Barry Bowditch | Horse Racing Free Tips

Coolmore Australia Secures Strawberry Hill Stud

by Kristen Manning/TTR AusNZ

One of Australia's finest equine properties, Strawberry Hill Stud, is set to continue its role as an industry leader with the famed thoroughbred nursery purchased by Coolmore Australia for an undisclosed amount.

And they are very pleased to have done so with Tom Magnier telling The Thoroughbred Report, “You just don't see places like that anywhere in the world go on the market.”

“The facilities are top class, everything has been done to the highest of standards,” he said, adding that not much needs to be done at the Mount White farm–“It is already at a Coolmore standard!

“It is all down to John's passion, there is no farm like it in Australia–it is just an unbelievable property, and one with such great proximity to Sydney.”

Ideally located just 58km north of Sydney, Strawberry Hill was named in honour of Singleton's great galloper Strawberry Road (Aus) (Whiskey Road).

A horse who so famously travelled the world, adding to his four local Group 1 victories (the 1983 WS Cox Plate, the 1983 AJC Derby, the 1983 Queensland Derby and the 1983 Rosehill Guineas) another two overseas–the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany and the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France.

“The first time we saw the farm we knew we had to have it,” Magnier said, adding that whilst exact plans are still being formulated for its use alongside Coolmore's current properties, it is likely that “by the end of this spring carnival we will have horses spelling there.”

A Historic Property

Magnier is not only excited to see Strawberry Hill become part of the Coolmore Australia story due to the advantages of the farm but also because of its history.

“It is a huge thing for Coolmore to be able to continue the legacy that John has built. It is a historic property that has the famous results on the board… it is truly one of the most iconic properties in Australia.”

One that has been built up over the decades with Tom respectful of the “time, effort and passion that John and his family have put into this farm.”

“It takes decades to develop a farm to this standard and the attention to detail was something we noticed from the minute we drove in,” he said.

Looking forward to the farm becoming “a world-class spelling farm for the best horses,” Magnier said that Coolmore had “searched for a long time to find the right place and it is a huge thrill to end up with Strawberry Hill.”

Singleton's Legacy Lives On

Singleton dispersed his considerable thoroughbred assets via a Magic Millions sale in late August, one which saw the likes of Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, the China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Go Bloodstock, Trilogy Racing, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing, Kestrel Racing, Highway Farm (Yulong), Kingstar Farm and Kia Ora Stud secure quality bloodstock.

The sale saw 55 lots sell at a gross of A$15.497 million with the top-priced seller being the regally bred G2 Tea Rose S. winner Miss Fabulass (Aus) (Frankel {GB}), a daughter of the Australian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Samantha Miss (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) who was knocked down for A$1.85 million to Highway Farm (Yulong).

Magic Millions' Managing Director Barry Bowditch is happy at the outcome, noting that “one of the most successful thoroughbred breeding and racing operations globally, Coolmore identified from first inspection that this property was world-class and that it was an opportunity not to be missed.”

“It is a fantastic outcome,” Bowditch said.

And Clint Donovan, Director of Donovan & Co, agreed.

“It has been a pleasure representing John Singleton and the Singleton Group in facilitating this substantial transaction in partnership with Magic Millions,” he said.

“Strawberry Hill Stud is the pinnacle of equine farms of its size nationwide–the love, heart and soul poured into the farm by John over a number of years was clearly evident to all that visited this magical property.

“The result of the Coolmore Australia purchase is a fitting next chapter for this incredible piece of the country.”

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Kiku Brings A$1.46 Million At Magic Millions From Katsumi Yoshida

Group 2 winner Kiku (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) brought A$1.46 million from Katsumi Yoshida in a special standalone auction hosted by Magic Millions on Thursday. Consigned by Brett Howard's Glenesk Thoroughbreds as agent for Star Thoroughbreds, the 6-year-old was offered unreserved as a broodmare prospect.

“Magic Millions handled an unusually difficult situation very professionally and it worked out extremely well,” Star Thoroughbreds' Denise Martin told The Thoroughbred Report of the technical difficulties that cropped up in the last few minutes of the proceedings.

