Quality Mares Purchased for Russian Camelot

The Inglis Digital Sale completed last night has produced a windfall for Widden Stud’s young sire Russian Camelot (IRE) with three quality mares purchased for the purpose of visiting the two time Group I winning son of Camelot this spring.

Presented by Kitchwin Hills on behalf of her owner Max Whitby, Duchess Kate sold to John Wheeler for $455,000 making her the highest priced horse of the sale.

By champion sire Savabeel, she is a Group III winner that has already produced a winner and is a full sister to another Group II winner in Saavoya.

Wheeler also purchased the regally bred mare Avila (Written Tycoon x Makybe Diva) for $125,000 and Fastnet Rock mare Vinay (IF to Wootton Bassett) for $250,000.

All three will this season visit exciting young stallion Russian Camelot, of which Wheeler is the largest shareholder.

“I’m actively out there looking for and buying mares for Russian Camelot, I’ll keep looking and as the right ones become available and while I don’t run out of money, I’ll pick them up as I go,’’ Wheeler said.

“These Savabeel mares are very good and at the end of the day I’m hopeful Duchess Kate will measure up; she certainly does on all the breeding indicators.

“I thought $400,000 was where I’d need to go to get her but clearly there was somebody else, or some people else, who were keen on her as well and that’s what happens, when two people want the same thing, you’ve got to pay more than you want.’’

Russian Camelot stands at a fee of $22,000 and covered 136 mares last spring with his first foal born foal, a filly from Jennibeel, born last week.