be similarly strong, as so it proved. In a market so strong it proved to be a waiting game, sticking true to principles of putting the right prices on quality stock, and not getting carried away in the heat of battle! In that respect we drew a blank in terms of purchasing on day 1, but it was incredibly pleasing to see a JHB yearling purchase leading the way. Sweet Idea was purchased with Gai Waterhouse for $240,000 as a yearling, and, beautifully handled by Gai, she’s gone on to win numerous Group races, including the Gr.1 Galaxy, placed in the Gr.1 Golden Slipper in an exemplary career which saw her return ten times her purchase price in prizemoney. It was one of her part-owners Nick Vass who came away successful in the bidding, giving $1,600,000 to call her completely his own. She will have every chance of proving her worth in the breeding shed – best of luck to Nick and Amy with this magnificent mare.
Days two and three bought a bit more luck on the purchasing front, with JHB coming away with a total of ten mares for six different breeders. The mares purchased are listed below
Lot 746 – Mabkhara, winning Anabaa mare out of a half-sister to Gr.1 winner Rewaaya, bought in foal to Sebring for $90,000
Lot 767 – Melrose Place, winner of the Listed Gucci Stakes at the Flemington Carnival, and bought in foal to Shamus Award for $140,000
Lot 816 – Nutkin, a sister to US Gr.1 winner El Brujo, and from a highly-productive US family, bought in foal to Snitzel for $325,000
Lot 826 – Our Pride and Joy, in conjunction with Michael Wallace acting on behalf of the China Horse Club. She is a winning half-sister to the top-class Criterion, from one of the most productive families of recent seasons, and bought in foal to Redoute’s Choice for $675,000
Lot 886 – Sagrada, a 1000m winning half-sister to stakes winner Lucha Libre, out of a half-sister to Gr.1 winner Ensign Ewart bought in foal to Smart Missile for $55,000
Lot 932 – Successful Lass, another 1000m winner, and half-sister to very smart Gr.3 winning 2YO Squamosa, bought in foal to Mossman for $90,000
Lot 1089 – Cheeky Nature, a half-sister to US Stakes winner Dover Dere, out of a half-sister to Champion European Sprinter Committed, bought in foal to Sizzling for $30,000
Lot 1116 – Crystal River, a 2YO-winning half-sister to Hong Kong and Dubai Gr.1 winning sprinter Amber Sky, out of Gr.2 winner Truly Wicked, bought in foal to Zoustar for $120,000
Lot 1152 – Elusive Leone – a winning half-sister to Champion 3YO Star Witness and very smart sprinter Nostradamus, bought in foal to Nostradamus’ sire Medaglia d’Oro for $550,000
Lot 1211 – Greytfilly – a 2YO winner and placed in a Slipper lead up, the Gr.3 Sweet Embrace Stakes. Out of a half-sister to Gr.3 winner Face Value and bought in foal to Denman for $170,000