Jameka the star on opening day of Gold Coast National Broodmare sale

Champion stayer Jameka will remain in the ownership of Colin McKenna and his wife Janice after they bought out their partners for a session topping A$2.6 million (£1,472,960/€1,688,585) during Tuesday's opening day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.

McKenna sold two mares for seven-figure sums at this sale 12 months ago but was in no mood to lose Jameka, with his racing manager Andy Makiv opening the bidding at A$1m.

“She has been very good to us and won nearly A$5m, so I don’t think it was a big outlay,” McKenna said.

“We were expecting her to make somewhere between A$2.5m and A$3m, so I am very happy. My wife wanted her back and she has got her back."

Reflecting on the decision to buy out his partners, McKenna added: “We sold two last year but it wasn’t going to happen this year. We love these horses and they are a big part of our lives.

"Jameka was a pretty big part. She won a Caulfield Cup and I think her greatest win was The BMW - she flogged the colts and geldings and not many mares can do that.”

It was Ciaron Maher who purchased Jameka for only A$130,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in 2014 from the Gilgai Farm draft and the trainer spoke of his delight following the sale.

“It’s a great result, especially as she was the first horse for many of the owners,” said Maher. “But it’s great that Colin and Janice ended up with her.”

Asked what price he had expected Jameka to make, Maher added: “You just never know with these sorts of mares but she’s a Caulfield Cup winner so she was entitled to make that sort of money.”

Mating plans for Jameka were undecided although McKenna on Tuesday suggested she could be booked in to visit Merchant Navy, who will join the Coolmore Australia roster following his stint in Europe with Aidan O'Brien.

McKenna owns a share in the son of Fastnet Rock, who warmed up for a shot at the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in fine style with victory in Saturday's Greenlands Stakes.

Jameka is out of the winning General Nediym mare Mine Game, whose other two foals to race have both been winners.

Mine Game herself is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Jymcarew and Group Three-placed Born To Rule. Further back, this is the same family as Group 1 winner Warfever.

Japanese influence felt

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Arrowfield Stud purchased Group 1 winner Silent Sedition on behalf of Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm, securing the mare for A$1.5m from the Baystone Farm draft.

Arrowfield Stud boss John Messara said it was likely Silent Sedition could either be covered by their resident Snitzel or Japanese shuttler Maurice.

“We bought her for our partners Northern Farm and she had what they look for. She had conformation, she had the family and she certainly had the performance,” Messara said.

“They have been collecting these Group 1 mares and this is another one. She will be staying at Arrowfield."

He added: "In other countries you don’t have the opportunity to buy these mares. They are owned by families who don’t release them, so we are very lucky to be able to buy her."

It was a busy day for Arrowfield, who not long prior to striking for Silent Sedition, teamed up with Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock to secure the Group 1 placegetter Omei Sword.

The daughter of High Chaparral could also be set for a visit to a Japanese sire, with champion Deep Impact nominated as the likely choice.

Agent Dean Hawthorne signed for the former Chris Waller inmate and said: “She is a great quality beast of a mare who could end up in the northern hemisphere to be mated. She has the sort of blood that we like.

“We have been following her for a while and waiting for her to surface. We thought we may have had a chance 12 months ago, but it didn’t eventuate, so we have had to wait until now.”

Earlier, GSA Bloodstock and Arrowfield Stud, the partnership who race multiple Group 1 winner Shoals, set the sales ring alight when purchasing the fourth lot offered, the Group 1-winning Redoute's Choice mare Abbey Marie for A$1.4m.

Bowditch thrilled with results

The first full, one-day session of race fillies and maiden mares conducted by Magic Millions was labelled as a success by managing director Barry Bowditch after 190 lots changed hands for an average of $166,987 on Tuesday.

The aggregate of almost A$32m and clearance rate of 85 per cent signalled the depth of the buying bench, according to Bowditch.

“This is a day we have aspired to have for many years, where we just have the race fillies on their own and for four of them to make over A$1m and another 15 to make above A$500,000 means it was a good, strong day’s trade and very exciting in patches,” he said.

“The market on a whole was fairly well rounded. We had buyers at all levels of the market given the 85 per cent clearance rate.

“The traders who buy mares to put back in foal and sell were here doing their business and the quality buyers who buy mares to go to their stallions were here as well and the supported the sale phenomenally well.”