Group 2 winner Kiku (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) brought A$1.46 million from Katsumi Yoshida in a special standalone auction hosted by Magic Millions on Thursday. Consigned by Brett Howard's Glenesk Thoroughbreds as agent for Star Thoroughbreds, the 6-year-old was offered unreserved as a broodmare prospect.
“Magic Millions handled an unusually difficult situation very professionally and it worked out extremely well,” Star Thoroughbreds' Denise Martin told The Thoroughbred Report of the technical difficulties that cropped up in the last few minutes of the proceedings.
“We're elated the mare has been bought by Mr. Yoshida and I'm sure she will be very well mated here in Australia initially. I thank those involved from Jon Freyer to Mr. Yoshida, the price was wonderful.”
Bred by Frank Meduri, Kiku is a full-sister to G1 Newmarket H. hero Zoutori (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}), and was an A$300,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling when picked up by Star Thoroughbreds from the consignment of Amarina Farm. She raced for an ownership group that included Nick Vass Bloodstock and Bangaloe Stud.
“I always said to Denise that she should be making north of $1 million, but where she settled after that, I wasn't sure, it was always going to be for the market to determine,” Howard told The Thoroughbred Report.
“Mr. Yoshida has bought himself a beautiful mare. She's by one of the best stallions, has an outstanding pedigree and was a seriously good race mare. She's a good 16.2hh–she stands over ground and has a really lovely temperament. She's got that international pedigree and that may have made great appeal. Obviously, she's a sister to a Newmarket H. winner, but her grandam is by Sadler's Wells and she's a three-quarter sister in blood to New Approach (Ire) who was an outstanding racehorse and now sire.”
Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch thanked the connections of Kiku for the opportunity to offer her.
“Denise is such a wonderful friend of Magic Millions and we thank her and her syndicate of owners,” he said. “Obviously, we were disappointed that the system failed during the final minutes of the online auction and we must thank all the affected parties for their understanding.”
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