Cover image courtesy of Goffs
Australia’s leading mares
This year 33 million-dollar fillies or mares were offered at public auction in Australia. The highest priced of the year was the three-time Group 1 winner Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) who fetched $4.1 million at this year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale to the bid of Yulong Investments. She became the equal third highest-priced mare sold at public auction in Australia alongside Avantage (Fastnet Rock) with Milanova (Danehill {USA}) ($5 million) and Sunlight (Zoustar) ($4.2 million) the only other mares to fetch more. In a relatively open marketplace, the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale accounted for five of the 10 highest-priced mares while the Inglis Chairman’s Sale accounted for four and Strawberry Hill’s dispersal sale rounded out the leading division with their sale-topping Miss Fabulass (Frankel {GB}) ($1,850,000).
Gallery: Some of the top-selling mares in Australia in 2023
It was a successful edition of the Inglis Chairman's Sale with nine mares making in excess of a million dollars. Top race mares Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) and Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) attracted $3.6 million and $3.4 million respectively which blitzed last year’s sale-topper Shout The Bar’s (Not A Single Doubt) $2.7 million price-tag. Newgate Farm were the most successful vendor for the year having sold four of the 10 most expensive mares while Yulong Investments were the leading buyers having purchased half of the highly sought-after mares. Unsurprisingly, young mares with racing upside were the most sought-after with seven of the top 10 priced mares being maiden mares or mares with racing upside.
| Forbidden Love | Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Newgate | Yulong Investments | $4,100,000 |
| Sunshine In Paris | Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Newgate | James Harron Bloodstock | $3,900,000 |
| Nimalee | Inglis Chairman's Sale | Glenesk Thoroughbreds | Colm Santry Bloodstock/ Coolmore Australia | $3,600,000 |
| Montefilia | Inglis Chairman's Sale | Newgate | Yulong Investments | $3,400,000 |
| Snapdancer | Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Sullivan Bloodstock | Yulong Investments | $3,200,000 |
| Piping Hot | Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Milburn Creek | Tom Magnier | $3,000,000 |
| Isotope | Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Eureka Stud | Yulong Investments | $2,300,000 |
| Icebath | Inglis Chairman's Sale | Newgate | Yulong Investments | $2,300,000 |
| Miss Fabulass | Strawberry Hill Dispersal Sale | Strawberry Hill | Highway Farm (Yulong Investments) | $1,850,000 |
| Berimbau | Inglis Chairman's Sale | Bhima Thoroughbreds | Chatsworth Farm (Yulong Investments) | $1,800,000 |
Table: Ten highest-priced mares sold in Australia in 2023
America’s leading mares
Unsurprisingly, America’s breeding stock sales produced some remarkable results this year with 37 mares fetching at least US$1 million (AU$1.47 million). Marked as the world’s premier breeding stock event, Fasig-Tipton’s The November Sale accounted for all of the 10 highest-priced mares in 2023. The sale grossed over US$100,000,000 (AU$147 million) for the third consecutive year which featured elite racing and breeding prospects Goodnight Olive (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and Nest (USA) (Curlin {USA}) who fetched a whooping US$6 million (AU$8.8 million) respectively.
Gallery: The joint top-selling mares in America in 2023, images courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
The depth of purchasing power is considerably larger in America with seven individual buyers accounting for the 10 highest-priced mares. The leading purchaser was Gavin O’Connor who purchased three of the top 10 mares this year including Goodnight Olive, Queen Caroline (USA) (Blame {USA}) and Pizza Bianca (USA) (Fastnet Rock). Northern Farm’s Katsumi Yoshida was the only other buyer to purchase more than one of the 10 highest-priced mares.
