An ecstatic John Galvin of Fortuna Racing was "blown away'' and "thrilled'' with the sale of his high-class race filly Bellatrix Star, who topped the Inglis Australia Digital September (Early) Sale Sept. 9 at AU$900,000 (US$649,436, AU$1=US$0.72).
The Mark Walker-trained Bellatrix Star won four stakes races and was runner-up in the 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) from just 13 starts on the track, and was acquired by Widden Stud and Julia Ritchie's Bangaloe Stud.
The mare—initially purchased by Galvin and Te Akau's Sir David Ellis as a yearling for AU$80,000—will be served by Widden's champion stallion Zoustar.
"It's a fantastic result for us, it really is,'' Galvin said. "We had a reserve of AU$500,000 on her and, personally, I hoped she would sell somewhere between AU$600,000 and AU$1 million so to get to the top end of that spread is absolutely amazing. To make AU$900,000 is simply incredible.
"I can't fault the entire Inglis team. (Bloodstock sales manager and New Zealand representative) Brett (Gilding) was the liaison person for us and he was in constant contact keeping me up to date with everything that was happening along the way, providing feedback from various farms that you guys had interested in the mare and everything like that.
"We're very happy with the professionalism Inglis brought to this entire process.''
Widden's Antony Thompson added: "She's a lovely, fast filly with a very impressive record; her race career was sadly cut a bit short, but to beat the older horses in the Schillaci like she did, she's a stakes winner at Flemington and to then run second in a Coolmore, it's a perfect profile of a beautiful filly for us and Julia Ritchie to send to Zoustar, whom she is a shareholder in.
"She earned over $1 million in prize money; she won multiple stakes races at 2 and 3, so we knew we were going to have to dig deep to buy her, but I thought she was absolutely worth that price. Grant (Burrill) and Adam (Henry) from Widden Victoria visited her yesterday and were glowing in their praise.
"Mark Walker and Sir David Ellis and the entire Te Akau team identify such lovely physicals at the sales and they've had so much success, so it's nice to secure one of their yearling selections as a broodmare to join the Widden team."
The sale's second-top lot was the 4-year-old mare Chatterley, who sold to Broodmare Bloodstock for AU$250,000. The Chris Waller-trained mare was offered by Denise Martin of Star Thoroughbreds.
There were many other significant results in the September (Early) Sale, which resulted in 10 lots realizing six figures, the others being Silverado (AU$205,000 to Brinawa Holdings), Infusion (AU$145,000 to Newgate Bloodstock), Smokin' Princess (AU$140,000 to Precious Bloodstock), Couples Retreat (AU$135,000 to Ben Kwok), Aeolian (AU$120,000 to Sneesby Racing), Miss Snitz (AU$120,000 to Glenn Willis), Fly Lightly (More Than Ready) (AU$110,000 to Caithness Breeding), and Union (AU$105,000 to Mack Griffith).
In total, the September (Early) Sale grossed AU$4,039,100 (US$2,914,598). For full results, click here.
Entries are now open for the September (Late) Sale, which will run from Sept. 18-23. Entries close at midnight Sept. 16.