“We're elated the mare has been bought by Mr. Yoshida and I'm sure she will be very well mated here in Australia initially. I thank those involved from Jon Freyer to Mr. Yoshida, the price was wonderful.”

Bred by Frank Meduri, Kiku is a full-sister to G1 Newmarket H. hero Zoutori (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}), and was an A$300,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling when picked up by Star Thoroughbreds from the consignment of Amarina Farm. She raced for an ownership group that included Nick Vass Bloodstock and Bangaloe Stud.

“I always said to Denise that she should be making north of $1 million, but where she settled after that, I wasn't sure, it was always going to be for the market to determine,” Howard told The Thoroughbred Report.

“Mr. Yoshida has bought himself a beautiful mare. She's by one of the best stallions, has an outstanding pedigree and was a seriously good race mare. She's a good 16.2hh–she stands over ground and has a really lovely temperament. She's got that international pedigree and that may have made great appeal. Obviously, she's a sister to a Newmarket H. winner, but her grandam is by Sadler's Wells and she's a three-quarter sister in blood to New Approach (Ire) who was an outstanding racehorse and now sire.”

Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch thanked the connections of Kiku for the opportunity to offer her.

“Denise is such a wonderful friend of Magic Millions and we thank her and her syndicate of owners,” he said. “Obviously, we were disappointed that the system failed during the final minutes of the online auction and we must thank all the affected parties for their understanding.”

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Yulong Buys Forbidden Love For A$4.1 Million, Spends A$19 Million Total At Magics

Offered by Newgate Consignment, Forbidden Love (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) (lot 568) topped Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, selling to Yulong Stud for $4.1 million on a strong day of trade.

The three-time Group 1 winner was one of 35 mares snapped up by the racing and breeding entity, whose total spend was A$19,031,000 on Tuesday. Three other millionaires–there were nine during the first session overall–also made their way into the Yulong fold.

Dual top-level winner Snapdancer (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) (lot 645), from the Sullivan Bloodstock draft, was acquired for A$3.2 million, while lot 575, Isotope (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}), made A$2.3 million from the Eureka Stud consignment. Yankee Rose's daughter Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) landed her second Classic, the G1 Japanese Oaks, on Sunday. Rounding out the quartet of million-dollar mares for Yulong was Promise Of Success (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 620). The Rosemond Stud draftee won at Group 2 level in Australia, and Yulong shelled out A$1.35 million for the bay from the family of Urban Sea (Miswaki) et al.

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Q&A with Magic Millions’ Barry Bowditch

The scene is set for an electrifying 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, May 25-27. The appearance of record-breaking mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands (Aus) was announced earlier this year, and she will be joined by a host of other top-class mares and fillies. The sale will also feature the Shadwell Australia dispersal for mares and weanlings. TDN's Gary King caught up with Barry Bowditch before the action kicked off in Queensland.

GK: Congratulations on putting together such a strong catalogue. It must be an extremely exciting time on the Gold Coast.

BB: We are obviously thrilled with the catalogue we've put together. It's been built around the earlier announcement of the Shadwell Australia dispersal and we are delighted to offer those horses. It's a big two weeks for us here on the Gold Coast. There's a great buzz in Australian racing at the moment, and we are looking forward to the sale starting. (Click here to view the complete catalogue.)

GK: Melody Belle and Arcadia Queen (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) are obviously two standouts. You must be particularly pleased to have these two in the lineup?

BB: They are two bespoke opportunities for breeders all over the world. They are prospects that will suit any broodmare band, on any farm, and are truly elite. I'd say they are the two best mares that have gone to market in Australia in a long, long time and that's saying something.

Melody Belle is a 14-time Group 1 winner and both her and Arcadia Queen are champion mares. We are looking forward to having them here on the complex come Saturday, and we'd like to think they will create interest from all over the world.

GK: As you mentioned, Melody Belle is a 14-time Group 1 winner, which is pretty remarkable. She's the rarest of rare jewels.

BB: To New Zealanders, and here in Australia as well, she's something very, very special. She's got a phenomenal race record; an outstanding 2-year-old that trained on, 14 Group 1 wins, with dominant wins along the way. She's a great physical on top of all that, which makes her a collector's item. She will be very well sought-after and deservedly so.

