Champion mare Imperatriz smashed the record sale price for an Australian broodmare as Yulong splashed a cool $6.6 million to land the 10-time group 1 winner at the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
Imperatriz wasn’t on the market until she reached the previous record of $5 million, set by Milanova in 2008, as Yulong went head-to-head with Coolmore for the world’s highest-rated mare and sprinter.
Imperatriz in full flight winning the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley last year. Credit: Racing Photos
Bidding opened at $4 million and stepped up in $250,000 increments until $6.5 million when a final online bid of $6.6 million from Zhijun Zhao, a friend of Yulong owner Yuesheng Zhang, did not have a reply.
“These are rare commodities,” Yulong boss Vin Cox said. “There are very few horses that win 10 group 1s. So she’s in the top half-dozen, certainly, the top 10 mares of all time. The Zenyattas, the Sunlines, and things like that come to mind, but she punches with there with them.”
Te Akau boss David Ellis described Imperatriz as the best horse he had ever raced, and that was reflected in the record price – which came on the back of Winx’s first filly fetching $10 million at the Inglis Easter Sale.
The price was further proof of the buoyant Australian thoroughbred market, with the sale grossing more than $50 million on its opening day. Cox believes Australian mares are now starting to bring their true value.
“I’ve always thought mares in Australia are undervalued compared to the Northern Hemisphere,” Cox said. “If you look at what elite mares can make in America or Europe, we’ve always been – in my view – about half price. Conversely, our stallions are probably valued more than they are in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Yulong also added TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning to the mix for its Everest slot, paying $2.5 million for her earlier in the day. There had been talk of a trip to Royal Ascot and perhaps a Tatts Tiara shot for Chain Of Lightning, but the Fighting Sun mare is likely to be spelled and race on.
“We will probably give her a break, and bring her back for the spring and see how she shapes up,” Cox said. “She has won a pretty big race in the TJ and usually those sprinters run well in the Everest.”