Murphy’s celebrate landmark result for family farm.
On paper the Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) colt out of champion racemare First Seal (Fastnet Rock) looked one of the highlight lots of the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and he certainly did not disappoint, selling to Coolmore's Tom Magnier for sale-topping $1.8 million on Wednesday.
The result handed Sledmere Stud - who offered the colt on behalf of their clients China Horse Club - the dream result and owners Treen and Royston Murphy struggled to contain their emotion after the result.
"I think we are quite emotional here," said Royston. "It's a great result and we're absolutely delighted. It's a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get these sales. It's a great result for our clients. China Horse Club have been big supporters of ours for a good few years.
"We were so excited when this mare arrived. She's always been a favourite and such a good mare on the track. It's been so long ago now since she arrived, getting her in foal … and all the pressures to get her in foal."
Royston said the Coolmore team had inspected the colt on several occasions, so he was not surprised to see the powerhouse operation walk away with the yearling.
"James Bester and the team came here seven times," said Royston. "They wore a track into the place. It could have been seven times. I asked James, 'I'm not sure what you're looking for, but we can all agree he's a belter'.
"All the big buyers have been spending money at a time when we've all been a bit worried, but I think it just shows if you have the right product you can get these horses sold.
"As I said, it's important for these sorts of mares to get a good start in life. I've been in contact with Tom [Magnier] during the week about different horses. We look forward to when he goes to stud and hopefully we can send a few nice mares to him."
First Seal's story is well-known. Bought by the great Bart Cummings - who incidentally beat out underbidders Coolmore - for NZ$700,000 at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale from the Curraghmore draft.
After Cummings' death John Thompson was elected to train the filly and she went on to win the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) - one of three victories in which she finished ahead of subsequent champion mare Winx (Street Cry).
She retired the winner of six of her 21 starts, a CV that also included finishing runner-up at elite level on four occasions, which saw her accumulate $1,259,060 in career prize-money.
The colt is the first foal out of the daughter of Fastnet Rock (Danehill), who is herself out of Group 1 winner Episode (Scenic) making her a three-quarter-sister to Group 2 winner Book Of Kells (Rock Of Gibraltar), while she is also a half-sister to the dam of Group 3 winner Teleplay (Written Tycoon). The colt was catalogued as Lot 447.
Treen Murphy was equally effusive in her praise for the colt and said it was a shame they were not able to show him off in the flesh at the Riverside complex.
"He's the most beautiful animal," said Treen. "Most people haven't had an opportunity to see him in the flesh. To see him and be around him, he's got the most amazing demeanor. He's one of those horses I am pretty sure could put a saddle on him tomorrow and race him. He's a proper athlete, got great depth and attitude is pretty important with these horses."
First Seal has a weanling colt by Yarraman Park's I Am Invincible, but missed to the same sire after being covered by him last November.
Daughters of Fastnet Rock have produced 25 stakes winners, headed by three Group 1 winners; Santa Ana Lane, Tivaci and Gytrash.
Magnier heaped praise on Sledmere Stud for their presentation of the yearling and said he hoped the colt turned into a champion for them.
“We know the family very well, she was a Fastnet Rock mare and the pedigree is very good,” said Magnier. “To be fair to Sledmere they had the horse looking fantastic. We went there a couple of times during the week and everyone at Coolmore really loved the colt. We hope he turns into a champion for us.
“To be fair to Inglis, they made the week possible so that all the top buyers could access the sale, and they did. When you got to a horse like this, you knew all the top buyers were on him because Inglis had created the platform to allow that to be possible. The horse was no doubt one of the top colts in the sale.”
Magnier finished the week as the leading buyer, purchasing eight lots for an aggregate of $6,895,000 and Coolmore also finished leading vendor by aggregate selling 22 yearlings for a total of $7,530,000 and Magnier said the was very proud of the farm’s performance over the two days of trade.
“We’re extremely passionate,” said Magnier. “Our family is passionate about Australian racing. We’ve got some wonderful people who invest with us working with the yearlings and the stallions.
“The economy is obviously going through a tough time at the moment but if there’s a place that we believe in, it’s Australia. We think the future is in Australia and we’re delighted to be a part of it. There have been some wonderful horses put through the sale this week.
“It's a credit to all the farms, not just ours, that everyone stuck together. Everyone did a great job getting their horses right, everybody got behind Inglis, everyone believed in it and made it work. When you put those formulas together you get success.
“To our staff at Coolmore, they’ve worked harder than ever, weekends, hours they’ve never worked before to help us sell these horses. We owe them an enormous amount of credit. Normally they get to go to the sales and lead the horses around the ring but this time they didn’t but we’re very proud of them, as all the farms would be of their staff.”
