Vinery Stud topped Day 3 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when Macroura (Lot 991) was knocked down for $1.5 million to Yulong Investments principal Zhang Yuesheng.

Vinery sire All Too Hard had created headlines on Day 1 when his Group 1-winning mare Forbidden Love became the equal third most expensive mare ever sold in Australia.  Newgate Farm (as agent) sold her to Yulong for a breath-taking $4.1 million.

Macroura (Snitzel) won a Typhoon Tracy Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at Moonee Valley and Woodlands Stakes (LR, 1100m) at Rosehill for Aquis Farm and Ciaron Maher Racing.  She was initially sold off the track for $420,000 to A List Stud at the 2021 Inglis Chairman’s Sale.

“It’s great to secure her after buying her mother (Zenaida) yesterday,” Yulong’s COO Sam Fairgray said on Thursday.  “They are outstanding additions to the farm.  We will try and build the family.  Keep the fillies and see how we go.”

Vinery sold Macroura on behalf of A List Stud’s Chris Lee.  “We were fairly optimistic but that price exceeded our expectations,” Vinery general manager Peter Orton admitted.  “Sam said they’re really keen on the family.  She’s a beautiful mare and will be a lovely one to join their ranks.

“Chris has put a lot into A List Stud and has been buying more over the last few years.  It’s good to see him get a result.”

Macroura was just one of six mares offered with a PPT to Deep Field (Northern Meteor) on the Gold Coast.  They were always going to garner interest given the scarcity of pregnant mares by Hong Kong’s champion stallion who has been retired by Newgate Farm.

Newgate was next best on Vinery’s Thursday leader-board when paying $360,000 for Pecans (Lot 1050).  Sold with a PPT to Snitzel, she was a Group 3 winner of the 2017-18 Belle Of The Turf at Gosford and Godolphin Crown at Hawkesbury.

The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale was a triumph for Vinery.  Apart from playing a hand in leading two of the three sessions, its 25 lots that found new homes averaged $168,700 for turnover exceeding $4.21 million.

All Too Hard was runner-up for sire averages at $860,000 while Vinery legend More Than Ready (USA) was fourth on that list at $511,500.

A half-dozen mares in foal to Ole Kirk averaged $136,000.  Agent Sheamus Mills purchased the top two in that category with $210,000 for Carramar Park’s Our Fraulein (Lot 1047) and $190,000 for Vinery (as agent) entrant Hallowell Belle (Lot 915).