A new “pick of the sale” has emerged from Australia’s most successful ever yearling auction with a son of super sire Fastnet Rock topping the day-two offerings at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale at $4 million.
Dubai businessman Nasser Lootah paid the highest price ever offered for a Fastnet Rock yearling, his bloodstock manager Trevor Lobb saying simply: “We wanted him.
“He was the colt for us … the pick of the sale.
“And if he runs, he’ll be the stallion for us.”
The colt, to be raced in partnership by Lootah and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum of Dubai, is to be trained by John Hawkes.
The price paid for the colt fell short of the $5 million given on Tuesday for the half-brother to Black Caviar, but was well above the previous record of $3 million for a yearling sold at auction in Australia.
He is the ninth seven-figure yearling sold over the first two days of an Australian Easter Yearling Sale at which records are tumbling by the hour.
The latest multi-million dollar colt is from the Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove and a family littered with stakes winners including First Command, Kulgrinda, Willow Creek and One World.
The $4 million colt was one of five to make seven figures on the day with nine yearlings fetching at least $1 million over the first two days.
Among them is a colt by Redoute’s Choice from Black Caviar’s grandmother Scandinavia who is to be trained by David Hayes.
Hayes is also expected to benefit from the sensational buying spree embarked on by the sales leading buyer Shadwell Australia, headed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, a member of the ruling family of Dubai.
Sheikh Hamdan, who has won most of Australia’s major races including the Cox Plate and Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, has bought 19 horses for $7.1 million.
While Redoute’s Choice holds top spot on average among the sires represented, Fastnet Rock is clearly the most sought-after stallion in Australia.
His 33 yearlings to sell so far have fetched a total of $21.2 million.
