Viddora Sixth Million-Dollar Mare at Gold Coast Sale

Viddora will return to the state of her biggest success after the well-traveled dual group 1-winning mare capped a record-breaking Magic Millions National Sale July 29 with a AU$2.55 million (US$1,825,625) price tag, becoming one of the queens of Yulong's remarkably high-end broodmare band.

Chinese billionaire Yuesheng Zhang's Victoria-based Yulong Investments operation was a force at the top of this week's breeding stock sale with a AU$9.85 million spending spree headed by the acquisition of Viddora and AU$2.75 million ($1,950,818) mare Unforgotten.

Viddora, who was sold in foal to Ballylinch Stud's Lope de Vega, was the sixth and final million-dollar mare sold on the Gold Coast, the first live broodmare auction conducted in Australia since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunlight set a new Magic Millions record at AU$4.2 million ($2,979,431) on Monday, and Unforgotten, Champagne Cuddles (AU$2 million/$1,418,777), Invincibella (AU$1.3 million/$922,205), and Right Chord (AU$1.05 million/$750,732) all broke the seven-figure barrier.

The Wednesday session highlight opened with a $1 million bid accepted by auctioneer Steve Davis for Viddora, and a number of parties signaled their intent to try and land the high-class race mare up to the $1.7 million mark when she was declared "on the market."

James Harron, who secured the sister to Pierro in Right Chord on Tuesday, staged a spirited bidding duel with his online rival Zhang, but the Sydney-based agent pulled up at $2.5 million, allowing Yulong to take Viddora home.

Henry Field, whose Newgate Farm sourced and sold Viddora, is of the belief that the mare can leave a legacy with her progeny such is her physical attributes and race ability.

"I found it encouraging that there were five different people on her at $1.5 million," Field said. "She was the most spectacular mare you will ever see. She was a top-class sprinter and she's special.

"I really hope that Yulong hit it out of the park with her because she is 'out of the box,' and they have bought the real deal. For what these elite mares are making, I thought she was reasonably priced. I had her clearly marked as the second-best mare in the sale (behind Sunlight), and she made in the middle of what I thought she'd make."

Cataloged as Lot 492 and sold in absentia, the Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (G1) and Charter Keck Cramer A. J. Moir Stakes (G1) winner was purchased privately in Europe last year by Henry Field and SF Bloodstock and subsequently covered by former shuttler Lope de Vega to Southern Hemisphere time.

Viddora is one of four winners out of the Colombia mare Snow Flight, who has a weanling sister to the former Lloyd Kennewell-trained mare and is due to foal to Hellbent this year.

Yulong bloodstock manager Luke Wilkinson, who is on the Gold Coast with new recruit Marcus Corban, said: "Mr. Zhang … loves his horses and he's known Viddora from day dot. He had talked about her for the Everest slot that he has, so he knows the very mare very well, and he adores Lope de Vega, so … hopefully she has a great foal soon."

Wilkinson added: "We probably valued her at $2 to $3 million, and it was just dependent on who we were bidding against (as to how expensive she would prove to be). Mr. Zhang is at home in China bidding online, but there were text messages asking who he was bidding against."

Viddora could be covered by Yulong's first-season Neds C.F. Orr Stakes (G1)-winning stallion Alabama Express this year.

"Mr. Zhang has a massive commitment to his stallions, and he's also got Tagaloa, who will be standing with us sooner or later, maybe next season, so he's doing a great job and is building an empire in Victoria. The mare quality is unbelievable," he said.

Yulong's foundation stallion Grunt (O'Reilly) is under strong consideration for Mr. Zhang's other high-priced purchase this week, Unforgotten. 

Field hopes that Viddora can follow in the footsteps of previous Newgate Farm-consigned mare graduates Bonnie Mac and Response.

"Last year we sold the mother of Exceedance (Bonnie Mac), and then he came out and won the Coolmore (Stud Ascot Vale, G1) in the spring; a few years ago we sold the mother of Estijaab (Response) with her in her belly, and she went on and won the (Longines) Golden Slipper (G1)," he said.

"If there's a mare in this catalog that goes on to throw a top-liner, I really believe it will be Viddora."

Field also acknowledged the increasingly significant influence Yulong was having on the Australian breeding and racing industries.

