Spanish Whisper Sets Online Record

Media Release - Thursday October 15

A delighted Daniel Nakhle and Darren Brady are reaching for the stallion register tonight before popping corks, having managed to ward off strong international competition to buy out shareholders in Spanish Whisper (Lope De Vega) for an online record-setting AU$1,202,500.

Spanish Whisper sold for an online record price.

“We’ve bred and raced her, fallen in love with her and I have a big grin on my face from having been able to secure her tonight,” Nakhle said.

“We looked around the international market for mares with similar credentials and at the price I think we’ve got great value.

“Darren and I have invested heavily in the family with an outstanding half-sister by Savabeel on the ground and her dam going back to Savabeel, we now just need to do some homework and choose a stallion in Australia for her to visit before she comes home to New Zealand.”

Originally raced in New Zealand by Daniel with co-breeders Elias Nakhle and Darren Brady, Spanish Whisper won the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders Stakes and placed in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes.

She then transitioned to the Lindsay Park Racing team where Darren Thomas’ Seymour Bloodstock joined in the ownership and the syndicate enjoyed big stage success at Flemington with wins in the Gr.2 Kewney and Gr.2 Let’s Elope, reaping from her Australian deeds over $380,000.

“We have really enjoyed racing her with Darren and the Lindsay Park team and now share in the ownership of others with them so we can still look forward to cheering on runners in the Seymour Bloodstock colours,” Nakhle concluded.

Advertisement

“I know it’s a lot of money but I honestly think she is better bought than sold at that, I hope the boys consider my favourite Danehill line horse Merchant Navy as a potential mate,” commented Thomas.

“I reckon Pilko [Mark Pilkington] and I would be stitched on buyers of the resultant progeny if offered in the 2023 Karaka Sale.”

Flashing past the previous online record of NZ$670,000 for Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel) with one day left, bidding quickly jumped past the $1 million mark in the final minutes before the sale closed.

 “The feedback on her as a type was very bullish and she was easy to recommend so it was no surprise to have clients bidding from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Europe as well as New Zealand,” gavelhouse.com general manager Haylie Martin said.

“This was certainly the fairest approach in terms of transitioning the ownership from the racing into the breeding phase of her career and obviously the safest with her being able to stay in the paddock at Newhaven Park.”

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Pedigree Watch - Powerhouse Godolphin 3YOs Dominate
The current crop of three year-olds running for Godolphin lay claim to being the best they have ever produced in Australia and three of those colts won Group races in Australia on Saturday so let’s take a look at those pedigrees.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
Consistency Key On Day One of 2025 Breeze Ups
After the rescheduling of dates for NZB’s anticipated 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups, Day One kicked off on Monday at Te Rapa Racecourse with consistent times, weather and track conditions.