Forbidden Love almost readjusted the record for the highest-priced lot in the history of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when the glittering offering kicked off on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
The three-time Group 1 winner became the latest high-profile member of the Yulong broodmare band when knocked down to Yuesheng Zhang’s operation for $4.1 million.
That was $100,000 more than Yulong paid for Away Game as last year’s National Sale and just short of the Magic Millions record of $4.2 million set by Sunlight at the same sale in 2020.
Yulong emerged triumphant in a battle with Japan’s Northern Farm for the daughter of All Too Hard and the Victorian farm’s chief operating officer Sam Fairgray was not shocked they had to go so high for her.
“We always knew she was going to make a lot of money but when you have tough competition who have got a good system in what they’ve done buying mares previously, and Mr Zhang is following that similar system, it’s always going to be tough but she’s a lovely mare to end up with,” he said.
“It (the $4.1m pricetag) was probably getting to the end but, to get those mares, you’ve got to front up and buy them and Mr Zhang is adamant on what he wants to achieve.
“He’s putting his neck on the line and the industry is very lucky to have him.”
Richard Freedman, who in partnership with his brother Michael prepared Forbidden Love to the George Ryder Stakes, Canterbury Stakes and Surround Stakes at Group 1 level, was blown away by the result for the filly he paid $150,000 for at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
“We were thinking maybe mid-three million (dollars) was possible, but this is fantastic,” he said.
“She owes us nothing. We owe a lot to her. She raced until she was five years old and she was sound enough for a long time. We owe her plenty.”
Just 15 minutes after buying Forbidden Love, Yulong went to $2.3 million for Isotope, a Magic Millions Sprint-winning daughter of Deep Field who is out of a half-sister to Yankee Rose, dam of Saturday’s stunning Japanese Oaks winner Liberty Island.
“She’s obviously a fast mare but she was just a beautiful mare and with the recent pedigree update it helps things,” Fairgray said.
“As far as a physical, she was just a beautiful mare, so we’re really pleased we’ve end up with her.”
Yulong’s big buys were among the high-priced lots of the opening session of the three-day sale which kicked off with a bang when Group 2 winner Vangelic, a daughter of Vancouver, sold to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $1.5 million as the first lot of the day.
