Three year-old Snitzel filly Caffe Florian has been one of the finds of the summer in Sydney reeling off three successive wins culminating with a Black Type success in the Listed Gosford Guineas and her full sister lit up the Magic Millions sale ring on Thursday selling for $1.6million.
The sum was four times the $400,000 paid for Caffe Florian when she was presented at Inglis Easter in 2024 by Arrowfield and snapped up by Galletta Constructions.
The Richard Litt trained Caffe Florian is the third stakes-winner from Madame Andree, who is also the grand-dam of this season’s Group winning colt Skyhook with this family highlighted in a recent super popular Breednet story – The Family You Want a Part Of.
The star filly was purchased by Hermitage Thoroughbreds, who race the best of all the Snitzel fillies in triple Group I winner Lady Shenandoah, who they purchased from Arrowfield at Inglis Easter in 2023 for $525,000.
“She was our top pick for the sale. Obviously we’ve had a lot of luck with a Snitzel filly (Lady Shenandoah) recently and that probably guided us into this filly today,” said Shannon Clarke of Hermitage Thoroughbreds.
“That was our limit. That was where we were going to sit and my heart was pounding at that point and I’m happy that we were able to secure her.
“We have a lot of luck with Arrowfield-bred horses, sold horses. It’s a great partnership that we have and long may it continue.”
Hermitage and Arrowfield share in the ownership of undefeated superstar Autumn Glow, who took a step towards the autumn carnival with a soft trial at Randwick this morning.
Clarke could see similarities between Lady Shenandoah and the $1.6million filly.
“They’re both very athletic fillies. They just have an athletic physique, they showed that early on at their parades. (They have) nice leg on them, good movers and we’re just chuffed to get her,” he added.
Madame Andree produced a filly by Snitzel last spring before going to The Autumn Sun.
