Mining mogul Nathan Tinkler forked out another seven-figure sum just one day after securing rugby league supercoach Wayne Bennet for his Newcastle Knights NRL Club purchasing the former Bart Cummings-trained Allez Wonder at the 2011 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sales.
The spending splurge for Tinkler continued on Wednesday, day two of the annual Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, as he added another star to his growing thoroughbred kingdom.
Tinkler’s Patinack Farm Pty Ltd secured five-year-old Redoute’s Choice mare Allez Wonder, prepared for sale by Princes Farm, for $1 million.
The big buy pushed the total spent for the second day at the sales to close to $10 million gross at an average of $88,000, up a fraction on day two last year.
Although the clearance rate has been below expected at this year’s Broodmare Sales, overall the auctions have grossed $18 million.
During her career Allez Wonder (by Redoute’s Choice from Luna Tudor) was prepared by the Cups King Bart Cummings and part-owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam.
She is most famous for winning the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield back in October of 2009.
Allez Wonder started 24 times for three wins and one minor placing earning $509,263 in total career prize money.
The purchase of Allez Wonder boosted the number of broodmares secured by Patinack Farm this year up to 17 for a total cost exceeding $3.1 million as of Wednesday afternoon.
The other notable purchase from day two was by James Bester Bloodstock who shelled out $800,000 for the Group 1 placed Banc De Fortune.
The seven-year-old mare from Galileo by 1997 AJC Oaks winning mare Danendri was formerly trained by Lee Freedman.
Bester has a nice association with Banc De Fortune having purchased the daughter of Danehill mare and Banc De Fortune’s dam Danendri at the 2005 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“Demand for well-credentialed fillies and mares continues to be very strong,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.
“Over the years this sale has proved to reward buyers with the dams of champions such as Black Caviar (Helsinge), Sepoy (Watchful) and So You Think (Triassic).
“They collectively cost less than $200,000.
“No doubt there are a few of these bargain mares in this catalogue once again.”
Also sold at the second session yesterday were New Zealand Oaks winner Boundless who was sold to Paul Willets for $700,000 and Group 3 winning Zabeel mare Bhandara who fetched just over half a million dollars to the bid of Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock.
Today the third and final session of the Easter Broodmare Sales includes the Supplementary Catalogue.
Top-liners in today’s catalogue include Sydney Cup winner Jessicabeel and three-year-old Snitzel filly Chance Bye.
