Landmark Karaka result for Hallmark
Bakers celebrate $1.6 million sale as Prowess’ sister sets tone on day one
A record $30 million changed hands at Karaka during yesterday’s opening session of the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale and the sister to Prowess (Proisir) was the biggest contributor to the company’s highest ever single day’s trade when she sold for $1.6 million.
There were hugs, handshakes and more than a few tears of joy for an emotional Baker family whose respected Hallmark Stud sold their first million dollar yearling, the sister to Prowess, early in the day.
Overall, eight yearlings sold for $500,000 or more, while the 215 yearlings to find new homes yesterday averaged $195,704, which was up 22 per cent year-on-year, with the aggregate finishing at $30,725,500, an increase of 37 per cent on day one last year. The clearance rate held at 73 per cent.
Immediately after the star filly was knocked down to Victorian trainer Peter Moody, Mark Baker was embraced by his wife Vicki and his father Denny reflected on the decades of hard work which led to the momentous result as they were also congratulated by a swarm of wellwishers in the aftermath of the sale.
“We’ve never sold a million dollar yearling in our lives. I’ve dreamt of that, the seven figures, but $1.6 is quite surreal. Someone will wake me up soon,” said Baker, moments after thanking Moody for buying Hallmark’s Lot 21.
“This would be massive for a big farm, let alone one like ours and it’s all from a mare we bought for just $20,000 and [bred this filly] off an $12,500 service fee that Proisir stood for that year.
“It’s a long way from selling them for a thousand bucks.”
As well as being a milestone result for Hallmark Stud, the sister to Prowess is also the most expensive filly ever sold at an NZB sale, the figure surpassing the $1.45 million paid for subsequent Group 1 winner Shower Of Roses (Zabeel) at the 2001 sale from the Cambridge Stud draft, and the most expensive yearling sold at Karaka since 2013.
Chris Waller’s agent of choice Guy Mulcaster, Victoria-based agent Sheamus Mills and Moody, with his phone to his ear, went toe to toe well above a million dollars before the latter two paired off in a riveting bidding duel in a packed Sir Patrick Hogan Auditorium at Karaka.
Mulcaster fired his last bullet at $1.5 million before four $25,000 increases took place, then auctioneer Steve Davis brought the gavel down for the sixth foal out of Donna Marie (Don Eduardo).
The dam has also produced the stakes-placed Ajay Tee (Foxwedge) and two other winners.
Moody often keeps his Karaka-purchased yearlings in New Zealand to grow out, but his expensive stable addition will head to Victoria almost immediately to begin her education.
“This is a big dive into the ocean, but she is a bloody nice filly,” Moody said.
“Obviously a lot of people were on her and she paraded well and presented herself well all week.
“She is a full to a Group 1 winner so she has that residual ticket following her racing career and when you see what Proisir has done with six individual Group 1 winners in a season it was a very strong attraction.
“I would have loved to have bought her for $800,000, but for a special filly like this you have to go beyond, especially when you look at the catalogue and see her as a full sister to a superstar (Prowess) who I thought would have won the Cox Plate last year before things went against her.
“It’s seldom you come to a sale and see a filly like this who is arguably a better type than the sister, although only time will tell with her.
“It was a grind to get her but thankfully we came out on top.”
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained four-year-old Prowess was recently retired due to injury after her sixth in the Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington in November and the valuable breeding prospect is set to be put up for auction later this year as one of the most sought after race mares to be sold off the track in 2024.