Just as she did over and over again on the track, Te Akau was a 10-time group 1 winner Empire delivered impressive results in the sales round, breaking the Australian record for highest priced mare sold at auction on 28 May.
International heavyweights have vied for ownership of the world’s most highly rated sprinter and recently retired champion mare, with Zhijun Zhao a close friend of owner Yulong Zhang Yuesheng, worth A$6.6 million (US$4,387,713, A$1 = US$0.66) for the privilege of owning a 6-year-old child I am invincible The mare was sold in absentia at the Magic Millions National Stud Sale.
The record-breaking Imperatriz was among five mares sold for A$2 million or more in the Gold Coast gelding and mares session, fetching almost A$52 million.
Bidding on Imperatriz opened at A$4 million and gradually increased from $250,000 to A$6.5 million, with Coolmore Australia principal Tom Magnier holding the bid. Zhao responded to auctioneer Steve Davis’s urging by placing an online bid of A$6.6 million.
Apparently Imperatriz was heading to Victoria when Magnier hung up, ending a duel for a rare commodity in horses. It forced the Coolmore stable to be content with spending A$7.6 million on three prized fillies and mares earlier in the session due to Platinum JubileeHalf-brother to this year’s Golden Boot (G1) winner camel ladyperson secured for A$3.5 million (US$2,326,818).
There were three players bidding on Imperatriz over $6 million—Zhao, Magnier and the Arrowfield table that included Northern Farm representative Shingo Hashimoto. Zhao’s agent, Vin Cox, believes Imperatriz’s record puts her on a pedestal with some of the world’s greatest ever racing mares.
“There are very few horses that win 10 in group 1, so he’s in the top half a dozen,” Cox said. Definitely in the top 10 mares of all time. It has to be like that.” “Zenyattas, Sunlines and the like popped into my head and she jumped in there with them.”
The price of Imperatriz exceeded the 2008 record due to Milanova who bought Coolmore for A$5 million while she also broke Magic Millions’ own National Sale record of A$4.2 million for a champion sprinter Sunlightwho was acquired by Coolmore in 2020.
The experienced Cox, a former chief executive of Magic Millions, argues that the prices paid for Australasia’s top racehorses off the track are now on par with the Northern Hemisphere.
“I always thought Australian mares were undervalued compared to the Northern Hemisphere,” Cox said. “If you look at what elite mares can fetch in America or Europe, in my view we are always half the price. In contrast, our stallions may be priced higher than they are in the Northern Hemisphere.”
With his A$360,000 Magic Millions purchase in 2020 by Te Akau’s David Ellis, Imperatriz won 19 of 27 starts, emerging from a successful 2-year-old season to win the Levin Classic ( G1) and New Zealand Breeders’ Stakes (G1) at 3 years old, when she was trained by Jamie Richards.
But it wasn’t until she was four years old that Imperatriz really established herself, winning The Railway (G1), BCD Sprint (G1) and William Reid Stakes (G1) in her second start in Australia. This season, she had an undefeated spring, winning the AJ Moir Stakes (G1), Manikato (G1) and Champions Sprint (G1).
In the fall, in her final campaign, the Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz won the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) and the William Reid second. She beat the winner with a prize money of A$6,955,527.
Ellis and his wife, Karyn, hosted many prospective buyers who visited Te Akau Stud in New Zealand to inspect Imperatriz. Cox was one of them, enjoying Te Akau’s hospitality last week while keeping an eye on Imperatriz.
“She’s in the paddock at the farm right now,” said David Ellis, who sat nearby to watch the drama unfold. It was dark in Te Akau at this time.
“The young lady who took care of her was in the paddock, she had an iPad and was showing Imperatriz being sold. We have a photo of it so it’s actually quite priceless.”
Magic Millions CEO Barry Bowditch had a happy number after the sale of Imperatriz.
“We worked pretty hard to get her to sell,” Bowditch said. But it is very satisfying when it comes to fruition in the sales cycle.” “You have to make sure you dot your I’s and cross your T’s and share the journey with the ownership group. There have been three bidders at $6 million or more and it shows the desire for quality.”
Zhijun Zhao also purchased the recent TJ Smith Stakes (G1) winner Chain of lightning for A$2.5 million (US$1,662,012), and the mare’s new owner will almost certainly resist the temptation to campaign her in England. The striking gray mare will instead stay in Australia, and her new owners are considering focusing on the remainder of the Queensland Winter Festival rather than accepting an invitation to race at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting. price.
MT. Brilliant bought half for Golden Sixty
Mt. Ranch. Brilliant of Lexington, which has been an active international buyer for many years, contacted Element Hill Dispersal and paid A$1 million (US$664,805) for a home. Wootton Bassett eliminated from the 2-win group Twisted humor mare Gaudeamus. The five-year-old colt has been named Hong Kong Horse of the Year half to three times Sixty gold plus Rainbow Connection (AUS) is placed in group 3 and Igitur is bet (AUS).
Imperatriz sold for A$6.6 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broiler Show
Hutton Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm said: “We came to look specifically at some of these racing mares and that led Gai (Waterhouse) to persuade us to buy a yearling at a stud sale while she was in Atlantic”. “But we love her, she’s got a beautiful pedigree and Wootton Bassett couldn’t be any better, so we’re delighted.”
In total, 167 mares and mares were sold in the opening session for a total of A$51,725,000 (US$34,387,039), for an average of A$309,731 (US$205,911). and an average of A$120,000 (US$79,777). The clearance rate is 84%.
The Selling chicken breeds nationwide extended until May 30.
