Top-class mare Atishu to end Go Racing’s ride at the Gold Coast
Magic Millions secures dual Group 1-winning Savabeel mare for National Broodmare Sale
Go Racing’s dual Group 1-winning mare Atishu (Savabeel) is expected to be one of the most expensive mares to be sold in the southern hemisphere this year and command interest from prominent breeders from around the world when her extensive trans-Tasman racing career comes to an end.
The $4 million earner and winner of the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and the ATC Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) is the first mare to be confirmed by Magic Millions for its premier opening race fillies and mares session scheduled for May 28, the first of three days of the National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
She’s just getting better with age, but it’s a bit nerve-wracking at the same time with some big races coming up and the sale as well
Initially trained by Stephen Marsh in New Zealand, winning four races in a row including her last two at Listed level, Go Racing’s Albert Bosma and Matt Allnutt transferred her to Chris Waller in mid-2021 to continue her racing career.
She has since won another six races, five at Group level, and took out the Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at her most recent start on March 2 as a lead-in to next week’s Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington.
“We had a yarn to Chris a while ago, and he doesn’t give much away, but just based on his comments it almost sounds like she’s come up as good, if not better than ever,” Allnutt told ANZ Bloodstock News on Thursday.
“Her last win was very comfortable and she’s flying in her trackwork, she trialled really nicely earlier this week.
“She’s just getting better with age, but it’s a bit nerve-wracking at the same time with some big races coming up and the sale as well.
“But we couldn’t be happier with the way she’s tracking, that’s for sure.”
Purchased from Waikato Stud’s 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale draft for NZ$260,000, Atishu is one of four winners, and a sister to Group 3 winner Mazzolino, out of Posy (No Excuse Needed), herself a sister to three-time Group 1-winning mare Daffodil.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said: “There’s still racing upside in her, but I think the time’s right as a six-year-old mare to go to stud. She’s won almost $4 million and ten races and at the pinnacle, she’s accomplished a fair bit on the racetrack.”
“Obviously, Savabeel’s an outstanding sire and he was always going to be a good broodmare sire as well with the Zabeel line, the Success Express line, which is so potent in this part of the world when it comes to strong female lines.
“That line is so potent when it comes to the strong female lines in this part of the world, and she is also from one of those great Waikato pedigrees that continues to be fostered and continues to have upside.
It’s a cliche, but she ticks all the boxes and she’ll be one of the highest-priced mares to sell this year in this part of the world
“She’s a quality mare, she’s good looking, she’s done it on the racetrack. It’s a cliche, but she ticks all the boxes and she’ll be one of the highest-priced mares to sell this year in this part of the world.”
In the face of increasing competition from rival Inglis and its Chairman’s Sale targeting elite breeding prospects, Magic Millions has remained deliberately quiet about what attention-grabbing mares it will be auctioning at its own showpiece sale in 2024.
However, Bowditch said the company will be revealing more high-profile race fillies and pregnant mares to be catalogued in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited with the way it’s coming together,” he said.
“The catalogue in my mind can do the talking and all will be revealed in time. We’ll roll a few more out as time goes on.”
Go Racing has previously sold Group 1-winning two-year-old Ruud Awakening (Bernardini) ($675,000), Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winning colt Ozzmosis’s (Zoustar) dam No More Tears (Darci Brahma) ($550,000) and Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m) winner Ruud Not Too (Bernardini) ($500,000) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
“We were in serious conversations with Inglis as well, but because of the rapport we’ve got with Magic Millions – and it was a tough decision to make – we decided to go with the company that we’ve had a good record with,” Allnutt said.
“You’d have to say she’s at the peak of her value now. We’re getting daily phone calls from the syndicate, ‘I don’t know if we should sell, I don’t know what to do’.
“It’s becoming a real topic of conversation, to put it that way, but we’ll do the best by her and also the syndicate to get a big payday at the end of her career.”
Atishu carries entries for the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), the Queen Of The Turf and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).