The consignment market in America is especially competitive with six individual consigners represented by the highest-priced lots including Elite Agent who offered three of the 10 most expensive mares. The only other consignors to offer more than one high-priced lot was Hill 'n’ Dale who offered Faiza (USA) (Girvin {USA}) and Moira (Can) (Ghostzapper {USA}) who realised US$4 million (AU$5.9 million) and US$3 million (AU$4.4 million) respectively.
| Goodnight Olive | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Elite Agent | Gavin O'Connor agent for John Stewart | $6,000,000 | $8,880,000 |
| Nest | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Highgate Sales Agent II | Repole Stable | $6,000,000 | $8,880,000 |
| Sauterne | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds Agent | Narvick INTL/Grand Stud | $4,200,000 | $6,216,000 |
| Faiza | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Agent | Godolphin LLC | $4,000,000 | $5,920,000 |
| Search Results | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Elite Agent | Katsumi Yoshida | $3,600,000 | $5,328,000 |
| Wonder Wheel | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Taylor Made Sales Agency Agent For DJ Stable LLC Graduate | Katsumi Yoshida | $3,200,000 | $4,736,000 |
| Moira | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Agent | DM Racing Ventures | $3,000,000 | $4,440,000 |
| Queen Caroline | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services INC. Agent For South Gate Farm LLC | Gavin O'Connor agent for John Stewart | $3,000,000 | $4,440,000 |
| Pizza Bianca | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Elite Agent | Gavin O'Connor agent for John Stewart | $3,000,000 | $4,440,000 |
| Secret Oath | Fasig-Tipton The November Sale | Bluewater Sales LLC Agent VI | Spendthrift Farm LLC | $3,000,000 | $4,440,000 |
Table: Ten highest-priced mares sold in America in 2023
Europe’s leading mares
The resiliency of the bloodstock market in challenging economic times was well and truly testified at the European breeding stock sales this year. This year’s edition of the Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock sale was truly phenomenal with Group 1 winning siblings Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) selling for a record-equalling €6 million (AU$9.7 million) apiece to the bid of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier. Presented as part of the Niarchos family’s restructuring sale, the sisters were the highest-priced mares to be sold at public auction this year.
The Group 1 winner Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), offered in foal to Frankel (GB) became the third highest-priced mare ever sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale when realising 4.5 million gns (AU$8.8 million) to the bid of Juddmonte. The spread of the top 10 mares sold at auction in Europe is similar to America with the cheapest being 2.2 million gns (AUS$4.3 million) and most expensive being €6 million (AU$9.7 million).
Gallery: The joint top-selling mares in Europe in 2023, images courtesy of Goffs
The depth of both the European and American markets is emphasised in the fact that the cheapest (AU$4.3 million) of the 10 most expensive mares sold exceeds the highest-priced mare sold in Australia (AU$4.1 million) for the same period. Yet again the buying bench in the European market is extensive with seven individual buyers accounting for the top 10 fillies or mares sold by price.
Four of the 10 most expensive fillies and mares were offered at the Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock sale while five were offered at the traditionally strong Tattersalls December Mare Sale which produced its third-highest turnover for a day in European auction history this year (48,000,000 gns {AU$94 million}). Arqana’s Breeding Stock sale was a success with G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) smashing the sale record when fetching €4.025 million (AU$6.5 million) to the bid of Portofino Bloodstock.
| Alpine Star | Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock | Kiltinan Castle Stud | M.V. Magnier | € 6,000,000 | $9,720,000 |
| Alpha Centauri | Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock | Norelands | M.V. Magnier | € 6,000,000 | $9,720,000 |
| Teona | Tattersalls December Mare Sale | Barton Sales | Juddmonte | 4,500,000gns | $8,835,750 |
| Place Du Carrousel | Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale | Bouquetot | Portofino Bloodstock | € 4,025,000 | $6,520,500 |
| Albigna | Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock | Baroda Stud | M.V. Magnier | € 3,700,000 | $5,994,000 |
| That Which Is Not | Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock | Norelands | M.V. Magnier | € 3,300,000 | $5,346,000 |
| Via Sistina | Tattersalls December Mare Sale | Grove Stud, Ireland | Evergreen Equine | 2,700,000gns | $5,301,450 |
| Get Ahead | Tattersalls December Mare Sale | Whitsbury Manor Stud | First Bloodstock | 2,500,000gns | $4,908,750 |
| Prosperous Voyage | Tattersalls December Mare Sale | Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett) | Katsumi Yoshida | 2,400,000gns | $4,712,400 |
| Lezoo | Tattersalls December Mare Sale | Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett) | Narvick International | 2,200,000gns | $4,319,700 |
Table: Ten highest-priced mares sold in Europe in 2023
