John and Jake Warren secure classy Missrock for A$2.3 million

Missrock will head to Britain after Highclere Stud's John and Jake Warren came out on top of a lively bidding battle with Coolmore Stud to secure the Group 3 winner for an eye-watering A$2.3 million (£1.25m/€1.41m) on day one of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale in Australia on Tuesday.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock won four times, including the Group 3 Percy Sykes Stakes sprint, and also finished second in the Group 1 Goodwood sprint on two occasions.

Jake Warren, who was bidding on the phone to Barry Bowditch, said they fell in love with Missrock when they inspected her.

"She's one of those mares who doesn't take much inspecting - she's an absolute beauty," Warren told ANZ Bloodstock News.

"She fit the bill for us on conformation and is a lovely sized mare. She's very strong and powerful and has a great action. We were just in awe of her and thought she was a lovely type and when you married that up with her pedigree, race record and the fact she is by a top sire - she really floated our boat on all aspects."

DAY ONE TOP SELLERS

A$2,300,000 - Missrock (lot 903)
Vendor: Kingstar Farm (As Agent) / Buyer: John and Jake Warren (UK)

$1,450,000 - Invincible Star (Lot 872)
Yarraman Park Stud (As Agent) / Tim Magnier/James Bester B'stock (NSW)

$1,100,000 - Whispering Brook (Lot 986)
Yarraman Park Stud (As Agent) / Katsumi Yoshida (Japan)

$1,000,000 - Oregon's Day (Lot 917)
Amarina Farm (As Agent) / Tony Fung (Qld)

$1,000,000 - Savvy Coup (Lot 1905)
Attunga Stud (As Agent) / Tom Magnier/James Bester B'stock (NSW)

Warren said the success of Danehill when paired with Sadler's Wells made acquiring Missrock a very attractive prospect.

"She has been bought for a private client of Highclere Stud and is going to come back to the UK," said Warren. "She'll be based at Highclere Stud, where the intention will be to use the best available European stallions with a view to try to breed Classic horses.

"The Danehill blood in Europe mixed with the Sadler's Wells line has been so successful and so that's where we're thinking - it's very exciting.

"We're just starting to bring these Danehill mares to Europe, but when you look at the history of what has worked in Europe - it's really that Danehill line that's interesting."

Coolmore was under bidder for Missrock while Arrowfield Stud also went to A$1.5m in the hope of landing the prized mare.

Catalogued as , Missrock is out of the Group 3-winning Strategic mare Miss Judgement, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Mrs Onassis and Group 3-winning pair Fifth Avenue Lady and Aussies Love Sport. Further back the mare's third dam is dual Group 1-winning Last Tycoon mare Lady Jakeo.

View sale results

Missrock joins a whole host of high-class mares such as Atlantic Jewel, Mosheen, She Will Reign, Single Gaze and Yankee Rose who have ended up overseas.

Kingstar Farm owner Matthew Sandblom praised his farm manager Adam Cook for securing Missrock for his draft.

It was Cook's initiative which led to Kingstar Farm consigning the mare whose trainer Robbie Laing bought her for A$500,000 (£271,000 / €307,000) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2015.

"It's a bit of a feather in the cap to get the sales-topper," said Sandblom. "Her being in our draft was Adam Cook's doing - he has a good relationship with Robbie Laing through Lord Of The Sky so he managed to offer an attractive deal and get her in our draft.

"There was a bit of pressure for him because we have never sold a mare in that sort of range before, but he delivered in spades and everyone's happy. She'd a lot going for her, her reserve was A$1.5 million and I wasn't sure she'd break A$2 million, but she did.

"She was one of the best looking mares on the ground, was a very fast mare and has a good pedigree, so it was a good package."

Meanwhile, Newgate Farm shareholder Sandblom said he was happy to retain his Group 1-winning I Am Invincible mare I Am A Star should a deal not be finalised to sell the mare at this week's sale.

The former Shane Nichols-trained mare was passed in for A$1.4m on Tuesday having had a A$1.5m reserve placed on her.

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