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Multiple Group-winning daughter of Lope De Vega catalogued for Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Group 2-winning mare Spanish Reef (Lope De Vega) has been retired and is the latest high-class entry for next month's Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
Trainer Ken Keys called time on the racing career of the daughter of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) following her 13th place finish in the Easter Cup (Gr 3, 2000m) at Caulfield on April 3 and she will now be offered by Fernrigg Farm on the Gold Coast in May.
The six-year-old daughter of former Patinack Farm shuttler Lope De Vega (Shamardal) won the 2018 Sunline Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) - a performance which saw her awarded a career high Timeform rating of 114.
Her other stakes wins came in the Schweppervescence Trophy (Gr 3, 1600m) in 2018 and 2019, while she was also victorious in the Ladies Day Vase (Gr 3, 1600m) in 2019, following up that win with a third place finish behind Melody Belle (Commands) in the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
Spanish Reef retires the winner of seven of her 42 starts, which saw her earn $889,400 in career prize-money.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch told Racing & Sports Bloodstock the mare offered breeders a unique and exciting opportunity.
"She is by one of the world's best credentialled sires in Lope De Vega," said Bowditch. "She is a complete outcross for breeders and she was incredibly well performed and really well handled by Ken Keys on the racetrack.
"A mare with her race record and pedigree will be sought after by plenty of people when she hits the ring in May."
The mare is out of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid (Kingmambo) mare Lemon Reef, whose other foal is also a winner.
Lemon Reef herself is out of Grade 3 winner and Group 1-placed mare Storm Dream (Catrail). Further back this is the family of Listed winner Foundation Spirit (Hernando) and Group 3-winning duo Nibbs Point (Sure Blade) and her son Border Arrow (Selkirk) who also finished third at Group 1 level on three occasions including the Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) and 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m).
Spanish Reef joins the likes of Group 1 winner Melody Belle (Commands) and fellow elite level winners Tofane (Ocean Park) and Bella Vella (Commands) set to be offered at the National Sale, which gets underway on May 25.
The catalogue is set to be released in the coming weeks and Bowditch is excited to be able to showcase the high-class entries to the world.
"The catalogue we have assembled is mouth-watering to be honest," said Bowditch. "The big stables, big owners and best breeders have supported the sale, like they have in recent years and again it is at the forefront of the breeding stock sales anywhere in the world.
"We are looking forward to releasing the catalogue in the coming weeks and letting everyone have a look at it and then marketing the sale to the world in the coming weeks as well.
"This year's catalogue has quality and quantity. The depth of the catalogue is great and there is a mare there for everyone. We have got mares in foal to all the right stallions and the breeders who after the young stock off the track, we have got a big number of first season or maiden mares in the offering.
"We are really looking forward to releasing the catalogue and letting everyone make their own decisions on what they think of it, but we think it is fantastic."
