Japanese Buyer Purchases 'White Princess'

Media Release - Monday January 25
The power and immense reach of the internet could not have been more graphically illustrated than on the first day of selling at Karaka on Monday when Japanese businessman Hideo Takadaru beat off ferocious local competition to secure the most unique yearling on offer at the sale.

High Chaparral filly from The Opera HouseThe stunning pure white filly by High Chaparral was offered as Lot 113 from the Windsor Park Stud draft and as the daughter of Zabeel mare The Opera House entered the auction ring an audible gasp from the large crowd that had assembled to witness the sale suggested something special was about to occur.

The rarity of a pure white yearling (pictured Trish Dunnell) ensured there would be no shortage of publicity surrounding the filly and after beating off some fierce competition from powerhouse buyers that included New Zealand's King of Karaka, David Ellis, Takadaru acknowledged it was through viewing videos on the Internet that he became attracted to the filly.

"I am very happy to buy this filly as I travelled to New Zealand specifically to do that," he said.

"I saw several videos of her on the Internet and became interested in her. I liked what I saw and decided to see if I could buy her.

"I would like to race her in New Zealand and then take her back to Japan to become a broodmare, where she could visit a stallion like Deep Impact."

Takadaru outlaid $450,000 which equaled the highest price for a filly on the day. – NZ Racing Desk

Footnote: The star filly is the first white foal for her white dam The Opera House, who made headlines when selling at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in 2008 for $270,000.



She is pictured here with the High Chaparral filly born at Windsor Park in 2014.



The Opera House delivered another white foal again last year producing this colt by Shamexpress. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Exceed and Excel Gelding Wins G1 Haydock Sprint Cup
A big field of 16 went to the post for the Group I Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) overnight and with race favourite Inisherin failing to fire it was left to outsiders to fill the placings with Exceed and Excel gelding Montassib claiming a narrow victory.
Tassort Fillies Quinella G2 Furious
Tassort fillies ran the quinella in the Group II ATC Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday after both placing two weeks ago in the Group II ATC Silver Shadow Stakes, but this time the placings were reversed with Manaal a head in front of Ameena.
Alabama Express Filly Wins G3 Gold Trail
The rapid rise of Alabama Lass continued on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival on Saturday, the filly putting on a stellar display to win the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
Mornington Glory Scales the Heights in Gr1 Moir Stakes
On a day that had been playing to the swoopers, the race fit Mornington Glory made all the running in the $750,000 Group 1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley to credit Woodside Park Stud's Shalaa IRE) with his second Group 1 winner and first in Australia.
Angel Capital to Plot a Caulfield Guineas Path
Following an impressive winning debut at Cranborne in April, Angel Capital was not a factor in two stakes races, the Spirit Of Boom Classic and Group II Sires' Produce Stakes, when taken to Brisbane for the winter.
Invincible Mare Wins $1million G3 Concorde
The richest race in Australia on Saturday was the $1million Group III ATC Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick, which is seen as a starting point for Everest contenders and victory this year went to brilliant I Am Invincible mare I Am Mare, who held off a determined charge from the mighty Bella Nipotina.
Iffraaj Mare Scores Upset G1 Tarzino Victory
Matt Cartwright announced his arrival among the top echelon of New Zealand’s jockeys with a stunning treble on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival at Hastings on Saturday, culminating in a giant-killing Group One win with Grail Seeker in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m).
Fastnet Rock Import Wins G2 Chelmsford Stakes
A stakes-winner in Ireland when trained by Joseph O’Brien, Fastnet Rock import Buckaroo (GB) came to Australia last year to run in the Group I ATC King Charles Stakes and Group I VRC Champions Stakes and while he didn’t win either of those, he showed his true colours at Randwick on Saturday for his new trainer Chris Waller.
Wootton Bassett – A Taste of What’s to Come!
Australian racegoers are about to see a lot more of the progeny of exciting Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB), whose first Aussie bred offspring will race this season and today we saw a taste of what’s to come when his talented imported son Royal Patronage (Fr) scored an impressive first up win in the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 7
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.