3 minute read
Ten purchases headed by Group 1 winner Bella Vella
Having purchased Bella Vella (Commands) for a mere $22,500 via the Inglis Digital Monthly April Sale in 2019 and she went on to subsequently win a Group 1, the mare handed her ownership group with yet another fairytale result on Tuesday, when the daughter of Commands (Danehill) was purchased by Rosemont Stud for $1.9 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
The mare retired the winner of ten of her 34 starts, headed by her victory in last year’s Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), she also won the McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1000m) on her first start this season and took out the Hills Railway Stakes (Listed, 1000m) prior to her Group 1 victory. During her career the mare won $899,860 in career prize-money.
Part-owner Johnson, who operates Victoria's Rushton Park Thoroughbreds with her husband David, watched ringside on the Gold Coast as the six-year-old was the subject of a spirited bidding war before she was eventually knocked down to Anthony Mithen.
"I'm a bit overawed because it's the end of an amazing ride for us," Johnson said.
"To have her win a Group 1 from where she came from has just been phenomenal and to be here is just incredible.
"We bought her online in conjunction with Will Clarken, Brett Howard from Randwick Bloodstock and John Kelton - John did the bidding for us - she was a $22,500 purchase and we've never looked back from there.
"We've never been lucky enough to sell a million-dollar horse, so this is quite amazing for us, we were hoping for anything over a million, so $1.9 million is incredible."
Rosemont Stud’s Ryan McEvoy told Racing & Sports Bloodstock the mare fitted the profile of what the operation was looking to invest in and said that no stallion had been selected for her yet.
“We loved her profile, but we weren’t expecting to see such a beautiful type. We had a clear focus, targeting very fast mares and there probably wasn’t one faster than her in the whole catalogue. She was dynamite and she holds the record I believe at Randwick,” he said.
“She has electric speed, by Commands, who is a superstar broodmare sire. “She is a beautiful mare with a lovely attitude and excited to add her to the team. The plans are yet to be decided for her in terms of matings, we will make a call in the coming weeks for her.”
Catalogued as Lot 643 and offered by Glenesk Thoroughbreds, the mare is out of dual-winning Stormy Atlantic (Storm Cat) mare Forget The Weather and she is herself a half-sister to Listed-winning pair Wedlock (Maria’s Mon) and Ever After (Kris S).
Later on in the day, Rosemont Stud purchased another from the Glenesk Thoroughbreds draft in the shape of Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed mare Fiesta (I Am Invincible), who was offered for sale with a fee nomination to a Darley stallion.
Catalogued as Lot 726, the mare won five of her 33 career starts, headlined by victories in the Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) and Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) in 2018, while she landed the Northwood Plume Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) and Furphy Sprint (Gr 3, 1100m) in 2020 and was also placed at Group 1 level.
McEvoy said Rosemont was thrilled to be able to secure the filly and said precocity she showed as a racehorse was one of the main attractions and something they were looking for in all their broodmares.
“I love Fiesta,” he said. “She is an I Am Invincible filly that has precocity, if you look at her race performances she is exactly what we are trying to target.
“I loved the fact she was so sharp as a two-year-old, she had the constitution and the ability to train on and win stakes races as a two-year-old.
“She is very good looking and a roomy mare, who will definitely produce stunning foals and she also has the bonus of being sold with a nomination to a Darley stallion and we will give it some thought. But we are thrilled to secure her.”
The mare is out of the five time-winning Danehill Dancer (Danehill) mare and comes from the same family as Listed winner Vowed (Without Fear) - the dam of Group 3 scorers Stick Around (Twig Moss) and Charm Scene Land (Brocco) as well as Listed winner Kingsgate (Danzero).
Rosemont Stud homed in once again to the Bulbula (Shamardal) family, purchasing the Listed-winning daughter of Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) (Lot 829) for $1,350,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, while they paid that same figure for her Group 3-winning half-sister Khulaasa (Epaulette) (Lot 839) at Tuesday’s sale.
The Victorian-based operation have heavily invested in the family having paid $1.2 million for the mare’s Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) colt at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last month, while they they teamed up with Justin Bahen to buy her Zoustar (Northern Meteor) colt for $700,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale last week.
“Anyone would think we like this family! We bought the yearling at Easter and we bought the weanling last week and now we have bought mum and bought the half-sister Khulaasa,” said McEvoy.
“We really had to stretch on and pay a little more than we thought we would, but we really wanted exposure to that family, because we think it is a really potent two-year-old family. They were both just beautiful mares.
“Angus Gold as we all know buys a stunning horse and the opportunities to get involved in these families are pretty unique and rare. Hopefully it can keep producing for us and we like to think that elite two-year-old speed can keep coming from that family.”
Rosemont’s investment into this family did not stop there, with the operation going to $800,000 for Bulbula’s Group 3-winning daughter Aryaaf (Epaulette), who was offered as a race filly proposition as Lot 803.
Bulbula was offered carrying a sibling to Aryaaf, while Khulaasa was offered in foal to Darley’s multiple Group 1-winning shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi).
Another of the Shadwell mares headed to Anthony Mithen’s Rosemont operation is Group 3-winning Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Minhaaj, after she was purchased by the Victorian-based farm for $1.8 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on Tuesday.
“She was a phenomenal sort by Exceed And Excel, who is proving to be a phenomenal broodmare sire,” McEvoy. “She is Group 3 winner and also performed well at Group 1 level. Her form was proper Group 1 form and her profile is exactly what we are after.
“We are after young, good-looking mares with Group-winning precocity and speed, who we will ultimately breed to race and hopefully produce a stallion that much - and ultimately produce a stallion for us. Again, we will make a call for the future stallion for her.”
Minhaaj is out of winning Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Telaawa and she is the daughter of dual-winning Danehill Dancer (Danehill) mare Magic Harmony, making her a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) and Grade 3 winner Suyoof (Magic Albert).
Magic Harmony herself is a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Life’s A Bounty (Bahamian Bounty) and Listed winner Miss Prospect (Rory’s Jester) - the dam of Group 1 winner and now Chatsworth Stud-based sire Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) and dual Listed scorer Consular (Royal Academy).
Meanwhile, Miss Prospect is also the grandam of 2013 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel) and Group 2 scorer Standout (Exceed And Excel).
