Broodmare buyers express confidence in Snitzel

Buyers once again demonstrated their rock-solid confidence in sensational sire Snitzel by paying an average price of $401,000 for five mares in foal to him at this week’s Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.

The Sale’s top price of $605,000 was paid by Yu Long Investments for Flame of Sydney (by Encosta de Lago), the stakes-winning dam of Group 1-placed Group 3 winner Not Listenin’tome, now racing in Hong Kong.

Julia Ritchie’s Bangaloe Stud paid $440,000 for Phantom Queen, a winning half-sister, by Charge Forward, to Snitzel’s Group 1-winning daughter Sweet Idea. Like Flame of Sydney, Phantom Queen was consigned by Arrowfield Stud.

Ritchie said, “I liked how she carried light for a pregnant mare. I don’t like them to be too coarse, she was very refined, and in foal to Snitzel it was a no-brainer.”

Red Dress Marley, a stakes-placed daughter of Hussonet and carrying a three-quarter sibling to another of Snitzel’s five Group 1 winners, Snitzerland, was a $420,000 purchase by Belmont Bloodstock for Milburn Creek from Enak Pty Ltd.

These three mares were among the four highest-priced lots of the entire Sale, while Michael Wallace, acting for the China Horse Club and Newgate Farm, placed the fifth highest bid of $400,000 for Golconda, a Group 1-placed stakes-winning daughter of Snitzel presented by Eliza Park International.

Two other mares were sold with positive tests to Snitzel. Newhaven Park sold Resource, an unraced full sister to multiple Group 2 winner Trusting for $290,000 to Wallings Bloodstock, owned by the Monds family which purchased Tyreel Stud last year.

Victorian farm Musk Creek paid $250,000 for the young O’Reilly mare Guelder, a sister to Group 1 winner Shamexpress. She was offered by Bell View Park Stud.

It’s been a sale-topping year for Snitzel, sire of the $2.2 million colt from Admirelle at last month’s Inglis Easter Sale and 10 Australian stakeswinners this season, including new Group 1 winners Wandjina and Sweet Idea. 

Runner-up to his sire Redoute’s Choice in last season’s stallion premiership, Snitzel currently appears among Australia’s top ten sires on the General, 3YO and 2YO lists, and heads the latter table by individual winners, with a total of 14.