3 minute read
Three-time Group 2-winning daughter of Lope De Vega to sell on Thursday.
Triple Group 2 winner Spanish Whisper (Lope de Vega) has broken the record price for online thoroughbred auctions with one day of bidding left.
Listed for unreserved sale on Gavelhouse Plus on Monday, feverish bidding has ensued, seeing her smash through the previous record of NZ$670,000 to reach NZ$750,000 with the auction set to close from 5pm on October 15.
Bred by Darren Brady and Daniel and Elias Nakhle, Spanish Whisper started her career in New Zealand with co-trainers Peter and Dawn Williams and the first of her three Group 2 came when she landed the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) as a juvenile in 2018, while she also finished third in the Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) that same year.
At the beginning of her three-year-old year Darren Thomas' Seymour Bloodstock bought into the mare and she was sent to Australia, joining the Lindsay Park Stable, for whom she landed the AV Kewney Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and the Let's Elope Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) in 2019. The mare retired a winner of four of her 23 starts, with prize-money earnings of $469,213.
Spanish Whisper is out of unraced Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Cutting Remark, who is herself a half-sister to 2008 Hobart Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) winner Offenbach (Danehill) and the dam of Listed winner Tukiyo (Haradasun). Further back this is the same family as multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill).
"Obviously every day counts with mares at this time of the year so it was important to get her online as quickly as possible and the immediate interest was no surprise," gavelhouse.com general manager Haylie Martin said.
"She's a magnificent specimen and a valuable outcross mare in any country.
"John Kelly really nailed it earlier this week when he noted that she's as nice a type as has ever set foot on Newhaven Park and that those that talk of Queens will need to find a new superlative for her."
New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Hasahalo (Savabeel) held the previous price record, having sold for NZ$670,000 earlier this year to the China Horse Club.
