The sale of Lubaya in gavelhouse's most recent thoroughbred auction set a new price highlight for the site.
A regally-bred daughter of Rip Van Winkle, Lubaya 's
appeal was not lost on bidders with plenty of early interest in the Group placed
mare who was offered as a breeding and racing proposition in light work.
This interest led to a record sale price of $255,000, surpassing the $211,000 paid for Ampin who was sold in foal to Savabeel in June 2017.
"These types of results reinforce the fact that gavelhouse.com is a brilliant tool for trading bloodstock at all ends of the spectrum and we're grateful for every opportunity we get to demonstrate this," commented gavelhouse.com General Manager Haylie Martin.
"There's no stress on the animal with them able to remain at home and there's every opportunity for buyers to complete their due diligence by inspecting them and completing vet checks to mitigate risk."
Bred by Doug and Robyn Phillips and Windsor Park Stud, Lubaya was a Karaka Premier Sale yearling graduate bought by trainer Roydon Bergerson for $85,000 with her name a fitting one being Swahili for 'young lioness'. A daughter of the Generous mare Lioness she is a half to dual Group One winner Lion Tamer and a full to Group performer Let Me Roar.
Among the top classic fillies of her generation, the three-time race winner earnt herself a place in the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas field and at her last start she added valuable black-type to her page with a third placing in the Gr.3 Manuwatu Breeders Stakes.
Such is the faith in her racing ability and developing maturity, the successful purchasers have decided to continue to race on with the now five-year-old mare rather than retire to the breeding barn immediately.
Martin said she was pleased with the auction and the interest in gavelhouse.com sales which continues to grow.
"In addition to Lubaya there were a number of quality mares traded this week and it was also pleasing to see good money being spent on mares to stay in New Zealand," she said.
"As always, the auction also drew plenty of interest from across the Tasman with two from the broodmare section heading offshore in Encore Encore and Elfee."
Entries for the next fortnightly auction are due online by 7pm on Monday 26 August. The catalogue will be posted online at 5pm on Tuesday 27 August and the auction will close from 7pm on Monday 2 September.
