$2.4million for Madam Rouge

Multiple Group winning Zoustar mare Madam Rouge is headed back to her birthplace, the ‘Valley of Champions’ after being purchased by Widden Stud for $2.4million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on Thursday.

Bred by Widden in partnership, Madam Rouge was offered in the Widden Stud draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Yearling Sale where she made $310,000 to the bid of Waller Racing/ Mulcaster Bloodstock.

She raced for a syndicate of Waller stable clients with her breeders also retaining a small share which proved a good move as Madam Rouge quickly established herself as a very talented filly.

A winner at two, she progressed with every preparation and ultimately won over $1.4million claiming multiple Group wins and was beaten a head when second in the Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap in 2020.

Consigned on behalf of her ownership group by Widden Stud and offered in foal to I Am Invincible, she proved a hot commodity with Widden having to dig deep to secure her for our broodmare band.

“We are thrilled,” Antony Thompson said. “We obviously bred her and were involved in racing her – we know her intimately.

“It was a great ride with Chris Waller and the owners. So now to be able to buy her and bring her back to Widden is wonderful – we’re very excited about that.

“We bred and raced Sunlight and tried to buy her but we were unable to. Last year we underbid Mizzy. These Zoustar mares are the most gorgeous mares – they will be fantastic broodmares.

“For mine she was the number one in-foal mare in the sale. We were able to build an army to go to war and we were able to win that battle.”