Three-time Group 1 winning daughter of Pierro to be offered by Holbrook Thoroughbreds on May 25
Triple Group 1 winner Arcadia Queen (Pierro) is the latest addition to the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with the champion mare to tbe offered by Holbrook Thoroughbreds as agent for her owner / breeder Bob Peters.
"Obviously she's a star of Australian racing," said Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch to Racing & Sports Bloodstock.
"She's got a fantastic race record, being a three-time Group 1 winner and a champion. Her pedigree would stand up anywhere in the world and she'll be highly sought after on May 25."
The daughter of Pierro (Lonhro) won eight of her 16 career starts and earnt just shy of $4,000,000, while she was rated Champion Female Sprinter in Australia last season.
Peters said that the decision to sell her had been a tough one and that she was right up there with the best that the successful breeder has raced.
"Not much of her family has ever gone to auction and I'm not very popular with much of my family for the decision to sell her," he said.
"There's only one other horse I compare her to and that is Old Comrade who won four Group Ones before a tendon injury.
"It's hard to say, but I think she's better than him and that's something and he was pretty good.
"She was a world class racehorse with huge ratings and really could have been anything."
Originally trained in WA by Grant and Alana Williams, Arcadia Queen scored a dominant victory in the Kingston Town Classic (Gr 1, 1800m) in December 2018 before being transferred to Chris Waller. Returning to the stable of her original trainers, this season she added the Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) to her record while she also finished second in the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
"Her record is outstanding and she didn't have a lot of luck in a few other races including the Cox Plate and Golden Eagle," said Peters.
"She's a big, strong mare and is probably the strongest in the family. Pierro goes really well with Redoute's Choice and this family in particular."
"Going forward I have got a yearling full sister on the ground and there's three other full sisters (to dam Antique) going to Pierro this year and others in foal – there's a lot of the blood to come for the family."
Arcadia Queen is out of winning mare Arcadia (Redoute's Choice) making her a half-sister to Group 2 winner Arcadia Dream (Domesday), Listed winner Arcadia Rose (Kheleyf) and a sister to Group 3 winner Arcadia Prince (Pierro). Her second dam is the Group 1 placed mare Antique (Metal Storm) who is herself the grandam of Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Regal Power (Pierro).
The National Weanling Sale begins its two day run on May 20 and the National Broodmare Sale starts runs from May 25 to 27 before the four-day National Yearling Sale commences on June 1 and Bowditch said that his team were working with buyers from not only Australia but around the world.
"The market is in fantastic shape and we've got fantastic catalogues right the way through from the weanlings to the yearlings," he said.
"Obviously we've got a very exciting day on May 25 with all these race fillies and maiden mares and we end the day with the outstanding Shadwell group. It's boding very well and the team are working hard to engage with buyers from all over the world and get the horses up here over the weekend."
