Bella Nipotina Tops Chairman’s At A$4.2m, Justify Beckons For Amelia’s Jewel

[Wandering Eyes]

by Kristen Manning & Dane McLeod/TTR AusNZ

It was a spectacular affair at the Inglis Chairman's Sale where Group 1 mares stole the show. TTR AusNZ was there to hear what the buyers and sellers had to say about the atmosphere at a special Inglis Riverside evening.

At A Glance

• The Inglis Chairman's Sale of 2025 saw 96 lots catalogued with 77 sold, compared to a smaller catalogue in 2024 with 59 of 88 lots finding new owners.
• The aggregate was A$54,430,000 compared to last year's A$35,335,000 with the difference due to the larger catalogue in 2025 and a higher average across the board.
• The average was up to A$706,883 from A$622,946 in 2024, while the median stayed static at A$400,000.
• The sale topper at A$4.2 million was the multiple Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) sold by Ciaron Maher Racing to Longwood Thoroughbred Farm. This compares to last year's sale topper of A$3.4 million for She's Extreme (Extreme Choice).
• Spending A$9.4 million for three lots, Tom Magnier was the biggest buyer, whilst Ciaron Maher Racing was the leading vendor with eight lots selling for A$12.77 million.
• The leading sire was I Am Invincible with nine lots sold averaging just over A$1 million for an aggregate of A$9.8 million. Three of the top 10 lots were by I Am Invincible.
• Fourteen mares sold for seven figures – up from nine in 2024.

 

Hutch Astounded by How Successful the Sale Was

Bella Nipotina's A$4.2 million sale sets a new record top price for the Inglis Chairman's Sale, shooting straight past the A$3.6 million paid for Nimalee (So You Think) in 2023, and seeing her join Sunlight (Zoustar) as the third-most expensive mare to ever sell in the Southern Hemisphere behind Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and another Inglis graduate Milanova (Danehill).

The Ciaron Maher-offered 7-year-old, as the reigning G1 The Everest winner and the only mare to ever do so, was sold to her breeder and part owner Michael Christian of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm, who bought out his fellow owners in the mighty mare.

Bella Nipotina was one of many incredible results on an extraordinary evening of Chairman's action, where the sale achieved a Southern Hemisphere mares sale record average of A$706,883, eclipsing last year's record average by 18%, with a healthy clearance rate of an outstanding 87%.

The current gross at close of sale of A$54.43 million is a Chairman's Sale record, over A$9.5 million higher than the previous record set in 2023.

Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch was astounded by just how successful tonight's sale was.

“This sale is about celebrating the careers of elite fillies and mares and having their merit recognised in a commercial environment, while also creating an occasion that allows for special memories to be made,” Hutch said.

“It's hard to imagine how the night could have worked out much better than it did tonight – there was an incredible buzz in the auditorium and the sale was full of energy, which in turn captivated the audience of buyers and other attendees.

“We were afforded an incredible opportunity with the support that we were given for the sale with quality stock, but the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

“Our team has worked incredibly hard in building up this sale and the fruits of their efforts are very much in evidence tonight, whether it is the bloodstock department in their work canvassing vendors and buyers, or the marketing department in everything they do to ensure that the sale itself is a special occasion.

“It's just been such a fun night, not only as a horse sale, but as an event and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't excited by what we might be able to achieve with the sale in 12 months time!

“We now focus on tomorrow, the Australian Broodmare Sale will wrap up a great week of action here at Riverside and there are more quality buying opportunities on offer.”

Sebastian Hutch | Inglis

Bella Nipotina: an Emotional Sale

There was considerable theatre to the selling of the four-time Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina with auctioneer Jonathan D'Arcy declaring that “ladies and gentlemen it is my pleasure to welcome to Riverside, Bella Nipotina.”

“Her name is etched in history,” he noted as bidding opened at A$1 million.

From there it was slow going with silence in between bids, which gradually made their way up to the A$4.2 million it took Longwood Thoroughbred Farm's Michael Christian to buy out partners in his pride and joy.

It was six years ago that Christian's Saconi Thoroughbreds took Bella Nipotina to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, remaining in the ownership after she sold for A$80,000. As the winner of over A$20.8 million, she is the second highest prize money earner in Australian history, giving Christian the means to buy out his fellow owners.

It was an emotional Christian who talked about his beloved mare in the aftermath of the sale.

“I am feeling elated. It was always going to be tough to secure her, there were serious people involved in the bidding.”

“I am very proud, very excited to be taking her home. It's a whole new chapter now and I am looking forward to the next 10, 12 years.

“Hopefully in that time, we can produce some beautiful horses and have a lot more fun. It is very exciting for my family, everyone is going to be happy,” he said, noting that his wife Siobhan Miller had stayed at home.

“With all the emotions involved, the thought of her possibly not coming home; she didn't want to put herself through it!” he explained. “It has been an incredible journey that she has led us on and it is a great thrill to be able to bring her home back to where it all started.”

Trainer and vendor Ciaron Maher was also happy, declaring it “such a fitting result for her and her connections, it is fantastic that she go back to the farm where it all started for her.”

“I said to the owners, when it starts to go quiet that's when it gets exciting and that is exactly what happened!,” he said. “It was fantastic having the opportunity to train her, to see her scale the heights she did; she was so tough.”

Maher added that a number of his staff had made the trip to Sydney.

“They felt that connection with her and it has been a special night.”

Christian said he had not yet decided who Bella Nipotina would visit. “We will do a bit more work, there are probably three or four we have in mind, we will work through that.”

The only mare to win the G1 Everest, Bella Nipotina is out of the placed Star Witness mare Bella Orfana (who sadly died last year), a three-quarter-sister to Hallowell Belle (Starcraft), who was a winner at Group 2 and Listed level.

