World record for digital platform as Spanish sells
Three-time Group 2 winner Spanish Whisper (Lope De Vega) yesterday became the highest-priced thoroughbred to ever sell through a digital-only platform when her breeders Daniel Nakhle and Darren Brady fought off significant international interest to buy out their fellow shareholders for AUD$1,202,500 through Gavelhouse Plus.
“We’ve bred and raced her, fallen in love with her and I have a big grin on my face from having been able to secure her tonight,” Nakhle said.
“We looked around the international market for mares with similar credentials and at the price I think we’ve got great value.
“Darren and I have invested heavily in the family with an outstanding half-sister by Savabeel on the ground and her dam going back to Savabeel, we now just need to do some homework and choose a stallion in Australia for her to visit before she comes home to New Zealand.”
Nakhle and Brady raced Spanish Whisper in New Zealand as a two-year-old, with the filly winning the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and placing in the Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
Joined in the ownership by Darren Thomas under his Seymour Bloodstock banner, the filly crossed the Tasman and joined the Lindsay Park Racing team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
Placing behind Group 1 winner Mystic Journey (Needs Further) in her first preparation in Melbourne, she returned strongly to take the Kewney Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) as a late three-year-old.
The Flemington 1400 metres was where she would again strike success as a four-year-old, taking the Let’s Elope Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) in September last year. She retired last month as the winner of four of her 23 starts, earning AUD$469,213.
“We have really enjoyed racing her with Darren and the Lindsay Park team and now share in the ownership of others with them so we can still look forward to cheering on runners in the Seymour Bloodstock colours,” Nakhle said.
“I know it’s a lot of money but I honestly think she is better bought than sold at that, I hope the boys consider my favourite Danehill line horse Merchant Navy as a potential mate,” commented Thomas.
“I reckon Pilko [Mark Pilkington] and I would be stitched on buyers of the resultant progeny if offered in the 2023 Karaka Sale.”
The Spanish Whisper price tag eclipsed the previous record of NZ$670,000 (AUD$625,000) set by New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) heroine Hasahalo (Savabeel) through the same platform in March, while it was also bigger than the $1.14 million reserve on Pan Sutong-owned mare Spinning Memories (Arcano) through the Magic Millions digital platform earlier this year; she was passed in for $1.135 million.
A 25 per cent share of Ebor Handicap (1m 6f) winner Mustajeer (Medicean) was sold for AUD$320,000 through Inglis Digital in October last year, placing a value of $1.28 million on the eight-year-old, who contests tomorrow’s Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m).
However, in terms of full ownership, Spanish Whisper now sets the bar globally.
“The feedback on her as a type was very bullish and she was easy to recommend so it was no surprise to have clients bidding from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Europe as well as New Zealand,” gavelhouse.com general manager Haylie Martin said.
“This was certainly the fairest approach in terms of transitioning the ownership from the racing into the breeding phase of her career and obviously the safest with her being able to stay in the paddock at Newhaven Park.”
Spanish Whisper hails from the family of Group 1 performer Glowlamp (Encosta De Lago) and honest stayer Offenbach (Danehill), as well as Europe’s 2002 Horse of the Year Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill).