Memsie a chance to validate China Horse Club’s commitment to American mare.
China Horse Club conceded Memsie Stakes hopeful Princess Grace set them back more than they hoped, but a look around the Fasig-Tipton sale ring convinced them she was the right horse to buy.
Teo Ah King's operation was driven to US$1.7 million – approximately $2.6m Australian – for the five-time Group winner at last year's November Sale with two prominent racing and breeding operators their stiffest competition.
That only helped confirm they were doing the right thing.
"We really stretched to get her, but considering it was Sheikh Fahad and Coolmore who were the underbidders, I think it shows we were on the right track," China Horse Club's Australian representative Michael Smith said of the purchase.
A daughter of Karakontie and the Silent Name mare Masquerade, Princess Grace was purchased with a view of trying to add a Group 1 to her already impressive resume before becoming a broodmare.
A seven-year-old by Australian time, she almost achieved that at just her third Australian start when a short-neck second to stablemate Fangirl in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 19.
"Mr. Teo has always had a bold global vision for China Horse Club and we feel that Princess Grace can add to delivering on that given her international pedigree and profile," Smith said.
"We thought she was an absolute queen, apex physical (with) very consistent form."
Princess Grace had 14 starts for Michael Stidham in the United States, half of which were wins with a further six minor placings. She twice won at Group 2 level, both over 1710m, won three Group 3s and was three times placed at Group 1 level, including a second in the Beverley D Stakes (1810m).
That consistency has followed her to Australia with her only two starts for Chris Waller prior to the Winx Stakes producing a Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) third at her Australian debut before a Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m) win.
Waller suspects she might be even better the Melbourne way of racing in the $750,000 Memsie Stakes, where established Group 1 stars I Wish I Win, Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood are among her rivals.
"Her run in the Winx was a slasher, she's come back enormous and all of her runs in America we worked out are (the Melbourne way), so that'll be no problem," Waller said.
Princess Grace is one of the best-performed products of Karakontie, a Japan-bred son of Bernstein who was a three-time Group 1 winner in both America and France and now stands at Gainesway Stud in Kentucky.
He is the sire of Spendarella, runaway winner of last year's Del Mar Oaks (1811m), and Group 2 winner None Above The Law.
Princess Grace is only the second to race from Masquerade, who also produced Catnip (Kitten's Joy), winner of the Group 3 Monmouth Stakes (1810m) in June this year before a second placing in the Group 1 United Nations Stakes (2213m).
Masquerade also has a two-year-old daughter of Frosted and a yearling American Pharoah filly and last year visited Gun Runner.
