Benie Des Dieux sells for record €350,000

AS seemed certain from the moment the catalogue for this sale was released the top-class mare Benie Des Dieux emerged as the star turn of this year’s sale when selling for a record €350,000.

The 10-year-old’s price eclipsed the short-lived record set by Laurina when she sold for €290,000 last year.

A triple Grade 1 winner, which included a Cheltenham triumph, and sold in foal to Walk In The Park, the 10-year-old daughter of Great Pretender was bought by a partnership of M.V Magnier and Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud.

Over the last decade or so Willie Mullins has provided countless highlights in the mares’ section of this sale but it was fitting that things should move on to a new level with this sale of this mare as she is the best breeding prospect that he has brought to public auction.

Leading lights

The mares’ sale wasn’t all about Benie Des Dieux though as there were four other mares who reached six figures and they included Jessica Harrington’s Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light who was offered through Baroda Stud.

The multiple Grade 2 winner was sold in foal to Crystal Ocean and she will join Coolmara Stables’ increasingly powerful broodmare band after the Cork-based operation secured her with a bid of €185,000.

A growing feature of thoroughbred sales is the level of online activity and Jayne McGivern’s online bid of €165,000 was good to secure the high-class Willie Mullins inmate Buildmeupbuttercup. The daughter of Sixties Icon was sold in foal to Crystal Ocean.

The Mullins draft also included the Grade 2-winning chaser Salsaretta who was sold in foal to Blue Bresil. She was knocked down to Seamar Bloodstock at €135,000.

Another Closutton inmate to capture the imagination was the Oyster Stakes winner Diamond Hill with the daughter of Beat Hollow selling to Cottage Bloodstock for €100,000.