It's Time to Shine

ANZ Bloodstock News reports:

Million-dollar mares to light up the Gold Coast

Seven Group 1-winning fillies and mares, one who could set a new Australasian record price, and an array of potential elite level winners and producers of the next sales ring and racetrack stars of the future are expected to set the Gold Coast alight on Tuesday.

The opening race fillies and mares session of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, the southern hemisphere’s biggest on the calendar, could see records broken with the offering of ten-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) at approximately 4.30pm. 

Set to be sold in absentia, Te Akau’s brilliant mare is in New Zealand basking in the glory of her glittering race career that was brought to an end last month. 

There is justified optimism that Imperatriz can break the $5 million record for a mare sold in Australia.

“She’s probably the benchmark of mares to have ever been sold in Australia,” an excited although nervous Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said.

“Globally, she could be the best mare to go to market this year. She won ten Group 1s, one of the world’s best sprinters and one of the world’s best mares on ratings at this point in time. It’s seriously significant.” 

“It’s always a fantastic day and we’ve got to thank our vendors and the owners and syndicate managers of these horses for entrusting us with what I see as an extraordinary day of selling,” Bowditch said. 

“Each and every year it builds upon itself and to have some of the best race fillies of their generation here is very exciting.

“But in saying that there’s a lot of faith being put in us to get a result for these owners and what the day requires is great participation from the breeders of Australia.

“I think we realise a lot of these horses go through and this is the end of their careers for these people. 

“They want to sell them, they’re very realistic with their expectations and I think there will be great participation from the breeders and we expect the sale to attract global attention.”

The level of inspections being undertaken over the previous few days, before and during the weanling sale, indicated that the level of interest “will be really good for trade”, according to Bowditch.

“If you’re not here and you’re not participating and you look at the results at the close of trade, you’ll kick yourself for not doing your due diligence and getting involved on mares in the lower end, the middle end or the higher end of the market,” he said. 

“On type, I think it’s as good a collection of mares that you’d see in any one day and then you look at the race records and bloodlines of these horses, it gives people the opportunity to play at all levels.