America Beckons for Amelia's Jewel

Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni) saw out a big night in grand style with a prolonged bidding battle won by Coolmore Stud's Tom Magnier.

“We are delighted to get her,” he said of the A$3.8-million mare, who did such a great job winning 10 of her 24 starts, amassing over A$4.1 million in stakes.

“We will get her an airline ticket,” Magnier continued, “the plan is for her to go to Justify, we think that is the right thing for her.”

The mating certainly looks good on paper with Justify boasting a great record with mares boasting a strain of Siyouni's high achieving sire Pivotal; four winners from six runners including the G1 Prix de la Foret winner Ramatuelle and the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes winner Statuette.

And his recent G1 2000 Guineas winning son Ruling Court is out of a mare with a strain of Lomond, noting that that stallion – Amelia's Jewel's fourth damsire – is a half-brother to Seattle Slew who features in Justify's pedigree as well. And he loves Danehill with 13 of his stakes winners having his presence including the Group 1 gallopers Opera Singer and Aspen Grove; and Amelia's Jewel is 3 X 4 Danehill.

Describing Amelia's Jewel as “a household name, a very good mover, a quality mare,” Magnier said that “she is the kind of mare you dream about having.”

Amelia Park's homebred is a half-sister to the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Bosustow (Blue Point) out of stakes-placed Bumbasina (Canford Cliffs) who foaled a full-sister last spring, and was subsequently served by Zoustar.

“I have never been to a sale with an atmosphere like tonight,” said a thrilled Peter O'Brien representing Amelia Park.

“All the right buyers were here and the price, well that's a lot of money!

“Speaking for the Walsh family, they could not be happier. It's great that she is off to Coolmore, she is going to be bred to the best stallions and when she comes back to Australia, we will be able to visit her.”

Amelia's Jewel | Inglis

Deserved Respect for Tiz Invincible

Part of a big night for Coolmore with Tom Magnier on the ground seeking out quality mates for the stud's highly rated Wootton Bassett, Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) was, like Bella Nipotina, sold by Ciaron Maher Racing.

“We are very lucky to have got her,” Magnier said of his A$2.8 million purchase, noting that “she is a very good looking mare”.

“And we are fortunate to have a stallion like Wootton Bassett, and we will be sending our best mare to him.”

Ciaron Maher was delighted, and said, “Tiz Invincible has already done it on the track, and with her pedigree and the type she is, I thought she would make a splash.

“The owners have all got here so it is pretty special. And I think it is fitting for these mares, such high quality racehorses, to be seen off in this sort of fashion, getting the respect they deserve.”

Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer, part of the group who purchased Tiz Invincible as a yearling for A$550,000 at the 2022 Easter Sale, was another pleased by the sale.

“It is a huge result, we are very happy for the owners who bought shares with us,” he said.

The winner of the G2 Furious Stakes, the G2 Tea Rose Stakes, and the Listed Rosebud Handicap, Tiz Invincible has a pedigree of the highest calibre; her winning dam Amuletum (New Approach) being half-sister to the nine-time Group 1-winning young stallion Anamoe.

A granddaughter of the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Anamato (Redoute's Choice), Tiz Invincible is a 4-year-old and still lightly raced only having raced only 17 times. Her 2-year-old full brother Navy Pilot, also a member of the Ciaron Maher stable, has Group 1 aims over the Queensland winter carnival.

All the Good Judges Were on Estriella

Coolmore Stud was again in action seeking out mares for Wootton Bassett, spending another A$2.8 million to secure a second mare from the stellar draft of Ciaron Maher Racing; the Group 3 and Listed-winning sprinter Estriella (I Am Invincible).

“We saw her in the barn two days ago,” Tom Magnier said of the mare he admired from the start.

“All the right people liked her, all the good judges were on her. We have some really good people coming into this mare with us, great supporters of the farm.”

“She will keep going to Wootton Bassett for as long as he keeps coming back, but first there is the option of her going back into training.”

Last seen finishing close up in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes a couple of weeks ago, Estriella is still lightly raced having won five of just 15 starts.

“No decision has been made, but we will have a chat with Ciaron, we may see what she can do in Queensland,” Magnier said.

Bred by Arrowfield and GSA Bloodstock, Estriella is a half-sister to the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas runner-up Love Poem (Snitzel) out of a full sister to Pierro. She was purchased by Maher for A$750,000 as an Easter yearling.

Lizze Was Too Darn Popular

In the ring immediately after Tiz Invincible was the talented 3-year-old Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot), and this time Ciaron Maher was acting as buyer rather than seller.

He went to A$2.4 million for the bay who was a member of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, and is looking forward to seeing what she can accomplish as she continues to mature.

“I have seen her on the racetrack but I inspected her only once, I didn't want to show my hand too much!” he laughed.

“She is a quality horse, already a great race filly. I think she still has furnishing to do. She has had a reasonably busy time. There is the lure of Queensland but maybe I will just let her fill out and come back next season.”

Yarraman Park's Matt Scown was happy with the sale of the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner, noting that “to be able to present a mare like her for Watership Down is a great thrill and to get that result is really exciting.”

“She was our busiest horse as you can imagine with her profile and her looks,” he said. “She was flat-out, but handled it, she is an amazing filly and I am really looking forward to seeing her race on.

“She's got a huge pedigree and I thought she'd be one our most sought after mares and, given that, the price was no real surprise.”

It's been a big week for Too Darn Lizzie's family, her weanling full-brother selling for a record-breaking A$775,000 whilst her dam Enbihaar (Magnus) also sold on Thursday evening, purchased by Z Zhijun for A$1.6 million.

The post Bella Nipotina Tops Chairman’s At A$4.2m, Justify Beckons For Amelia’s Jewel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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