A Stratum half sister to champion New Zealand juvenile Anabandana has topped the first session of the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale on the Gold Coast.
The filly, catalogued as lot 175, was consigned by Reavill Farm and purchased by New Zealand’s Whakanui Stud for $220,000.
“She’s a beautiful filly,” Whakanui’s Tim Bodle said. “She had the looks as well as a great pedigree.”
“She’s closely related to two exceptional fillies (Anabandana and King’s Rose) in New Zealand – both those fillies will be racing in Australia in the spring and hopefully some nice Australian form will come through for them.”
“We will retain the filly to race and then eventually she will join our broodmare band – she won’t be going through the sales as a yearling,” Bodle added.
The Stratum filly was boosted in the lead up to the National Sale when her two-year-old half sister Anabandana won back to back Group One races in New Zealand – the Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie and the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Manawatu.
The top priced filly is the seventh live foal of the regally related and top producing Nureyev mare Great Notice.
As well as Anabandana, Great Notice is the dam of the stakes winning juvenile Gybe and three other winners.
Her sire Stratum, a former Magic Millions graduate and Golden Slipper winner, was last season’s champion first season sire. His star performer to date is the Slipper winner Crystal Lily.
All up today $3.275 million was traded on 146 weanlings at an average price of over $22,400 – the clearance rate was 69 per cent – but this will certainly rise with post auction sales set to take place overnight and into tomorrow.
A select group of other weanlings sold well with other six figure sellers by sires including Commands, Duke of Marmalade, Fastnet Rock and High Chaparral.
Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said the sale figures for today were in line with other auctions held in the region in the past 6 months.
“It is a tough market at the moment and today was no different,” Cox reported.
“There are a number of factors that are in play – including the economy and the high Australian dollar, which is limiting the spend as well as keeping down the numbers of international visitors.”
“Most vendors met the market on a tough day and those who supported the sale with quality individuals were rewarded.”
“Buyers at the sale today got some great value and I’m certain they will look back on this sale and be thankful they were here.”
The second session of the auction will be held at the Gold Coast Sales Complex from 10am (Qld time) tomorrow.
“There are some great prospects to go under the hammer and we’re hoping competition on these lots will enhance today’s figures,” Cox summed up.
SESSION ONE TOP SELLERS
$220,000 – Stratum-Great Notice filly
Vendor: Reavill Farm / Buyer: Whakanui Stud (NZ)
$145,000 – Fastnet Rock-Bellevue Lady colt
Newgate Farm (As Agent) / Tim Stewart & Associates (Vic)
$130,000 – Commands-Satnav filly
Cornerstone Stud (As Agent) / David Hayes Racing (Vic)
$120,000 – High Chaparral-Stella Doro filly
Range Park / Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock (Vic)
$100,000 – Duke of Marmalade-Dressed to Impress colt
Reavill Farm / Dermot Farrington (Ireland)
SESSION ONE STATISTICS
(2010 in brackets)
Lots Sold: 130 (209)
Sale Aggregate: $3,275,000 ($7,743,500)
Average Price: $22,432 ($37,050)
Top Price: $220,000 ($300,000)
Lots Withdrawn: 48 (26)
Lots Passed: 67 (27)
Lots Catalogued: 240 (264)
Sold %: 69 (88)
