Merelen tops Magic Millions

High-class offerings from Strawberry Hill Stud and Widden Stud proved most

popular on day two of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold

Coast.

As expected, MERLENE (Danehill), winner of the Golden Slipper S. (Aus-G1) in

1996, topped the day's proceedings, selling for A$875,000 to a client of leading

Hunter Valley-based bloodstock agent Colm Santry.

"It's a rare opportunity to buy a Golden Slipper winner and a mare of her

quality," he said. "And I thought she was good value on today's market."

A daughter of Bold Promise (Luskin Star), the top filly on the 1990-91

Australasian Two-Year-Old Classification, the bay mare was sold in foal to More

Than Ready. Santry indicated that his client was likely to send the mare to

Encosta de Lago for the 2006 breeding season.

The Widden offerings included the listed winner TAKEN (Gilded Time), who was

knocked down to E Thoroughbred's Tony Bott for $A680,000.

"She is a great mare," he offered. "I hoped to be able to buy her for between

$500,000 and $600,000, but the market is very strong."

Bott said the mare, sold not-in-foal, was purchased for an overseas client.

The five-year-old was produced by Isle of Pines (GB) (Kris {GB}), a half-sister

to Catchascatchcan (GB), the dam of Antonius Pius.

Session three of the broodmare sale kicks off Thursday morning.