A red hot market at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast this week produced some stunning results for Widden Stud and our clients.

Widden finished as the leading vendor by aggregate selling 47 mares for $10,890,500.

Our top seller was star producer Polska, who made $1.6 million to the bid of Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock.

The nine year-old daughter of Encosta de Lago was offered in foal to Sebring, who is the sire of her two Group II winners Seaburge and Catch a Fire, who was also sold at this sale fetching $950,000 when secured by Stonestreet Holdings.

“I waited all day for her. We have a really international market and you just have to buy these good mares. They just don’t come along often and we are happy to get her,” Hawthorne told ANZ Bloodstock.

“She is a proven producer, having already had Catch A Fire and Seaburge, who is a very, very good horse. We did a bit of research on him and if he wins a Group One, which he is capable of doing, that plays into our hands.”

Polska was offered on behalf of David Henderson, who was one of the original owners of Sebring and bought the mare to support his Golden Slipper winner when he retired to stud.

“She’s been an excellent mare for me and it will be sad to see her go. The economics in this business (say to sell her) and I thought it was the right time to put her on the market. It exceeded my expectations,” Henderson told ANZ Bloodstock news.

“If you go back through the pedigree pages and find a mare that has thrown two quality horses from her first two like she has, they’re hard to find. People travel the world looking for them. I had every confidence that she would sell well, and she sold really well.”

Widden also consigned former brilliant Group II winning two year-old Scarlet Rain on behalf of Darby Bloodstock.

The flashy chestnut daughter of Manhattan Rain made $950,000 when secured by James Harron Bloodstock providing an outstanding result for her owners given she was purchased as a yearling for $100,000.

Widden Stud were also active purchasing at the top end of the market securing Group III placed I Am Invincible mare Comprende for $1,050,000 in partnership with David Lucas.

She was offered in foal to Snitzel in her first season at stud.

Widden’s Antony Thompson couldn’t hide his delight in securing Comprende.

“We’re thrilled to have her,” Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“She’s a queen. Physically she’s beautiful.

“She was a very high priced yearling when she sold. At that stage I Am Invincible hadn’t emerged so her price was mostly on type.

“She was our number one physical pick of the sale and we’re thrilled to have her.”