by Rob Burnet, Thoroughbrednews.com.au
The third and final session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale at Bundall Friday was a feast in three parts for buyers, with the main session humming along at a brisk pace followed by two serious supplementary offerings that saw 21 lots sell for A$3.325 million and eight lots sell for A$3.575 million. In total, 527 lots were sold from 624 through the ring, grossing A$62,294,000. The average was only down by 8.9% at A$118,205 from last year's mark of A$129,756, which benefitted from the Teeley Assets dispersal. The number of lots to sell for A$500,000 or above stands at 24 and the overall clearance rate is 77.2%. The two supplementary sessions ended a remarkable three days of broodmare selling with new market levels established on the back of a vibrant Australian industry that continues to attract investment from virtually every racing and breeding jurisdiction in the world.
“It was a great way to close out the sale,” said Vin Cox, Magic Millions Managing Director. “It was unfortunate the circumstances that brought the second supplementary to us, but we were fortunate we were able to put the sale together for the Estate of Mr. Henry Cojuangco, where we grossed something like A$3.5 million over eight lots.
Added Cox, “The stats are not far off last year, the Teeley Dispersal year, and we have got a gross of over A$62 million which is just sensational. We are only about A$7 million off last year's turnover and our average of A$118,000 is only A$9,000 off last year's average. It has been a great sale.”
When it Rains….
The third session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale was topped by G1 Queen of the Turf S. heroine Amanpour (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) (lot 1410), as part of the second supplementary session. Amanpour and her entire family, including dam Newscaster (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}) (lot 1406), had only been entered for the National Broodmare Sale May 26. They arrived at the Gold Coast sale complex at 5:00 a.m. local time Thursday morning, after being literally loaded from their paddocks of consignor Gooree Park Stud at Mudgee in New South Wales.
Out of Newscaster, she is a half-sister to the stakes winner Turf Express (Aus) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Swing Dance (Aus) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) (lot 1407), the dam of Group 1-placed Street Rapper (Aus) (Street Boss) and stakes placed Swing Vote (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) (lot 1409).
The entire offering from Cojuangco's estate presented a unique opportunity for buyers, with Amanpour a jewel amongst a family that had been developed and held privately.
Bidding for Amanpour commenced at A$500,000, but even that lofty starting point was not enough to deter bids of A$100,000 to take the price to A$1.2 million. The real jostling started after A$1.4 million was reached, with A$25,000 bids taking the price through A$1.425 million, A$1.450 million and A$1.475 million. In the end, it was a duel between Anthony Mithen from Rosemont Stud located in the Barrabool Hills outside Geelong in Victoria, and Peter O'Brien, from Sedgenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley, on the phone, exchanging salvos.
It was Mithen who went to A$1.5 million on behalf of Rosemont Stud and Blue Sky Bloodstock, a price deemed sufficient by the assembled bidders, to secure the good-looking chestnut mare, who will return to the care of trainer Gai Waterhouse for a spell before reappearing at the racecourse.
“I thought it was enough to pay for her,” said Mithen. “We were pretty close to the knockout blow, but it was nice that we were the last one standing. She will spell now and stay with Gai and hopefully have a good spring racing in the red and white gatecrasher colours of Rosemont.”
Amanpour will likely visit Rosemond Stud resident stallion Starspangledbanner (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) upon her retirement from racing.
Newscaster, in foal to Smart Missile (Aus), was purchased by China Horse Club for A$525,000. Bloodstock agent Michael Wallace signed for Swing Dance for A$360,000. She is carrying a foal by American shuttler Congrats. Earlier on the day, Rosemont and Blue Sky Bloodstock warmed up for the main event, aquiring racing prospect Swing Sensation (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) (lot 1408), for A$330,000. Neil Jenkinson Bloodstock, from Queensland, signed for Swing Vote, who was presented in foal to Smart Missile as well, for A$360,000.
'Quality' Rises to the Top…
The main session of the day was topped by the Almavale Bloodstock-consigned Elusive Leone (Aus) (Elusive Quality) (lot 1152), out of the Lion Hunter (Aus) mare Leone Chiara (Aus), the dam of Australian champion Star Witness (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}) and MGSW Nostradamus (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro ). Back in foal to that Darley sire, Elusive Leone was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock for A$550,000.
First Round of Supplements in Demand…
The first supplementary catalogue was almost as vibrant as the latter, with strong bidding for (lot 1384), She's Got Gears (Aus) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and lot 1385, Sweet Sanette (SA) (Jallad).
She's Got Gears, out of the Encosta de Lago (Aus) mare Last Minute (Aus), is a stakes winner and twice Group 3-placed. She has already left her mark as a broodmare with the stakes-placed filly Outlaw Kate (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). Offered by Coolmore Stud in foal to stud resident Fastnet Rock (Aus), she was secured by bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington for A$700,000.
The South African-bred Sweet Sanette, by Jallad out of the National Assembly mare Scented Samantha (SAf), landed the G3 Sycamore Sprint S. in her native country and was third in Royal Ascot's G1 King's Stand S., as well as winning a stakes in Hong Kong during her racing days. She was also presented in foal to Fastnet Rock (Aus) by Coolmore Stud. Sweet Sanette attracted the attention of Damien Gabbedy, who signed for her through his Belmont Bloodstock Agency for A$875,000, after bidding commenced at A$150,000.
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