The sky-high prices SA mares Sunlight and Viddora fetched at the recent National Broodmare Sale highlight the current strength of the South Australian thoroughbred industry, Magic Millions says.
Former McEvoy stable star Sunlight set an all-time Magic Millions record when she sold for $4.2 million to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, while Viddora – prepared in SA by ex-local trainer Lloyd Kennewell – was purchased by Yulong for $2.55 million.
Magic Millions media manager Greg Irvine said the Gold Coast-based sale provided “some incredible results for horses with strong South Australian links”.
“The results of Sunlight and Viddora, as well as a number of others including Mirette (and) Blue Morpho… in the sale showed the respect the wider thoroughbred industry has for South Australian form,” Mr Irvine said.
“Everyone knows good stakes horses in Adelaide perform with distinction in other jurisdictions, including Melbourne, and the recent National Broodmare Sale results show this clearly.”
Triple Group 1-winner Sunlight’s price was the highest ever paid in the southern hemisphere for a race filly or mare straight off the track at auction, and Mr Irvine said the mare’s presence enabled the company to reach out to breeding farms around the world.
“Undoubtedly she is the best mare we’ve offered in my time with Magic Millions,” he said.
“It was especially satisfying for me as I’ve known her co-trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy for many years – I grew up in Ceduna, just down the road from McEvoy territory in Streaky Bay.
“To have the support of the connections, including Tony and Calvin and her female ownership group, was a great endorsement on what we do at Magic Millions.
“We sold Sunlight’s mother Solar Charged to her breeders a few years earlier and then sold Sunlight for $300,000 in the same sales ring as a yearling.
“It was wonderful to have Sunlight’s best two-legged friend, Sarah Rutten, to lead her champion through the ring and when the hammer fell at $4.2 million there were many tears and cheers.”
Meanwhile Mr Irvine described dual Group 1-winner Viddora as “a remarkable ambassador for the SA industry”.
“She was bred by the Hodgson family at Riva Ridge Stud and sold to Lloyd Kennewell at the Adelaide Yearling Sale,” he said.
“During most of her career she was trained from Morphettville and proved herself one of the finest sprinting mares of her generation.
“As a type they don’t come much better – Viddora is an absolute queen.
“When a mare has the race performance and the looks to match they prove very popular when offered at auction.
“She was purchased by Yulong for $2.55 million. (It was) a fitting result considering the package she provided – she’s in foal in her first season to leading international sire Lope de Vega.”
Held late last month, the National Broodmare Sale was widely regarded as an overwhelming success, given the current challenges faced by the COVID-19 crisis.
“So many people worked hard to bring it all together,” Mr Irvine said.
“Buyers, vendors and staff had to make extra sacrifices than usual. To be at the Gold Coast and to be able to have a live sale was essential for the industry.
“The National Broodmare Sale has proven itself again as the leading auction of its kind in the southern hemisphere and results like those achieved by Sunlight and Viddora prove it’s the only place… to market and sell a high-class mare off the track.”
