Superstar mares Bella Nipotina and Amelia's Jewel headline lots at black-tie Inglis Chairman's Sale
Michael Christian, the owner-breeder of The Everest winner Bella Nipotina, admitted he will be feeling the full gamut of emotions when super mare enters the auction ring at the Inglis Chairman's Sale at Warwick Farm on Thursday night.
'I'll be feeling nervous, excited, anxious – and very sad when 'Bella' goes up for sale,'' Christian said.
'We bred the mare and have enjoyed the most incredible and unbelievable ride that anyone could imagine with her.
'We were keen to hold on to the mare to breed but our partners in the horse decided they would like to sell.
'So, the only fair way to do that is to bring her to public auction which is what we are doing.''
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The Ciaron Maher -trained Bella Nipotina was retired earlier this year after an outstanding race career where she won 11 of her 57 races, with four wins at Group 1 level including The Everest, for a staggering $22.7m prizemoney, second only to all-time great Winx on $26.4m.
Understandably, Bella Nipotina is the headline act among 96 lots due to go under the hammer at the Chairman's Sale, a black-tie event that has become one of Inglis' most signification annual auctions.
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The catalogue also include outstanding fillies and mares like Group 1 winner Amelia's Jewel, I Am Me, Makarena, Estriella, Too Darn Lizzie, Tiz Invincible and Semana, plus a share in exciting young stallion Alabama Express will also go under the hammer.
At last year's Chairman's Sale, 59 lots were sold for an aggregate of $35,335,000 with an average price of $598,898 (median of $400,000) with the top priced lots including $3.4m for She's Extreme, $3.2m to Tutta La Vita and $2.2m for Kimochi.
But with the bullish Australian racing and breeding industry, Chairman's Sale records are set to be smashed on Thursday night.
'It's going to be a really fun night,'' Inglis chief executive Sebastian Hutch said.
'This year's Chairman's Sale especially is a celebration of the careers of some of the best race fillies and mares.''
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Hutch said the Chairman's Sale is like no other thoroughbred auction anywhere in the world.
'It's effectively a cocktail party with a horse sale added, everyone is dressed up, there's pre and post-sale entertainment – this year being duelling pianos based off the Las Vegas phenomenon,'' Hutch said.
'The sale itself is all over in just three or four hours, it really is globally unique and it's here in Sydney.''
The highest-priced for a mare sold at auction was the $6.6m paid for Imperatriz last but although bidding for Bella Nipotina is not likely to reach those dizzying heights, it is expected she will go for more than $3m.
'My brother and I will be bidding to a price to see if we can keep 'Bella','' Christian said.
'Whether that is enough to buy her is another question but we will wait and see.''
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