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Filly out of high-class producer tops first session at Magic Millions.
The final foal out of late high-class producer National Colour (National Assembly) made a big impression on day one of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on Monday after Bon Ho's Legend Racing went to $300,000 to secure the Arrowfield Stud consigned daughter of their four-time champion stallion Snitzel (Redoute's Choice).
Catalogued as Lot 1276, the filly is from one of the most famous families in South Africa, with her mother National Colour a dual Grade 1 winner in the country, while her two three-quarters brothers Rafeef (Redoute's Choice) and Mustaaqeem (Redoute's Choice) also landed Grade 1s in the racing jurisdiction.
National Colour died at Arrowfield Stud in 2018 and she had for a long time been one the shining lights within their broodmare band, with her six yearlings to sell at publication auction making just shy of an extraordinary $5 million.
John Messara said the filly would have made nearly double that price if she had sold under normal circumstances.
"The Snitzel - National Colour filly has extraordinary residual value and the price is probably half what she might have achieved in normal conditions," said Messara.
National Colour herself is out of Listed winner Rainbow Cake (Mr Eats), the dam of eight winners, while this is also the family of Grade 2 winner Basadi Faith (Master Of My Fate).
Later on in the afternoon, Legend Racing handed Arrowfield Stud another good result when they snapped up a colt by their resident stallion Dundeel (High Chaparral) for $270,000.
Catalogued as Lot 1402, the two-time winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Aspen Summit, who is herself a sister to Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Irish Lights.
Irish Lights is the dam of Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Omei Sword (High Chaparral), who was also runner-up in the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
Meanwhile, under the colt's third dam is Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner La Italia (Stravinsky), Grade 2 winner Shadowbdancing (Montbrook) and Listed-winning Backatem (Notebook) and Running Bobcats (Running Stag) - the dam of Japanese Grade 1 winner Asia Express (Henny Hughes).
"For me, the Dundeel-Aspen Summit colt was the colt of the sale, he's a very, very good sort and I think his half-brother Solar Apex might add some gloss to the pedigree on Wednesday," said Messara.
At the close of trade on day of the yearling session of the National Sale, Arrowfield Stud were the leading vendor by both average (with three or more sold) and aggregate, selling all 15 of the lots they offered for an aggregate of $1,720,000 at an average of $114,667 and Messara said he was pleased with the days trade.
"We're happy to achieve these results in turbulent times and to sell all 15 of our yearlings here," said Messara. "That said, it's a better time to be buying than selling!
"Most importantly, all the horses we've sold here will get a great opportunity and we can now focus on the new racing and breeding season and our 2021 yearlings."