Tom Magnier paid $1.5million for a Snitzel colt from Ms Bad Behavior (Can) at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and that colt ended up being Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland and on Sunday he returned to the well to purchase his full brother for an eye-watering $2.7million.
Consigned by Arrowfield Stud, the colt sparked intense bidding before Magnier prevailed with the final price providing Arrowfield Stud with a new record price for a yearling sold from their farm.
The sum fell slightly short of the overall record price for a Snitzel set at $2.8million and shared by two colts, one of which, a Widden Stud consigned colt from Humma Humma, sold earlier this year at Magic Millions to Ciaron Maher.
“We've had a lot of luck buying horses at this sale with Arrowfield and they've done a great job with their horses again. They're smart breeders and we're obviously really excited with the full brother to this colt, Switzerland, going to stud this year,” said Tom Magnier.
“A lot of people are inquiring about Switzerland going to stud at the moment and this is a lovely type of colt too.
“Chris (Waller) and all the team really like the horse and our Colts Fund, thankfully, is going very well and we have some great people involved and they're great supporters of Coolmore.”
The star colt is the third foal from imported Group III winner Ms Bad Behaviour, who is married to Snitzel and has produced four colts in a row by the champion sire and is due to foal this spring to him again…no doubt Arrowfield would dearly love to see a filly this time.
“It’s fantastic result for the farm, our clients and obviously the staff that put in a lot of work. Great to see Coolmore buy the horse, they've had a huge amount of luck with us in recent times,” said Paul Messara.
“They do a great job cherry-picking our draft, that's for sure. Two recent Group 1 winners (Switzerland and Private Life), so we’re really excited and I hope it's a great horse for them.
“Snitzel just keeps doing it, doing it, doing it. So, you know, he's been such a consistent sire for such a long time, and when people turn up to the sales, they want to buy expensive horses, but you want that reliability and he certainly offers that.”
