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Powerhouse operation purchase three colt’s for $3.4 million at Inglis
Coolmore's Tom Magnier showed his faith in Kia Ora's product as he teamed up with various partners to purchase three colts on day two of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Scone-based nursery - the most expensive of the trio was a colt by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), whom he secured for $1.4 million.
Catalogued as Lot 253, the yearling is the third foal out of dual Group 1-winning Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago) mare Cosmic Endeavour, who has already produced a winner.
Cosmic Endeavour herself is out of Listed winner Crevette (Danehill), who is in turn out of Group 2 winner Twiglet (Twig Moss) - the dam of Japanese Grade 1-winning champion Fairy King Prawn (Danehill) and fellow elite level winner Easy Rocking (Barathea).
Crevette herself is also the grandam of Group 3 winner Anise (General Nediym) and Listed scorer Mrs Kipling (Exceed And Excel).
Being out of a Northern Meteor mare, the colt is bred on the same cross as talented filly Najmaty, who took her unbeaten record to two with an outstanding victory in the Redoute's Choice Stakes (Listed, 1100m) last weekend.
Kia Ora's farm manager Shane Wright told Racing & Sports Bloodstock the colt possessed all the qualities of a champion racehorse.
"The Coolmore team always picks the best colts in the sale and they don't miss any and he was one of the standouts," Wright said. "He really deserved that sort of price tag, he was the most beautiful looking colt. He had balance, he had elegance, quality and a very good walk.
He was just a lovely colt and had the constitution that champions are made of. He loved his work, he loved to eat and he was just a pleasure to have in the draft.
Cosmic Endeavour won seven races in her career headlined by victories in the 2016 Tattersalls Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m) and 2015 Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) and Wright said it was great to see such a brilliant racehorse produce top-line yearlings.
"The mare is a bit of queen herself, she is a lovely mare," he said. "She was a multiple Group 1 winner and now she is producing very good horses and it is a bit of a dream. It was a great result for clients of ours John and Judy Kelly, who raced the mare, so it's a great story for them.
Meanwhile, Magnier said the Coolmore team had seen the colt during the farm inspections and identified him as one of their top picks of the sale.
"We saw him back at Kia Ora a few weeks ago and really liked him and he is just one of the standouts of the sale - a lovely type," said Magnier.
"Chris Waller and his team loved him too. We have obviously had a lot of luck with I Am Invincible and he is a stallion that needs no introduction. We have had Silver Slipper Stakes winner Home Affairs and there are a couple of horses with Chris that are showing a bit of promise as well, so that gives you the confidence to come back to the well again."
Magnier said the Australian industry was in such great shape, but as a result you have to stretch further to get the headline colts.
"The way the industry is going here is fantastic," he said. "When you see what is going here with the market, it is very strong and you look around at the sales complex and you see that the top people are looking at this horse all week. But when the team really likes those sorts of colts it's hard not to go home without them.
"The sale is really strong and the whole Australian market is getting worldwide attention. The prize-money is so healthy, with 50 races worth over a $1 million, there is nowhere else in the world that this is happening and it is important that as an industry we keep this going.
"There is a buzz and the industry here is going from strength to strength and it is not happening anywhere else in the world. Full credit to everyone who is making it happen and long may it continue."
Later on in the afternoon, Magnier teamed with James Bester to hand Kia Ora yet another memorable result when they secured a colt by the now Arrowfield Stud-based sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia) for $1.1 million.
Catalogued as Lot 283, the colt is the sixth living foal out of Grade 2-winning Hennessy (Storm Cat) mare Dream Play, who has already proved herself to be top producer with her four winners headed by Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed and now Grenville Stud-based Zululand (Fastnet Rock), while she is also the dam of three-time winner Chicago Bull (Exceed And Excel) - who was placed at Group 3 level.
Dream Play herself is out of Listed winner Playcaller (Saratoga Six) - the dam of Grade 1 winner Diplomat Lady (Forestry), while she is also the grandam of Listed-winning duo Gangbuster (Langfuhr) and Dreamcall (Midnight Lute).
Dream Play was bred and raced in America, but was relocated to Australia when she was purchased for US$460,000 by James Bester at the 2009 edition of the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale.
Written Tycoon has enjoyed a phenomenal season on the track, including 159 winners this season, headlined by 12 stakes winners including Group 1-winning trio Ole Kirk, Odeum and Pippie and Wright said it was the right time to sell a top-quality colt by the stallion.
"He was a beautiful horse as well and had so much quality about him," said Wright. "He was a very different horse to the I Am Invincible, he was a little bit smaller than the I Am Invincible, but Written Tycoon can do no wrong this season.
"The mare herself has already thrown a couple of good ones, who have been knocking on the door, with the likes of Zululand and hopefully this colt is one who can get her over the line."
Over the two days of trade, Written Tycoon had 14 lots sell for an aggregate of $5,630,000 at an average of $402,143.
Coolmore's Magnier teamed up with Hermitage to purchase a colt by their resident sire So You Think (High Chaparral) for $900,000.
Wright described the colt as 'special' and said he caught a lot of peoples eye during the inspections.
"We were pleased with this result," said Wright. "When you go to the sale you never go there preempting big, big prices - you just want to parade them well and send them to good homes. But again it is always nice to see your horses go to the best trainers.
"This colt was pretty special; he had a swagger you can't describe and the way he moved was unreal. He was just a gorgeous horse and had the look of So You Think about him.
"At a sale every now and again you have a horse that when he walks out people walk past and ask: What number is that? And that probably happened about 100 times with this horse. He definitely wasn't going to get missed. We didn't have a huge reserve on him and just waited to see what someone would come up with - so it was a great result for everyone."
Catalogued as Lot 448, the colt is the third foal out of the winning Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare Nakataan, who is herself a half-sister to three-time Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed filly Fix (Iffraaj).
The colt's third dam is Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) winner Prophecy (Warning), who in turn produced 2013 Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Foreteller (Dansili) and Group 2 winner Modern Look (Zamindar) - the dam of Grade 3 scorer Grand Jete (Dansili).
Prophecy is also the dam of Listed winner Arabesque (Zafonic) - the dam of Group 2 winner and former Haunui Farm shuttler Showcasing (Oasis Dream) and Listed winner and successful sire Camacho (Danehill).
Further back this is also the same pedigree as Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Shutter Speed (Dansili) and Listed winner Major Jumbo (Zebedee).
