Yoshida finally lands his Group 1 Dame
Last season’s Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Ruthless Dame (Tavistock), the final mare to be offered in Tuesday’s stunning day of trade, was bought by Katsumi Yoshida of Japan’s Northern Farm.
Northern Farm representative Shingo Hashinoto confirmed that Ruthless Dame’s future was in Japan and in the breeding barn.
Hashinoto, who also attended the recent Chairman’s Sale, admitted to finding the competition tough to be able to secure the best-credentialled Australian-performed mares, a jurisdiction which has served Northern Farm well in the past.
““It has been very tough – a very strong market. I was at the Chairman’s Sale – no luck. Today, up until this lot, no luck. It is great to get a good mare,” Hashinoto said.
“Australian mares have good speed and I think that is required now. Mosheen, Yankee Rose, they have all been doing well.
“Hopefully she can do well in Japan as well.”
Sold through her trainer Ciaron Maher’s Gold Coast draft draft, supplementary entry Ruthless Dame also won a VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at two and attained further black type with placings in the Manfred Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Emancipation (Gr 2, 1500m).
Ruthless Dame, a winner of almost $1.3 million, was a NZ$90,000 purchase by Maher from the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. She is out of the stakes-placed Ruthless Lady (Keeper), who in turn is a half-sister to stakes winners Oracy (Zabeel), The Lady (Stravinsky) and Lady Maroal (Power).
The top end of the market helped push the average of $309,731 up two per cent year on year while the median climbed $10,000 to $120,000. The clearance rate was 84 per cent.
Magic Millions’ Bowditch reflected on the participation of the international buyers in the Australian market.
“They are coming back now and there has to be a lot of confidence in the Australian industry,” he said.
“When you opened the catalogue a couple of weeks ago, you hoped it would be pretty good provided the market held up.
“They’re not just horses on a racetrack, they’re investments knowing you can come back here.
“I go to America each year and the product is still cheap here. There is value to be found and the international players that aren’t here need to pay more attention.”
The first of two mares-in-foal sessions will start at 10am on Wednesday.
Sale Snippets
Lot 566
Name: Ulanova (Santos)
Price: $1.2 million
Buyer: Andrew Williams Bloodstock
Vendor: Sledmere Stud
“We’ll get her home and assess. She’ll go to a proven stallion. It is a bit of a partnership situation with few new partners coming into her,” Williams said. “She’s beautiful mare. She’s got plenty of quality. Lovely scope and she’s got the runs on the board from a big family as well. As a granddaughter of I Am Invincible, so all-in-all we’re happy with that.”
Lot 586
Name: Wootton Bassett-Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) yearling filly
Price: $1 million
Buyer: Mt Brilliant Farm
Vendor: Element Hill
“We came out to specifically look at some of these race mares and it led to Gai [Waterhouse] to convince us to buy a yearling at a broodmare sale while she’s in the Atlantic Ocean,” Mt Brilliant Farm’s Hutton Goodman said of the half-sister to Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro). “But we loved the filly, she’s got a beautiful pedigree and Wootton Bassett couldn’t be any better, so we’re thrilled.” Clint Donovan had the honour of auctioning the filly, just as he did when bringing down the gavel when Golden Sixty was sold at Magic Millions as a yearling.
Lot 483
Name: Life Lessons
Price: $1 million
Buyer: Zhijun Zhao
Vendor: Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld (As Agent for Ramsey Pastoral Pty Ltd)
“Stuey’s [Ramsey] one of the great guys of the industry, he’s a very good breeder and races a lot of good horses,” said Vin Cox. “He puts a lot of time and effort into it and get his just rewards. She’s won a very good race at Flemington, she’s also Group 1-performed and it’s a good, solid Australian colonial family. The prospect of getting nice foals out of her and good racing stock is very good as well.”
Lot 540
Name: Sicilian (I Am Invincible)
Price: $900,000
Buyer: Widden Stud
Vendor: Newgate Consignment
“We bought her in partnership with Steve Bacon and Murray Murdoch, who actually raced her, in the Valerie Syndicate, so obviously they’ve had a huge thrill selling Platinum Jubilee,” Widden’s Antony Thompson said. “This was a filly that we loved on physical and we thought she’d be ideal for Zoustar. Steve and Murray were very keen to stay involved, so they’ve increased their stake along with some other clients of ours who have come in.”