The good looking daughter of Commands, presented in foal to Victorian sire sensation Written Tycoon, was purchased for $1.75 million by the team from Yu Long Investments.

The sale of Gregers was one of two lots today to sell for $1.6 million or more on another strong day’s selling, helping propel to the Book One section of the sale to new heights.

With 711 lots sold at the close of the auction late this evening the sale gross had reached an incredible $105,530,000 – a record for the National Broodmare Sale.

Yu Long’s Yousheng Zhang was delighted to secure his prized pick of the sale and he outlasted John Freyer, bidding on behalf of leading Japanese breeder Katsumi Yoshida for Gregers.

Victorian based bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills, speaking on Yu Long’s behalf, said the mare ticked all of the boxes.

“It’s a family that has really been developing over the last 10 years or so and Mr Zhang just loves the family,” Mills said.

“She was his favourite mare in the sale – he’d obviously missed out on a couple (of high profile mares). There was a push there from (underbidders) Arrowfield to get her also.”

“These mares with a record like hers, especially fast mares, good looking young mares are hard to get,” Mills added. “She’s a rare offering.”

Former part owner Colin McKenna was at the sales complex to see the mare sell with wife Janice, they were also connected to Tuesday’s exceptional seller Petits Filous ($1.15 million).

“We didn’t think she would quite make that (price),” an emotional McKenna said. “It’s a very big price.”

“We don’t like selling them but sometimes you have to sell them – it’s not about the money, it’s just they get too valuable walking around at home.”

The second top seller of the day came late in the evening when grand producer Polska sold for $1.6 million.

The dam of Group Two winners Catch a Fire and Seaburge was offered by Widden Stud on behalf of the Henderson family and was purchased by leading New Zealand based bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne. The mare is carrying a full relation to those stars being in foal to leading sire Sebring.

“We waited all day for her,” Hawthorne said. “We’ve got a really international market, we just decided we have to buy these really good mares.”

“These types of mares don’t come along very often. We’re happy to get her.”

“What a gorgeous mare she is,” Hawthorne added. “You can see why her foals run.”

“We are amping up the quality in our broodmare band. You have to pay for these types of mares. It’s an international market and you’ve got to put the gloves on.”

The $1.6 million sale was a dream result for local businessman David Henderson.

“We’re very, very excited with that,” Henderson said. “It’s a great result.”

“She’s been an excellent mare for me. It’s sad to see her go but there’s economics in this business and I thought it was the right time to put her on the market.”

“The result was above expectations,” Henderson added.

With records achieved across the board, the Book One section of the National Broodmare Sale was declared a resounding success.

“The overall figures for the sale are just stunning,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.

“We’re sitting on average of over $148,000, a gross of $105.5 million and a clearance rate of 84.5% – if you had have told me that a month ago I would have looked at you like you had four heads!”

“It’s just a spectacular result for all those who participated. There was a lot of international competition on horses.”

“Obviously the domestic market was very strong on the back of the huge year of results from the yearling sales around the country.”

“The results speak volumes for the Australian industry generally and I’m just so very proud of the Magic Millions team. We threw a lot more horses onto every session and our auctioneers stepped up and sold at a quicker rate and as a result we got through the days a lot earlier than we anticipated.”

“It was a big effort from everyone and I’m just so proud of everything that has happened,” Cox summed up.

To view the sales results and to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.

Check out our video recap of another big day’s selling here.

Book Two of the National Broodmare Sale will be held from 10am (Qld time) tomorrow with plenty of quality prospects to go under the hammer.

SALE STATISTICS
(2016 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 979 (769)
Lots Sold: 711 (556)
Lots Passed In: 141 (118)
Lots Withdrawn: 127 (95)
Sale Gross: $105,530,000 ($74,676,000)
Top Price: $1,750,000 ($3,400,000)
Average Price: $148,425 ($134,309)
Median Price: $80,000 ($70,000)
Sold %: 83.5% (82)

DAY THREE TOP SELLERS

$1,750,000 – Gregers (Lot 1240)
Vendor: Burke B’stock (As Agent) / Buyer: Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd (Vic)

$1,600,000 – Polska (Lot 1504)
Widden Stud (As Agent) / Dean Hawthorne B’stock (NZ)

$800,000 – Zurella (Lot 1696)
Burke B’stock (As Agent) / Dean Hawthorne B’stock (NZ)

$575,000 – Maritimo (Lot 1393)
Dormello Stud / James Harron B’stock (NSW)

$470,000 – Okahu Bay (Lot 1462)
Bell View Park Stud (As Agent) / Bruce Perry B’stock (NSW)

$470,000 – Miss Hufflepuff (Lot 1414)
Rothwell Park (As Agent) / Belmont B’stock Agency/Tyreel Stud (Vic)

LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend – Book 1)

$5,585,000 – China Horse Club Racing Pty Ltd – 13 lots
$5,015,000 – Newstar Bloodstock – 20 lots
$4,635,000 – Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock – 11 lots
$4,548,000 – Aquis Farm/Blue Sky Bloodstock – 22 lots
$4,531,000 – Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd – 10 lots
$3,694,000 – Rosemont Stud – 27 lots
$3,597,500 – James Harron Bloodstock – 7 lots
$3,415,000 – Phoenix Thoroughbreds – 11 lots
$2,360,000 – Belmont Bloodstock Agency – 13 lots
$2,236,000 – Freyer Bloodstock – 14 lots
$1,888,000 – Aquis Sha Tin Synd/Blue Sky Bloodstock – 13 lots