Waratah Thoroughbreds to disperse its 20-strong broodmare band

Waratah Thoroughbreds, based in the Southern Highlands in Australia, has made the decision to disperse its 20-strong broodmare band and concentrate on racing and trading in stock.

Waratah will continue its elite breeding operations outside of Australia, where its mares are covered to southern hemisphere time with an eye to selling progeny in Australia.

Developed over the past 12 years by successful businessman Paul Fudge, Waratah Thoroughbreds made its presence felt at northern hemisphere sales in recent years, securing the €1.7 million top lot at the 2011 Arqana August Yearling Sale - a Galileo filly out of Sanjida later named Flight To Fancy.

Top five purchases by Waratah Thoroughbreds at northern hemisphere sales

Flight To Fancy
Filly yearling
Galileo-Sanjida (Polish Precedent)
Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale 2011
€1,700,000

Porte Bonheur
6yo mare
Hennessy-Sous Entendu (Shadeed)
Keeneland November Breeding-Stock Sale 2011
$1,600,000

Unnamed
Filly yearling
Galileo-Witch Of Fife (Lear Fan)
Tattersalls October Yearlings Sale (Book 1) 2012
900,000gns

Danjeu
Colt yearling
Montjeu-Wanna (Danehill Dancer)
Tattersalls October Yearlings Sale (Book 1) 2012
725,000gns

Elusive Sparkle
5yo mare
Elusive Quality-Bedazzle (Dixieland Band)
Keeneland November Breeding-Stock Sale 2010
$1,200,000

Of the 20 mares to be sold as part of the dispersal, 11 will be offered through the Inglis Chairman's Sale of Breeding Prospects on April 12, immediately following the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

The remaining nine mares will be offered at the Inglis Australian Weanling and Broodmare Sale, to be held on April 15-17.

Among the mares set to come under the hammer are the Grade 1-winning Bernstein mare Miss World, to be offered in foal to champion sire Fastnet Rock; Jemsa, a three-parts sister to Kentucky Derby winner and successful sire Street Sense, in foal to Medaglia D'Oro; two mares in foal to Snitzel including Flemington Stakes performer Ephemera, a half-sister to VRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Running Tall; and the city-winning Elusive Quality mare Gamba, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Cosmic Endeavour, in foal to Capitalist.

"The decision to disperse these mares has not been easy but I look forward to seeing them produce racetrack stars for their new owners in the future," Fudge told Inglis.

"I love racing and breeding and will continue to stay involved in the industry both here and around the world."

"This group of mares have been mated to the very best sires in the world over the past few years and several of them have yearlings and two-year-olds about to hit the racetrack by stallions like Deep Impact, Fastnet Rock, I Am Invincible and Exceed And Excel and many are from some of the world's most active female families," said Jonathan D'Arcy, national bloodstock director for Inglis.

"This unreserved dispersal sale offers breeders from around the world access to a high-class group of mares in the prime of their breeding lives with some amazing upside to come."