Home Affairs Filly Tops National Weanling Sale

Coolmore Stud sire Home Affairs (AUS) was in his element again May 24 when Lot 251, a filly out of Cancel (AUS), topped the Magic Millions Weanling Sale on the Gold Coast. SP Bloodstock principal Stefan Pardi has also made an impact in sale rings this year, and he saw off several underbidders when going to AU$680,000 (US$484,486) for the half sister to the Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Madame Pommery (AUS). Home Affairs is Australia's champion freshman-elect this season with four first-crop black-type winners to date headed by Golden Slipper Stakes (G1) winner Guest House (AUS). Out of Cancel, a full sister to Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) winner Earthquake that Coolmore purchased from the 2018 National Broodmare Sale for AU$400,000, the Home Affairs filly was described as a quality, high-end filly who wouldn't be out of place in any sale during inspections. Pardi agreed with that assessment. "I'm very happy to get her at that price," he said. "Coolmore has doubled the service fee for Home Affairs to $176,000 this year and there's residual value with black-type right down her page. "I've been a bit more disciplined here but she's a standout and fits my model for the next Inglis Easter Yearling Sale." "Any time you bring a filly like this to a sale, it's a collector's item," Coolmore's racing manager John Kennedy said. "She's a beautiful filly. She showed herself off very well this week and credit to Magic Millions—they had all the right people here at the sales complex." It was the fourth time in the last five years that the top lot has been a filly. The top lot exceeded last year's mark of AU$550,000 and while there was a drop in the number of lots making over AU$200,000, 17 down from 27, the number of lots which sold for AU$100,000 or more nearly tripled, resulting in a sale average almost identical to last year. "It was a very solid day's trade," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said, "To have the numbers very much in line with last year is very pleasing." "The clearance rate is a touch higher than last year and it should continue to improve overnight." "We had 62 six-figure weanlings on the day, it was almost a mirror image of last year. We just had a few more withdrawals and a few less horses cataloged—so we're delighted." The pre-sale hype was justified for Baramul Stud's Zoustar (AUS) colt from Grandstraand (Lot 326) when he was purchased by Tasmanian-based Grenville Stud owners Graeme and Bart McCulloch for AU$500,000. "He ticks all the boxes and we're excited to be taking him home," Bart McCulloch said. "We inspected him on our first day here and kept going back because he's that good. He's by a champion sire and will be prepped for one of the majors next year."