Chayan was the final offering in the top selections, yet she certainly justified the anticipation by breaking several benchmarks during Inglis’s Chairman’s Sale held in Sydney on Thursday evening.
The two-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible, victorious in this year’s Group 2 Reisling Stakes and the favourite in the Golden Slipper, fetched an astonishing $5.6 million from Coolmore’s Tom Magnier.
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This marked the top price for any two-year-old filly at a public auction in Australia, eclipsing the prior Chairman’s Sale mark of $4.2m established by The Everest winner Bella Nipotina the previous year.
Chayan ranks as the second priciest filly or mare sold publicly in the Southern Hemisphere, trailing only Imperatriz, who commanded $6.6m at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Bought for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Chayan came from owner Eric Koh, who admitted to conflicting feelings following the outcome.
“Unbelievable, I came here thinking maybe $3.6 million would be tops, at best, but to go beyond four (million), beyond 5 (to) 5.6 is unbelievable,” Koh said.
“This is obviously the biggest result and achievement for myself, so I’m very happy, very satisfied but heavy-hearted to lose her.
“I’m happy for Coolmore, for Tom (Magnier) and I think she’s got huge potential ahead.”
The filly’s future racing prospects significantly boosted her attractiveness, with her career thus far managed by Annabel and Rob Archibald.
Following a runner-up finish to Streisand in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) on debut, she struggled in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) before shining in Sydney with victory in the Reisling Stakes.
That effort garnered Chayan a Timeform rating of 111, the top score given to any two-year-old filly this season in Australia so far.
In the Golden Slipper, Chayan jumped as the $5.50 favourite and ended up fifth, defeated by just over four lengths to Guest House.
Magnier affirmed the Archibalds would continue as Chayan’s trainers, a position he anticipated would be competitive.
“When you have a filly as highly-rated and thought of as she is you expect to have all the top people on her,” he said.
“We’re delighted to get her, we’ll need a bit of luck but it’s over to Rob and Annabel now.”
Among nine lots reaching at least $1 million at the Chairman’s Sale, Hellbent’s Group 1-winning daughter Benedetta topped the mares at $1.9m.
Yulong secured her, along with three-time Kiwi Group 1 winner Provence for $1.8m, Snow In May and Hazlebrook at $1,050,000 each, and Moldova for $1m.
Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida spent $1.4m on Philia, Stefan Pardi bid $1.2m for Kiki Express, and Arrowfield Stud with Hermitage acquired Arabian Summer for $1m.
The 115-lot sale totalled more than $39m, with mares averaging $494,747 and a median of $300,000.
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