Godolphin pays €1.3 million for Senorita Bonita’s half-sister at Goffs

Godolphin paid €1.3 million (AU$2.11 million) for a Modern Games half-sister to Senorita Bonita at Goffs Orby Book 1 on Tuesday, the highest price on the sale’s second day.

Offered by breeder Michael Gaffney’s Churchtown House Stud as lot 388, the filly is out of Belicious (Ruler Of The World). Her elder sister, by Caulfield Guineas and Oakleigh Plate winner Starspangledbanner, won the Prix Morny by four lengths in August for Simon and Ed Crisford.

Bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud signed for the Modern Games filly on Godolphin’s behalf. Stroud had bought Senorita Bonita at the breeze-up sale for Victorious Forever and said Coolmore’s MV Magnier was the underbidder on her younger sister.

“She’ll go to Newmarket and the principal will decide where we’re going from there,” Stroud said. “We’re just delighted to have a half-sister to a very good horse.”

Godolphin had earlier paid €750,000 (AU$1.22 million) for a Modern Games colt offered by Baroda Stud. Matisse Bloodstock had bought the colt for €225,000 (AU$365,000) at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

Modern Games, a son of Dubawi who won the French 2,000 Guineas and Breeders’ Cup Mile, has his first crop of yearlings at the sales. Godolphin’s two purchases on Tuesday totalled €2.05 million (AU$3.32 million).

Baroda also sold a Sea The Stars colt out of Group 1 winner Ambivalent for €800,000 (AU$1.30 million) to Abdullah Ali Althani. Bought with the Epsom Derby in mind, the colt will be trained by William Haggas.

Across the two days of Orby Book 1, turnover rose 3 per cent to €54,173,000 (AU$87.8 million). The average increased 4 per cent to €138,906 (AU$225,000) and the median rose 5 per cent to €100,000 (AU$162,000). The clearance rate was 88 per cent, down on last year.

Goffs chief Henry Beeby said the average and median were sale records. “It’s all about the horses. Whatever an auction house does to market a particular sale, it’s worth very little if we don’t have the raw material,” he said.