Longwood makes an impression at Chairman's Sale

Cover image courtesy of Longwood Farm

Longwood presented its first yearling draft at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale earlier this year, selling eight lots for just over a $1 million in total, and in a sign of intent from Christian and his bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills, they backed that up by mixing it up with the 'big boys' to secure some elite mares on Friday.

"We've got a couple of good clients, including the one we bought these horses with. He's a great person and a fantastic friend of mine. We were keen to get a hold of some really nice mares," Christian told TDN AusNZ.

"With the client of mine, we spent three days in the Hunter Valley. We did a lot of research and we went around and visited 19 farms and looked at all the horses in the Chairman's Sale and got our short list.

"Sheamus is really helpful because while I had my own views on things, it's great to use Sheamus as a second opinion and someone who can give recommendations. I find him a fantastic judge of a horse. We've been together for a number of years doing that and it’s a good strong relationship."

Top mares headed to I Am Invincible

Longwood and Mills made an early impression in Friday's virtual Sale, snapping up Samara Dancer (NZ) (Hinchinbrook) for $750,000.

Offered by Widden Stud, she is in foal to its stallion Trapeze Artist, having produced a colt and a filly by I Am Invincible so far. As a racehorse, she won twice, including a G2 Blue Diamond Prelude, while she is one of two stakes winners from Ennerdale (Singspiel {Ire}), the other being Eclair Big Bang (Savabeel).

Samara Dancer was sold for $825,000 to Widden at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale three years ago, while her first foal, the I Am Invincible colt, failed to reach his reserve of $750,000 at this year's Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

"Physically, she had the real wow factor. She's a magnificent looking mare. She's a Group 2 2-year-old winner, which I think is critical. She is from a great family. Trapeze Artist is certainly the best of the first season crop and I think his progeny will sell really well," Christian said.

"We will put her back in foal to I Am Invincible and think that she is a young mare that over the next few years will be a fantastic broodmare for us."

Next on the shortlist was the Group 3 winner Lubiton (Snitzel), who was purchased from Yarraman Park Stud's draft for $620,000.

In foal to I Am Invincible, she produced a Hellbent filly last year and is from the family of Group 1 winner Camino Rose (Sea Road), the grand dam of stakes-winner Twitchy Frank (Choisir).

"She's a two-time stakes winner and in foal to the best stallion the land. We hope to send her back to I Am Invincible this spring," Christian said.

Market opens up more opportunity

At that stage, Christian believed his business for the night was done, but it became apparent that a few more of the mares on their shortlist would be available at a buyable price.

"To be honest, we thought we’d locked away the couple we wanted, and then we had Hot Dipped on our list and rated her highly and thought that price for an exceptional race horse from a great family and in foal to the best first-season stallion in Trapeze Artist, was great value as well," he said.

Hot Dipped (Written Tycoon), a three-times stakes winner out of Listed winner Galvanized (Rubiton), was knocked down to Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and Mills for $270,000 from the draft of Glenesk Thoroughbreds.

Christian is not yet sure of where Hot Dipped will head in her first season.

"We will get her back in foal, and hopefully we can have a bit of joy over the next 10 years with her," he said.

They also paid $270,000 for Justice Glory (Fastnet Rock), the sister to recent G2 WA Derby winner Tuscan Queen. Offered by Baystone Farm, she is in foal to Dundeel (NZ).

The other deal done was for Group 3-winning mare Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}), who was purchased for $230,000. A half-sister to Group 2 winner Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) from the family of G1 Caulfield Guineas winner In Top Swing (Beautiful Crown {USA}), she was offered by Widden Stud and is also in foal to Trapeze Artist.

"Fuddle Dee Duddle has an amazing Zoustar colt foal. Antony Thompson told us that of the 200 weanlings he has at his farm, that if the Fuddle Dee Duddle x Zoustar colt is not the best he has, it’s in the top three," Christian said.

"The logical thing is to send her back to Zoustar."

Setting up the future

As the fourth biggest buyers of the Inglis Chairman's Sale, it was a big night's shopping for a farm that only opened its doors two years ago. Christian, an AFL premiership winner, a sports and racing broadcaster, an AFL Match Review Officer, a successful owner and a self-confessed 'hobby breeder' of some repute, and wife Siobhan, joined with his brother Brad and his wife Pauline, to take the leap into establishing a commercial breeding operation.

Gallery: Longwood Farm | Images courtesy of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm

With some strong clients behind them, they are determined to make an impression and Friday's spending spree was confirmation that Christian will be as fearless in the commercial breeding caper as he was on the football field in his days with Collingwood.

"We feel like we bought really well, in terms of what they were worth. Our philosophy was to look at what they were worth pre-coronavirus, and apply a significant discount, and we felt that we were still able to get them at great value. That was really exciting," he said.