Snitzel Mares Stand Out At Magics

The Magic Millions National Broodmare sale once again returned figures comfortably up on last year during its second session on the Gold Coast on Wednesday. From a larger catalogue–572 offered thus far compared to 445 through day two 12 months ago-490 have been sold at a clearance rate of 86%, up slightly from 84%. The gross of A$78,283,000 has already surpassed last year's three-day Book 1 total of A$74,816,000. The average through the first two days is up 15% at A$159,761, while the median has climbed 12.5% to A$90,000.

Two mares reached seven figures on Wednesday to bring total millionaires at the sale so far to five, and both of Wednesday's millionaires were in foal to this season's leading and record-breaking sire Snitzel (Aus). The top lot of the day was Segenhoe Stud's The Party Stand (Aus) (Thorn Park {Aus}) (lot 941), who was picked up by BBA Ireland's Adrian Nicoll for A$1,100,000. The 10-year-old mare won the G1 New Zealand S. in her racetrack days and Nicoll is already plenty familiar with her progeny, having bought her stakes-placed daughter Petition (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}) as a yearling.

“She was the one we wanted all week,” Nicoll said. “She's a beautiful mare and she's in foal to the right horse. I bought Petition as a yearling so I know quite a lot about what she can produce. Petition was a A$560,000 yearling, quite an expensive filly by Foxwedge, and she's been very unlucky–she should have won a stakes by now and she will definitely win a stakes or group race next year.”

Segenhoe Stud offered The Party Stand on behalf of John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, best known as the breeder of the great Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and 2-year-old champion Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro).

The other seven-figure mare sold in foal to Snitzel, Comprende (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) (lot 1123), was secured by Widden Stud in partnership with David Lucas for A$1,050,000. The stakes-placed half-sister to a pair of group winners was sold by Willow Park Stud carrying her first foal.

“We're thrilled to have her,” said Widden's Antony Thompson. “She's a queen. Physically she's beautiful. She was a very high-priced yearling [A$440,000] when she sold. At that stage I Am Invincible hadn't emerged so her price was mostly on type. She was our number one physical pick of the sale and we're thrilled to have her.”

Wednesday's session also saw some smart returns for mares in foal to unproven sires. Darley's 3-year-old champion sprinter Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who was the highest averaging first-season sire at last week's National Weanling Sale, had a mare in-foal sell for A$950,000 on Wednesday. That was Breccia (NZ) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1078), and her appeal was no doubt driven by the fact that she is the dam of this year's G1 All Aged S. victor Tivaci (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Signing the ticket on the 10-year-old mare was New Zealand-based agent Dean Hawthorne.

“Her first foal is a Group 1 winner and a fast horse,” Hawthorne said. “She's a quality mare–a beautiful mare. The reports on the other foals coming along behind are good.”

Of the week's trade, he added, “It's been so strong this week and a number of mares have sold for around this price and they are unproven–whereas this mare's first foal is the Group 1 winner who's now gone to stud in New Zealand and he will get very well supported over there.”

The first mares in foal to Coolmore's G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) are being offered at this year's breeding stock sales, and he enjoyed a good result when Blueberry Hill (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) (lot 1075) commanded A$600,000 from Widden Stud. The 4-year-old Blueberry Hill, winner of the G2 Champagne Classic in Brisbane, was sold carrying her first foal.

Vancouver's sire Medaglia d'Oro also got his name high on the price list with an in-foal mare, Godolphin's Tremor (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) (lot 959), bought by Aquis Farm with Julian Blaxland's Blue Sky Bloodstock for A$820,000. The 4-year-old was a dual winner but her appeal stems largely from the fact that she is a half-sister to Godolphin's G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Earthquake (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). She is also a full to the stakes-winning Palomares (Aus) (Commands {Aus}).

Another Group 1 producer sold on the day was Bubble Below (Aus) (Hussonet) (lot 1086), whose Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) won Hong Kong's G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize after the catalogue was published. The 11-year-old mare, a half-sister to two stakes winners including the dam of this year's G2 Todman S. winner Gunnison (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}), was secured by E Thoroughbred for A$700,000. That price was matched later in the session by Widden's Fairy Star (Aus) (More Than Ready) (lot 1199), a stakes-placed mare in foal to Redoute's Choice (Aus) secured by Spendthrift Australia.

Wednesday's session saw the first offerings at the sale in foal to Frankel (GB) and Tapit go through the ring. A pair of mares in foal to Frankel realised A$460,000 and A$400,000 and were respectively bought by Rosemont Stud and Paul Willetts Bloodstock, while the well-related Etched (Ire) in foal to Frankel left the ring unsold at A$375,000. The highest-priced mare in foal to Tapit was the Grade III winner Best Behavior (Into Mischief), who fetched a half-million from Phoenix Investments. Phoenix agent David Lucas signed for another mare in foal to the American champion sire at A$180,000, while another sold for A$260,000 and another was unsold at A$200,000.

Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox reported upon conclusion of day two, “two days in and we're sitting at a gross just over A$78-million, which is very, very good. Last year we closed out [day two] at A$51-million. In fact, we're in front of the overall total of the three days last year already. The market is holding strong and the clearance rate is about 86% and with the big numbers we're selling everything is holding up.”