NZ bred mare Black Mamba was purchased by Australian breeder Tony Bott for US$1.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale on Tuesday evening.

Black Mamba (Black Minnaloushe) was bred in NZ by Keltern Stud and retired with a 34: 7-7-4 career card and $988,840 in earnings for Doubledown Stables.  She scored a signature victory in the 2008 John C. Mabee Hcp (G1) and also landed two editions of the Beverly Hills Hcp.  She bowed out with a Listed victory in the Dowager Stakes (2400m) at Keeneland on October 25.

Black Mamba is out of the G3 winner Sneetch (Grosvenor) and is a half-sister to Flemington winner Gussy Godiva (Last Tycoon) who is the dam of G1 AJC Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor (Montjeu).

Bott, whose CV includes at stint at Segenhoe Stud, is in the process of developing a select broodmare band at Evergreen Farm near Raymond Terrace in NSW.

He smashed the Magic Millions record for a mare when paying $3 million for NZ champion Princess Coup at the Gold Coast in June.  The Encosta de Lago mare won four G1 events in her homeland and added a G2 at Caulfield in the 2008 St George Stakes.

Steve Brem was another Australian buyer in action in Kentucky overnight.  He purchased More Than Ready stakes winner Grace And Power for US$700,000.  The mare is in foal to Giant’s Causeway.  She won the Listed Holly Stakes at Meadowlands and was G1 placed in the Starlet Stakes at Hollywood.

James Bester paid US$460,000 for Hennessy filly Dream Play who won at her only start as a two year-old.  She raced five times this year for wins in the G2 Comely Stakes and Listed Dearly Precious Stakes at Aqueduct and was also runner-up in the G3 Cicada Stakes at the same New York venue.