Arrowfield Stud Shines at Gold Coast Sales
Danehill became the bedrock of Arrowfield
A magic week at the Gold Coast for Arrowfield
Wise choice of resident sires made mid-January 2021 a magic period on the racetrack and in the sale ring for one of Australia’s biggest and most successful thoroughbred breeding operations.
Established over thirty years ago by entrepreneurial Sydney businessman John Messara under the banner of Arrowfield at Jerrys Plains Hunter Valley in association with emerging world giant Coolmore, Ireland, but more recently grown much in stature on fertile country fronting the Scone east to Gundy road, Arrowfield originally shuttled Danehill to Australia and assisted in his establishment as the greatest source of excellence seen in this part of the world.
Danehill became the bedrock of Arrowfield becoming at Scone the ruling national stud in the two decades of 2000-2020 for champion Australian sires. Since the end of the Danehill leadership, one which saw him capture his ninth title in 2004-05, his sons or grandsons have been champion sire eleven times, eight of them through descendants chosen for the Arrowfield stallion yards.
The first two Danehill crops produced Arrowfield bred Golden Slipper winners Danzero and then Flying Spur.
Both became first class sires from use at Arrowfield.
The Arrowfield title earners have been Danehill’s sons Redoute’s Choice (3 times) and Flying Spur (one) and grandson, the supersire Snitzel, annexer of the last four titles.
He is by Redoute’s Choice, the sire also of Not a Single Doubt, the current leader in the race to be the champion sire for 2020-21.
Arrowfield Stud and its sires played big roles at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, a world premier market held annually at the Gold Coast and which this year overcame COVID restraints to set new sale records.
Raising and preparing yearlings at Arrowfield Stud
Divided into two sections, the 1273 lots catalogue was made up by two books with the choicest 962 submitted under Book 1 and resulting in Magic Millions statistics of 789 lots sold, an 89.25% clearance, an average of $252,110 median price of $180,000 and a record gross of $198,915,000.
Book 2 sales aggregated another $13,760,000 pushing the total yearling sales for the week in excess of an astronomical $212million, smashing the 2020 sales record of $187.5million.
It added up to the highest grossing southern hemisphere yearling sale in history.
All told 88 Book One yearlings went for $500,000 or more, including twelve in the $1,000,000 - $1,900,000 (top price) range.
The highest price was for a brown colt bred on the Widden Stud and marketed by them.
Got on Arrowfield by Snitzel and the first foal of tough, good class O’Reilly sprinter Bonny O’Reilly, it is inbred 3x4 to Snippets, a graduate of the inaugural Magic Millions sale, one held in 1986, and a good Arrowfield sire.
The top price was paid by Tom Magnier (Coolmore), buyer too of the equal second highest priced lot, a Kingman colt at $1,800,000, and fourth most expensive, a Not A Single Doubt colt, one submitted by Sledmere Stud, Scone for a client which realized $1.5million.
Although only one of the Arrowfield consignment made the million-dollar group, they had wonderful sale, being the most successful Book One vendor, selling every one of the 45 lots offered, averaging $325,889 and achieving the highest gross, $14,665,000.
In addition their sires overall made a big contribution, Snitzel’s 44 lots grossing $20,180,000, Not a Single Doubt 17 (100%) grossing $10,160,000, Shalaa (Ire), 23 (96%), $5,345,000, Redoute’s Choice, 11 (90%), $4,160,000 , newcomer Pariah (by Redoute’s Choice), 15 (88%) $2,050,000, Dundeel (NZ) 7 lots (88%), $1,100,000 and Maurice (Jpn), 5 lots (83%), $940,000
The prices for the progeny of Shalaa probably would have been even higher if they had been offered after the Magic Millions race meeting, one at which this visiting Invincible Spirit juvenile champion was represented by a dynamic victory in the $2million Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Shaquero.
He is bred on Arrowfield sire cross, being out of a mare by Not a Single Doubt.
The most successful sire on gross for Book One was Yarraman Park’s spectacular Invincible Spirit source of excellence I Am Invincible, 44 lots (98%) finding buyers for an outlay of $23,960,000 and sale high average (2 or more) of $544,545.
Yarraman Park’s newcomer Hellbent, a G1 winning son of I Am Invincible, proved the most successful first season sire, 29 lots (88%) totalling $5,410,000 at an average of $186,552 and a high of $500,000.
Newgate Farm’s Capitalist headed the second crop sire list with 35 lots (85%) turning over $8,645,000, averaging $247,000 and reaching $975,000.
Current king of the Widden Stud stallion yards, Zoustar (Northern Meteor – Zouzou, by Redoute’s Choice) had the biggest number of Book One yearlings sold, 51 (89%) grossing $14,735,000 (third top turnover), averaging $288,922.
