If you wondered whether the hype on Coolmore stallion Justify (not returning to Australia this year) was in fact justified, you got a good indication as to the esteem in which he is held by other parties when Godolphin purchased one of his two year-old colts for a record price at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale overnight.
Consigned by Oak Tree Farm, the colt from Group III placed High Chaparral mare sparked a bidding dual between Godolphin and Coolmore which was ultimately won by Anthony Stroud acting for Godolphin.
The price of €2.3million comfortably eclipsed the previous best at this sale, which was set in 2017 when Kerri Radcliffe went to €1.4m for Walk In The Sun on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
“He’s a very nice horse,” said Stroud after signing the docket. “We loved his breeze and the consignor sold us Native Trail (G1 winner). He’s the one horse we wanted to take home to Moulton Paddocks. Justify is doing really well, as we’ve seen. It’s early days yet but he looks truly remarkable.”
Asked if he had anticipated the bidding battle lasting so long, Stroud said: “I wish it hadn’t! But when you get a nice horse in the ring, and Coolmore are fantastic judges, you’re going to be bidding against someone like them because he’s an outstanding individual.”
The colt was sourced from Keeneland September last year for $150,000, but produced a sparkling gallop in the lead up to the sale that caught the attention of all the best judges.
“His breeze was out of this world; we all know he was the fastest time here yet he’s a horse who looks like he’ll get a mile. It’s been fabulous. I couldn’t dream of a result like that,” said Oak Tree Farm’s Norman Williamson.
“I knew all the right players were on him but I didn’t think he’d go to that level. He has the right sire, a good pedigree and he’s very good looking, so he had a lot of credentials. Thank you to Godolphin and to Coolmore, who were underbidders. Godolphin have been lucky with me with Native Trail and I hope this fella is as lucky, if not more.”
Justify also had the second highest priced horse of the sale with his colt from Curlylocks, a sister to Group I winning sire Churchill, selling for €1m to Alex Elliott for Amo Racing.
He also had the equal highest priced filly of the sale with a filly from Group I winning Montjeu mare Sarah Lynx selling for €800,000 to Alex Elliott for MV Magnier.
Justify covered 188 mares in Australia last spring at Coolmore at a fee of $77,000. There are nine entries covered by Justify for the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
