3 minute read

Powerhouse operation sell weanling filly for $530,000.

The only weanling by Frankel (Galileo) catalogued at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale proved popular at the auction on Friday, with the filly by the Juddmonte Farms-based sire selling to Bruce Mackenzie for $530,000. 

Offered by Coolmore Stud and catalogued as Lot 387, the filly is out of Listed-placed Excelebration (Exceed And Excel) mare Iiex Excelsa. 

Iiex Excelsa herself is a daughter of Listed winner Holly Blue (Bluebird), making her a half-sister to multiple South African Grade 2 winner Gibraltar Blue (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Group 3 scorer Scream Blue Murder (Oratorio). 

Further back this is the same family as Listed winner Nettle (Kris) and Grade 2 winner Missit (Orpen). 

Frankel has proved himself to be a revelation in Australia, siring 24 winners from 35 starters, headed by seven stakes which fires at 15.5 per cent stakes winners to runners strike rate. His progeny in the country is headed by Group 1-winning pair Hungry Heart and Mirage Dancer. 

Coolmore's farm manager John Kennedy told Racing & Sports Bloodstock the farm decided to take advantage of the strong market and sell the filly as a weanling, instead of selling her as a yearling. 

"The stallion is going well and we thought we would take advantage of the market by offering her as a foal and Magic Millions were very accommodating at finding the best market for her," said Kennedy. 

"We are delighted with how she did and she was a highly rated filly the moment she landed on the sales complex and we were delighted with how she was received. She stood out because she looks like a sharper early type of filly, who would come to hand very quickly. She had lots of admirers and deservedly so."

Over the two days of trade, Coolmore sold seven weanlings for total receipts of $1,135,000, while they recorded an average of $162,143.