$5.2million Earning G1 winner Icebath Confirmed for Chairman's Sale

Media Release - Sunday February 19

G1 winner Icebath – the best broodmare prospect to go to public auction in Australia in 2023 – will be offered at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in early May.

Icebath is a $5.2million earner - image Grant Courtney

Icebath’s determination and consistency at the top level over many seasons has led to her being not only one of the most popular mares in training, but also one of the best credentialled.

On the track she has been one of the best money spinners of recent years for her connections – she was purchased for $100,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and to date has won $5,219,915.

Icebath, who was deemed good enough to contest G1 Golden Slipper lead-ups as a 2YO and is a winner from 1150m to 1600m, has defeated a staggering 48 individual G1 winners to date.

Her crowning glory came during last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival when she won the G1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington, defeating the likes of Yearning, La Crique, Excelida, Atishu, Kissonallforcheeks, Belle Plaisir, Kiku, My Whisper, Elusive Express, Palaisipan and Daisies amongst others.

Icebath is also five-time G1 placed in races like the Doncaster Mile (twice), George Main Stakes, Queen of the Turf and Cantala Stakes, as well as finishing second, beaten just 0.1 lengths in the $7.5m Golden Eagle.

Icebath was an exceptional racemare.

On top of her G1 success, Icebath was also the winner of the inaugural $2m The Invitation, a race reserved for the best fillies and mares in Australia and New Zealand, where she beat the likes of Forbidden Love, Entriviere, Vangelic, Madam Rouge, Sweet Deal, Nudge and Startantes over 1400m on a Good 3 track at Randwick.

She showed she was in for another successful autumn campaign when resuming last weekend, finishing an encouraging fourth, just 1.3 lengths behind Cox Plate champion Anamoe and has races like the G1 Doncaster Mile on her agenda.

Icebath is a product of a pedigree carefully cultivated in New Zealand by champion breeders Waikato Stud.

By four-time G1 winner Sacred Falls out of blue hen mare Fabulist, Icebath is a full-sister to high-class Hong Kong sprinter Courier Wonder, a G3 winner and G1 placed, as well as being a three-quarter sister to Stakes winner Nowyousee (O’Reilly) and black-type filly Just Fabulous (O’Reilly).

Icebath joins fellow G1-winning mare Graceful Girl, G1 producer Celebrity Miss and three-time G1 placed mare Swats That in what is shaping as the strongest catalogue ever assembled for the Chairman’s Sale, which also includes mares in foal to the likes of American sire sensation Gun Runner and Champion European sire Frankel, as well as the likes of Extreme Choice, Home Affairs, Stay Inside etc.

Icebath’s managing owner David McGrath – also an ATC Director - said owning the star mare had been “the ultimate racing dream’’.

“She is such a competitor and has a rare determination and closing speed which few horses possess,’’ McGrath said.

Advertisement

"Since her 2YO years right through to 2023, Icebath has raced at the highest level and shown so much heart in her races. She's one of the most loved and consistent Group 1 horses in Australia.

"Icebath's longevity is down to the way [trainer] Brad Widdup and his team have cared for the mare.

“She has always been sent to the spelling paddock off a peak performance and looked after so well throughout her career."

Co-owner David Basheer added: “She has a heart as big as the Hawkesbury river, her courage, longevity and character is amazing. She will never know how much we love her.
“She has raced the best for so long and consistently brushed aside poor luck to compete at the highest level.

“We look forward to her putting her great ability and desire into her progeny in the years to come.”

Inglis’ NSW Bloodstock Manager Chris Russell described Icebath as “the complete package’’.

“We’ve offered some elite mares at the Chairman’s Sale in recent years and Icebath is right up there with the best of them,’’ Russell said.

“She’s accomplished on the track with a G1 win and more than $5m in prizemoney, she’s very well bred and she’s a very pretty mare. A lot of mares tick one or two of those boxes but Icebath really ticks all three, which is rare.

“It’s a genuine honour to be entrusted to offer a mare of Icebath’s quality and I think it’s testament to the regard this sale is now held in the market that the connections of the best broodmare prospect to go to public auction in Australia this year have chosen the Chairman’s to sell her through.

“We’re extremely grateful to David and John McGrath, Simon and David Basheer and Tass Roufos for their loyalty and we can’t wait for the Chairman’s Sale to offer Icebath and so many other outstanding mares to the market at Riverside in early May.’’

Places in the 2023 Chairman’s Sale are again limited, so interested parties are encouraged to contact a member of the Inglis Bloodstock team to discuss your options.

To submit an entry CLICK HERE.

The Chairman’s Sale will be held at Riverside Stables in Sydney on the evening of Thursday May 4 and forms part of the Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series which also includes the Australian Weanling Sale and Australian Broodmare Sale in May, followed by the Great Southern Weanling Sale and Great Southern Broodmare Sale at Oaklands in June.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
$1.2million for Mare in Foal to Frankel
There are four mares to be offered at Magic Millions National in foal to Juddmonte Farm’s champion sire Frankel and the first of them Grande Dame (GB) sold for $1.2million to James Bester Bloodstock/Morning Rise Stud.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
MRC locks in leadership as Tanya Fullarton named CEO and Jonathan Munz joins as Vice Chairman
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed two major leadership appointments, naming Tanya Fullarton as Chief Executive Officer and leading business person, owner, and breeder Jonathan Munz as Vice Chairman.
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.