Ever since the catalog for the Tattersalls December Mare Sale was released, those in the orbit of the stallion world have been asking the same two questions: How much does it cost? Alcohol free do, and who will buy her?
Just before 6pm on November 29 during the Second Scepter Trading, the answer was revealed when Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, sitting next to Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments, placed a bid of 5,400,000gns ($6,781. 077) in front of a terrified Park Paddocks auditorium.
Coolmore’s MV Magnier, standing in the middle of a crowd in a crowded aisle, takes on the role of the low bidder as the daughter of No Now Never became the second most expensive Thoroughbred ever sold at auction in Europe.
“I think there are 87 races in Australia that are worth over a million dollars, so the prize money on offer there is huge, and she’s the dirty type. She won the July Cup out of six. race, then she stays a mile too, so there’s going to be a lot of options for her. Let’s play fair with (coach) Andrew Balding and the guys, they did a great job with her. that.”
Buyers also indicated that Alcohol Free may be covered by a warranty Frankel after a campaign in the Southern Hemisphere.
Of his seven-figure value, Donohoe added: “It’s impossible to value those blue-chip fillings off the track, they’re collector’s items because they don’t appear often on the market. like the Picasso paintings, they’re a rarity. I’ve got a number in mind and I’m bidding pretty hard, so that could mean I have some gas left in the tank!”
Alcohol Free has run 15 times for Balding and owner Jeff Smith, winning six races and four group 1 races. Her top-level run began at age 2 when she won the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes. (G1). She returned at 3 years old to take over the Coronation Stock (G1), which she defeated snow lantern and then Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) when she got poetic flame a length and three quarters in debt.
Alcohol Free wins Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes 2020 at Newmarket
She was sent back to the sprints on her 4-year-old campaign and was rewarded for her relationship audacity by winning the Darley July Cup Stakes (G1) a mile and a half ago. navy crown . That hard work in her career earned her the highest official rating of 119, an identical score to Marsha who still holds the title of the most expensive purebred breed sold in Europe with Coolmore’s Magnier price of 6,000,000 gns at the December 2017 Sale.
The girl’s former owner, David Bowe, said: ‘It’s time for someone else to come with her and she’ll make a good foundation.
“It’s a matter of time; if it had been five years ago, she would never have been in the ring and we would have outdone her on our own, but that’s the end of a great journey. I don’t. I can’t thank everyone enough, from the Gaffneys who raised her, everyone at Park House Stables, the boys at home on the ranch and everyone who has ridden her, it was amazing. .”
Alcohol Free’s second appearance in the public auction was much more effective than the first, when she was purchased by Bowe as a 10-month-old pony for €40,000 ($45,820) at Goffs last year. 2018.
Of the experience of seeing Alcohol Free for sale, Bowe said: “It was absolutely phenomenal. From my perspective, I couldn’t believe it was so emotional. It just goes to show that everyone in the area sold it. products, regardless of sales region”. , trying to do the same thing. And it happens sometimes, and when it happens to people like us, it’s absolutely phenomenal. That shows if you keep plugging in the input, it can happen.
“Jeff isn’t here, he wants to be, but it’s all on him, he’s the one who let us go ahead and buy her (as a pony) and let Andrew Balding train her Jeff is watching online but he says to himself, his being here won’t make a difference to her price.It’s a beautiful end to our chapter and I hope she will. continues to be a great foundation mother.”
Spin hard mare Plying, who topped Goffs’ November Livestock Sale last year when it was acquired by BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments for €825,000 ($938,319). Plying produced four winners, with Alcohol Free being the second black performer after the listed Prix le Fabuleux scorer. Alexander James .
Plying, who has won three races under the colors of Sheikh Mohammed, is half-sister to the winner of Flying Childers Stakes kiss lamp. She left the Darley group for just €12,000 ($16,446) at Arqana in 2013 when signed by BBA Ireland.
Result day 2
BBA Ireland was the top buyer on Day 2 with total sales of $13,808,281 and an average of $863,018 from 16 purchases. Coming in second is Godolphin, which purchased three horses for a total of $5,682,291 and an average of $1,894,097. The top shipper was The Castlebridge Consignment with 17 of the 18 horses offered for sale, bringing in a total of $11,100,873 and an average of $652,993.
