News

Three times a lady: Diva's colt tops sale at $1.5 million

6th Apr 2009

Sydney Morning Herald - John Schell - Monday, 6 April 2009

THE first foal of three-time Melbourne Cup-winning mare Makybe Diva will be trained in Melbourne by Danny O'Brien after he yesterday made the successful bid of $1.5 million for the sale-topping colt.

O'Brien prevailed with the 13th bid on the son of Europe's most expensive stallion, Galileo, after bidding opened at $500,000.

The trainer confirmed that breeder Tony Santic would retain an interest in the yearling, dubbed "Rockstar" by Santic's stud staff, who prepared him for the Inglis Easter Sale. "Tony has got a sentimental attachment to Makybe Diva and this colt," O'Brien said. "But I've got a syndicate together that will take around half of the horse. Tony will keep some of it while there is some left for anyone else that wants to get involved."

O'Brien said in his 10 years of attending the Inglis Easter Sale, "I've never seen so many people around the sale ring. You had to push your way to the front just to get a bid in," he quipped.

O'Brien warned keen followers of the colt not to expect to hear much more about him for "at least 12 to 18 months".

"We are not a really big two-year-old stable," he said, while adding he would prefer to concentrate on staying riches when the horse is four or five years old. He is the type of horse that we could aim up at the big cups in Australia as well as races around the world in Dubai and Hong Kong.

"He certainly takes a lot after his mother in his physical appearance, and she won three Melbourne Cups. She was an imposing mare, an amazon-like horse. Let's hope when we read about this colt in future it is for all the right reasons."

O'Brien's purchase of lot 90 was the first yearling to bring $1m or more at the sale. Last year there were 28 yearlings that fetched $1m-plus.

Global powerhouse Darley shelled out $1m for a Redoute's Choice colt out of Miss Pennymoney.

Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings secured an Encosta De Lago colt out of Lisheenowen, the mother of group 1-winning stars Private Steer and All Silent, for $900,000. "It is about time buyers got their chance to get a well-bred yearling at a reasonable price," he said. "The breeders have had a field day here over previous years but given the way the financial markets are around the world at the moment, the buyers are squaring up."

Gai Waterhouse secured the Redoute's Choice half-brother to her Golden Slipper winner Dance Hero for $850,000, on which Cummings was the underbidder, while a Redoute's Choice colt out of the VRC Oaks winner Hollow Bullet was sold for $850,000 to Japan's K Yoshida.

A power failure meant the day was cut short with 30 horses still to be sold.