"They are investing in the best bloodstock and the best people, and when you do that, it takes you a long way," he said.

At this week's live sale, Yulong has purchased 15 lots at an average of AU$665,667 to be crowned leading buyer, while the leading vendor by aggregate was Widden Stud, whose title was heavily influenced by selling Sunlight.

The broodmare sale, held two months later than normal because of the coronavirus and the associated travel and business restrictions, held up remarkably well with an average of AU$140,586 ($97,696) and a median of AU$65,000 ($42,956), which was down AU$10,000 year-on-year.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch was delighted to finish the broodmare sale on a high with the multimillion dollar auctioning of Viddora, and he was also pleased for Newgate Farm and SF Bloodstock whose judgment was rewarded in the ring.

"It was great to get the people here so we can expose the sale all over the world, and that is the Magic Millions mandate," Bowditch said after months of concern about whether a live national sale would be able to be conducted.

"That ensures that these elite mares get the attention they deserve, and that was our primary motive going into the sale at that end of the market, and I think that has been evident in the results. 

"The vendors and the owners who have brought these horses were well paid, and it just goes to show that this is the only place to sell those types of horses." 

As has been stated after virtual and live Inglis auctions as well as online sales in recent months, the willingness of industry stakeholders to put up their money despite market uncertainty remains remarkable.

Bowditch believes this week's broodmare sale again highlighted the industry's strength and ability to weather any economic storm.

"You've only got to look at who was participating on these mares from all over the world and, I guess, results like Bounding, (being the dam of) Anthony Van Dyck, and the success we've had at Royal Ascot for a long time now only enhances the motivation for internationals to buy Australian product. 

"It was very hard to predict where this sale would end up, but all in all we are pleased with the results and we are going to work hard to sell as many passed in lots over the next couple of days and give the vendors who have been realistic the opportunity to get an offer on these horses."

Bowditch continued: "To clear 73% and to have an average of over $140,000 as well as six $1 million lots, I think, is a sensational result, and the team at Magic Millions should be very proud of themselves.

"We thank the vendors for sticking solid, being patient, and waiting for the opportunity to have this sale."

Weanlings Next on the Agenda

The next "leg" of the National sale starts July 30 with what Bowditch says is a quality catalog of weanlings.

"I think the condensed catalog is going to work in our favor. I believe there's a hell of a lot of nice weanlings out there, and the reports coming back are that there's a lot of buyers who are doing their inspections (and they) are finding a lot of horses that they want to bid on," he said.

"There's a lot of quality horses earmarked for select sales next year, as well as end-users here to buy racehorses. The farms are showcasing the new first-season horses, and the drafts overall (have appeal).

"It's hard to predict where the market's going to be at, but the product is good enough for the sale to be solid."

Hunter Valley farm Rothwell Park has been a big supporter of the Magic Millions weanling sale, and principal Scott Irwin will again offer a well-credentialed draft of 27 lots this year.

They include colts by Dundeel, Capitalist, Pierro, Deep Field, and Zoustar.

"There is no doubt this is the best draft of weanlings we have presented both physically and on paper for years," Irwin said.

"It's a business model that myself and long-standing partners adopted about 16 years ago where we sell a percentage of weanlings each year, and we saw no reason to change the model even though the sales have been delayed due to the coronavirus.

"I believe the astute buyers will take into account the enormous benefits attributed to the sale being delayed by nearly 2 1/2 months which, from a cash flow perspective, leaves shorter time periods for insurance, agistment and rearing costs and, of course, less interest if they elect to use finance to purchase."

Meanwhile, in a blow to the likely buying bench being assembled for next week's National Yearling Sale, the Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday announced that she would close the state's border to anyone from the Greater Sydney region in light of the number of coronavirus cases in the area. 

Warwick Farm trainers were already unable to get to the auction due to being located in a hot spot, but now their peers from Rosehill, Randwick, and Hawkesbury will also be unable to get to the Gold Coast unless they make the dash to Queensland before the closure.

The move will come into effect from 1 a.m. local time Saturday, and Magic Millions is endeavoring to get those potential buyers affected to either arrive on the Gold Coast before the deadline or provide adequate information regarding potential suitable yearlings to allow them to participate in the market.