Silverdale Farm goes to $600,000 for close relation to Golden Rose winner
Rob Petith knows he has taken a punt, but he is backing Silverdale Farm's ability to turn the three-quarter sister to In The Congo who was a National Weanling Sale show-stopper into a high-priced yearling.
The daughter of The Autumn Sun on Thursday set a new mark for the highest-priced lot of Day 1 of Magic Millions gathering when she sold for $600,000.
It was the equal-highest price paid for a filly at the National Weanling Sale since 2018.
Petith, general manager of the New South Wales farm, conceded it was more than they intended to pay but said given the filly is out of the three-time South African Group 1 winner Via Africa, who is the dam of Golden Rose winner In The Congo, she has plenty going for her.
"Obviously that's at the higher end (price-wise), but she's a quality filly and with the strength of the mares' market now, there is just such competition there on these good physicals," Petith said.
"She's by a fantastic, exciting sire in The Autumn Sun, the mare's already done the job and she's a superior physical.
"She was presented beautifully, we think that she is going to do very well on the hills at Silverdale and we look forward to representing her next year.
"Hopefully we can put the polish on her, bring her back here and she'll be in even higher demand."
Via Africa, who is by Var, was the champion sprinter in South Africa in 2013/14, having twice won the South African Fillies Sprint and the Kenilworth Cape Flying Championship, both at Group 1 level.
The Autumn Sun filly is her fourth foal with the two to have raced both winners.
Newhaven Park prepared the filly for sale and John Kelly was thrilled to see her go to Silverdale, who bought in partnership with Shrone Bloodstock.
"She's a pretty special offering and she made a special price and we couldn't be more pleased that she's going to Silverdale," the Newhaven boss said.
Silverdale's buy inherited the mantle as the opening day's top lot from the So You Think-Salina colt who sold for $525,000 in the first hour of the session.