The biggest spender at the Magic Millions Book 1 sale were a partnership of Tony Fong Investments (Hong Kong) and Phoenix Thoroughbreds, a global operation established in 207 by Dubai businessman Amer Abdulaziz. They purchased 19 lots for $11,645,000 and an average of $612,895.
They were pressed closely for gross investment by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, acquirers of 36 lots, the most by any buyer for an outlay of $11,180,000 and an average of $310,556.
Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds went home with 25 lots at a cost of $7,940,000 and average of $317,600 and Tom Magnier signed for six lots for $6,405,000 and average of $1,067,000
MAGIC MILLIONS SALE MILLIONAIRES (DOLLARS)
Sale Topper
1,900,000 LOT 115, br colt Sept 2, SNITZEL – Bonny O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly), first foal of good sprinter closely related G1 winners Vision and Power, Glamour Puss. Bred, raised and sold Widden Stud, Widden Valley. Buyer Tom Magnier (Coolmore).
1,800,000 LOT 322, b colt August 2, KINGMAN (Invincible Spirit sire standing at Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms stud UK), bred to Southern Hemisphere time by Winx’s breeder John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds using Aust Redoute’s Choice SW Florentina, raised and sold Segenhoe Stud, Scone. Buyer Tom Magnier (Coolmore).
1,800,000 LOT 612, b colt Sept 12, NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (Arrowfield sire) , first foal of Patinack bred G2 2yo winner One More Honey (by Onemorenomore), bred and sold by Emirates Park Pty Ltd, Murrurundi, Buyer, Tony Fung Investments/Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
1,500,000 LOT 811, b colt Sept 5, NOT A SINGLE DOUBT, first foal of Soleil Brulant, unraced I Am Invincible mare from Xaar Sydney winning half-sister to SWS Hot As Hell, Flaming Hot and to dam of Yes Yes Yes. Sledmere Stud (As Agent) Scone. Buyer Tom Magnier (Coolmore).
1,200,000 LOT 869, b/br colt August 3, WRITTEN TYCOON (Woodside, Vic/Arrowfield, Scone) from non winning Medaglia d’Oro (USA) 1/2 sister to Sense of Occasion (G1 Doomben Cup), sold by Emirates Park Pty Ltd, Murrurundi. Buyer Spendthrift Aust Pty Ltd.
1,200,000 LOT 500, br filly October 3, I Am Invincible (Yarraman Park, Scone), sister to Loving Gaby (Champion 3yo Filly 2019-20) from Maastricht, G2 2 nd, by Mastercraftsman (Ire).Kia Ora Stud, Scone. Buyer, Ciaron Maher Bloodstock/ NXT Level Syndication.
1,150,000 LOT 382, b colt, Sept 1, SHALAA (IRE) (Arrowfield visiting Invincible Spirit sire), 2 nd foal of Redoute’s Choice 3 winner Honesty Prevails ex Hussonet (USA) winner. Bred and sold by Arrowfield Stud. Buyer James Harron Bloodstock.
1,100,000 LOT 221 , b colt August 21, NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (Arrowfield), first foal of Denmagic, Denman Sydney winner, placed up to G1, Magic Albert family. A/c Torryburn Stud, Torryburn, Hunter Valley. Buyer, Tony Fong Investments/Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
1,050,000 LOT 852, b/gr colt, August 27, SNITZEL (Arrowfield) , 2nd foal of Supara, smart Sydney winner by Domesday and from Unabated, Encosta de Lago winner, SP. Bred and sold Newhaven Park Stud, Boorowa NSW Buyer, Kitchwin Hills Stud.
1,000,000 LOT 332, b colt, Sept 7, ZOUSTAR (Widden Stud), produce of Fuddle Dee Duddle, Red Ransom (USA) G3 winning half-sister to Hallowell Belle (G2 winner, G1 2 nd twice).Bred on Widden Stud and sold by them. Buyer, Victorian Alliance/Sumam Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA), David Redvers Bloodstock.
1,000,000 LOT 529, ch colt, Not a Single Doubt from winning daughter of Medaglia d’Oro (USA) out of Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Military Rose (6 wins, 5 in succession at 2). Bred by G Harvey and sold through Baramul Stud, Widden Valley. Buyer Tony Fong Investments/Phoenix Bloodstock
1,000,000 LOT 934, gr colt, Aug 27, I AM INVINCIBLE (Yarraman Park) from Villa Verde. Not a Single Doubt Joint Top 3yo Filly (Sprint) 2013-14. Kia Ora Stud, Scone. Buyer Annabel Neasham Racing/Brian Maguire.
