Mithen went to $405,000 to purchase the sale topping mare Galaktika from the draft of George and Maryanne Simon's Mana Park.
A daughter of Thorn Park, Galaktika held plenty of appeal to Mithen as a
half-sister to Rosemont Stud's triple Group One winner Volkstok'n'barrell, and
in foal to his sire Tavistock."I think she made every penny of her worth and she is obviously a sentimental buy as well," Mithen said.
"She is a lovely type of mare and she was a pretty good racehorse herself.
"So with all things combined I knew she would be very popular here in this very buoyant market, but she was the mare I really wanted to take home one way or another."
Mithen's unintentional $5000 bid was enough to see off a host of underbiders on the highly sought after mare.
"I was actually trying to get on the phone to my brother-in-law, Nigel Austin, who will be my partner in the mare, when suddenly she was on a number we hadn't spoken about in $400,000.
"I held my hand up to tell Steve Davis [auctioneer] in the ring to hold for a moment hoping he could see I was on the phone but he couldn't see me very well, he could just see my hand, and thought that's a $5000 dollar bid.
"So thankfully when Nigel answered, he was as aggressive as I was, so it was a good result all round."
Mithen indicated the mare would eventually make her way back to Rosemont Stud in Victoria, but is likely to remain in New Zealand in the immediate future to foal and return to Tavistock.
"We have a couple of nominations locked away to Tavistock and probably that is the obvious mating this year, but in time she has been bought to go to Tarzino, who races in our colours and will retire to stud somewhere in the future," he said.
Earlier in the day Mithen, purchased Volksbelle for $100,000 from Mapperley Stud, a three-quarter sister to the dam of Volkstok'n'barrell, also in foal to Tavistock.
Mithen was delighted with Volkstok'n'barrell's third placing in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes last weekend and said the Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained gelding was on target for the Gr.1 Doomben Cup.
"His run was excellent given he was probably not fully wound up. He missed a gallop during the week, just through circumstances and not being able to get on to the track.
"To come home on that track from last was very encouraging going to the Doomben Cup. I think he is back in a big way so it is really exciting.
"There is the Doomben Cup and then the Eagle Farm Cup on Stradbroke day so they will be his missions while sunning himself in Queensland." – NZ Racing Desk
