Racing
Hermitage pay up for another Snitzel filly
Hermitage pays $1.6m for another Snitzel filly hours after Lady Shenandoah stretched her legs
Perhaps inspired by what it saw at Randwick just a few hours earlier, Hermitage Thoroughbreds set a new mark for the highest-priced filly of this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The New South Wales operation paid $1.6 million for an Arrowfield Stud-raised daughter of Snitzel, who is from the War Emblem mare Madame Andree.
The transaction took place at around 11.30am local time Thursday, which was not long after Hermitage's banner Snitzel mare, the Chris Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah, stretched her legs in his first trial of the campaign.
She settled second and coasted to the line in fourth position, beaten just under three lengths despite never being asked to extend, and Hermitage racing manager Shannon Clarke was excited by what she saw after the triple Group 1 winner's frustrating spring campaign.
"She looked ready to explode this morning in her trial," Clarke said.
"She's come back bigger and stronger and it's a very exciting autumn hopefully.
"She was very unlucky (in spring). She never disgraced herself in any run that she had, just a few things went wrong in those four starts, but it didn't knock her confidence."
Lady Shenandoah's trial was won by Enriched, with Manaal and Golden Slipper fancy Incognito filling the minor placings, while Golden Rose winner Beiwacht finished immediately behind his stablemate.
Unbeaten star Autumn Glow, which Hermitage also has a share in, also had her first trial and she was also given an easy time of things when a two-length fifth in the trial won by Shangri La Boy, which also featured Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic (second) and classy import Sir Delius (fourth).
Via Sistina and Aeliana were two other Waller-trained stars on display on Thursday morning, separated by less than a head when trailing the field home in the last of the three 850m trials, which was won by Pallaton.
While Clarke only has to wait a few more weeks to see Lady Shenadoah back at the track, it will be a little longer before Hermitage sees the $1.6m filly – who is a half-sister to Anders and Ostraka – at the track, but there are similarities between her and Lady Shenandoah.
"She was our top pick for the sale," Clarke said.
"Obviously we've had a lot of luck with a Snitzel filly recently and that's probably guided us into this filly today.
"They're both very athletic fillies. They just have an athletic physique, they showed that early on at their parades; nice leg on them (and) are good movers."
The only two higher-priced lots of the sale at the point of the $1.6m filly's sale were the two $2m colts who sold on the first two days.
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