$700,000 for St Marks Basilica Colt

Tara Madgwick - Thursday January 9

The 2021 European Horse of the Year, St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) has a lovely line of yearlings being offered at Magic Millions this week and made a big splash on Thursday when the Arrowfield consigned colt from Mantra of Life (USA) sold for $700,000.

$700,000 St Mark's Basilic (Fr) colt from Mantra of Life (USA)

St Mark’s Basilica will have his first Northern Hemisphere runners in 2025 and had 20 yearlings sell in 2024 at Tattersalls, Arqana and Goffs for 200,000 or more euros/guineas so was obviously well received. He also achieved something special at the Arqana sale when his blueblood filly from blue hen Prudenzia topped the sale at 1.7million euros.

The colt from Mantra of Life would have been equally at home at any of those European sales given his impressive international female family and he was duly secured by Tom Magnier, who has enjoyed success purchasing from Arrowfield, notably with this season’s Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland.

“He’s as nice a horse as you would see at this complex. We’ve had a lot of luck buying horses off Arrowfield and we know they raise racehorses there,” Magnier said.

“They’ve been huge supporters of St Mark’s Basilica and he (the colt) was one of the nicest types on the ground and one of the nicest I’ve seen.

Advertisement

“He’s a real athletic, fluid mover. The day we saw him at the farm at Arrowfield, he was one of those horses you can look back and remember. All the team really liked that horse. Every judge we spoke to liked him.”

The star colt is a half-brother to Group III placed Know Thyself and is from blueblood Dubawi mare Mantra of Life, an unraced daughter of Group III winner Loving Kindness with third dam Coup de Genie, the Champion 2YO Filly of France and a half-sister to champion sire Machiavellian. The family has produced countless G1 winners including Arc winner Bago and Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River.

Mantra of Life produced a filly last year by Maurice (Jpn).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Bryce Bevan Appointed Head of Digital at Magic Millions
Magic Millions' commitment to conduct online thoroughbred auctions has received a huge boost with today's announcement that Bryce Bevan has been appointed as Head of Digital.
Promising Victory For Too Darn Hot’s Ripley
Racing in the same Qatar Bloodstock coloured silks worn to victory on Friday night by West of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, 3yo Too Darn Hot colt Ripley highlighted his future potential with a two-length maiden victory at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
Talented So You Think Mare Goes Two for Two
So You Think is setting the pace for winners this season as we head into October and one of those promising winners is talented four year-old mare Enamorada, who made it two wins in as many starts when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday as favourite.
Hellbent Winner Impresses at Sha Tin
Astute trainer Mark Newnham paid $425,000 at the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale to secure a promising two year-old by Hellbent and Invincible Ibis delivered on that promise when scoring a last to first win at Sha Tin on Wednesday.
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.