GK: Australaisan mares have appeal all over the world. Do you expect international buyers to be active next week?

BB: You would expect the global attention on this sale should only go from strength to strength. When you have the likes of Coolmore buying mares like Believe'N'Succeed (Aus) [purchased for A$1.1 million in foal to Street Cry in 2014] that have thrown Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 Epsom Derby in 2019.

Stonestreet's Barbara Banke and John Moynihan have had huge success, firstly buying Miracles Of Life (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) going on to win a Group 1 after they bought her. And the likes of Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), who they took home, put in foal to Curlin, and got huge rewards with a $4.1 million yearling at Keeneland. That's something you can only dream of, and the ring here at the Gold Coast provides those opportunities.

We are marketing our catalogue all over the world as we think it deserves global attention. The selection we have put in place and the mares we have from top to bottom are fantastic. I think there are opportunities from global players all the way through.

GK: Apart from the headliners, could you highlight a few other mares that would have particular international interest?

BB: Taste of Heaven (Aus) as Lot 1369 in our supplementaries will create attention. She's a half-sister to Redoute's Choice (Aus) by Encosta de Lago (Aus), and she's already thrown a group winner in North America in Heavenly Curlin. She's in foal to I Am Invincible. She ticks every box you could possibly find. We sold her here as part of the Teeley Dispersal in 2014 and it will be great to have her back on the complex over the weekend.

Obviously, the Shadwell Australia dispersal will appeal as well. Qafila (Aus) as Lot 815 being a Not A Single Doubt (Aus) mare, with a big international pedigree. She's a Group 1 winner, a very good 2-year-old to go with it, and in foal to Dundeel (NZ). Those sort of mares demand international attention from all the big names. She's got a pedigree that will suit all the major breeders.

But we have mares all through the catalogue. The Australian product stands up all over the world and I would hate to be pinpointing particular mares. From Lot 501 when she walks into the ring through to the 1300s there's international appeal the whole way through.

GK: The Australian racing/breeding industry is the envy of the world in many respects. The local industry appears to be in rude health. Would you agree?

BB: The local market is very strong here at the moment, and the sales have been buoyant. It's an industry that has a great culture behind it. We have survived COVID quite well here in Australia. Racing and prize money indicators continue to grow, and engagement in the sport here is fantastic.

A lot of syndicators get involved at the yearling end which really drives up demand. The breeders have plenty of money in their pockets. So, you would expect the demand from the local industry should be there given the fact that they have had a fruitful year.

GK: You referenced the Shadwell dispersal a little earlier. It's extremely poignant but also offers breeders a remarkable opportunity. Could you reflect a little on the Shadwell's draft presented by Yarraman Park?

BB: The Shadwell dispersal is something that's very rare. You get one a decade as far as I'm concerned, and we are extremely pleased to have the horses here.

What Angus Gold has achieved on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan is extraordinary. The Magic Millions relationship with Sheikh Hamdan and the team at Shadwell will complete a full circle with their first Australian purchase, Group 1 Blue Diamond heroine Mahaasin (Aus) bought on the Gold Coast in 1989, all the way through to Qafila. The number of Blue Diamonds that they have won, and placed in, is something no one else has on their CV.

One thing you can be assured of is that when Angus Gold came out here to buy yearlings for Sheikh Hamdan, he did so with great diligence. He bought the very best physicals he could find, they were always very well-managed and very well-raised. Whether they be at Yarraman Park or in the Hayes stable, they were given every opportunity.

But it's the fruits that remain in the future, and the buyers of these horses are the ones that will be the winners. There's a lot of blue sky ahead of them.

You only have to look at the Shadwell-bred yearlings that sold earlier this year. They sold fantastically well, and have gone to all the good stables. You would expect the weanlings selling over the next few days will be bought by some outstanding judges, and the mares will be given every opportunity.

I think the job that Harry and Arthur Mitchell have done at Yarraman Park to get these horses up here, looking fantastic and perfectly presented should be acknowledged. They deserve to sell exceptionally well.

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