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Princess Coup brings record A$3 million at Broodmare Sale New Zealand champion PRINCESS COUP (Encosta de Lago) set a Magic Millions record when she sold for A$3 million on the Gold Cost Thursday, but the opening session of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale still saw year-over-year declines in aggregate and average price. The gross declined 12.7 percent, even though 45 more lots found new homes compared to 2008. The average dropped 36.1 percent. An improvement in the clearance rate from 77.1 percent to 68.7 percent marked a bright spot for the session. Five-year-old Princess Coup, who sold here as Lot 1466, earned three championship titles in New Zealand and won four Group 1 races overall for owners John Bromley and Ray Coupland, but the conclusion of her racing career proved acrimonious for the partnership. Bromley, who wanted to breed the chestnut, offered NZ$1 million to buy out Coupland. The latter rejected that valuation, however, and entered the five-year-old in the New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale. Bromley successfully sued to stop the sale, but he agreed to send the repeat winner of the Hawke's Bay Kelt Capital S. (NZ-G1) to Magic Millions, believing she would bring a higher price on the Gold Coast than she would in New Zealand. The move paid off as bloodstock agent Tony Bott went to A$3 million to secure the chestnut from consignor Willow Park Stud, agent. Bott, the underbidder on Samantha Miss (Redoute's Choice) when she sold for A$3.85 million at the Inglis Sydney Easter Broodmare Sale in April, was determined to obtain Princess Coup. "She went more for than I thought," Bott confessed. "I thought we might be able to get her for A$2-2.5 million. But mares like this only come up every couple of years, and we were keen to buy her." No stallion has been selected for the mare. "That will be a decision for my client, but obviously stallions like Redoute's Choice and More Than Ready could be options," Bott said. A winner of 12 races overall, Princess Coup earned NZ$2,948,150. Agent Colm Santry signed the ticket for HIPS DON'T LIE (Stravinsky), who sold for A$770,000 as Lot 756. "She's the filly of the sale," Sentry said of the Reisling Slipper Trial (Aus-G2) winner, who fetched the session's second-highest price. "And I'm delighted to be able to purchase her for clients. She was a perfect yearling and was an outstanding two-year-old." Consigned by Coolmore Stud, agent, the three-year-old will be booked to first-year stallion Henrythenavigator. She won five times and bankrolled A$524,950. Three-year-old MARVEEN (Orientate), already a two-time winner, will make the first start under the colors of Sean Buckley when she competes in Saturday's Queensland Guineas (Aus-G2) after selling here for A$450,000 as Lot 703. "She's a lovely filly and she has a bright future ahead on the racetrack, and then as a broodmare down the track," said agent Steve Brem, who bought the filly on behalf of Brem. The chestnut was previously owned by Robert Smerdon and was consigned by Coolmore Stud. The select session of the broodmare sale will conclude Friday as Lots 956-1231 are set to pass the through the ring. A general session will be held Sunday before the focus shifts to yearlings. Full catalog, results, bidding and live video are available at www.magicmillions.com.au.
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