$1million Fastnet Rock Filly Tops Karaka Book 1

The showstopper at the 2023 NZB National Yearling Sale Book 1 at Karaka arrived late on Tuesday when the Fastnet Rock filly from stakes-placed Test the World sold for $1million to top this year’s sale.

Consigned by Curraghmore, the Coolmore Stud bred filly was snapped up by David Ellis, who has purchased champion fillies from this sale in the past.

It is the highest price Ellis has paid for a filly at Karaka, and for good reason.

“I had a good chat with Karyn (Fenton-Ellis, wife) this morning and I said this was the best filly since 1988 that I have seen on this ground. This complex was opened in 1988 and I have never seen a better filly,” Ellis said.

It is a big call from Ellis, who has been the leading buyer at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for 18 consecutive years, with his filly purchases including the like of 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle and nine-time Group One winner Avantage, another daughter of Fastnet Rock who later sold on gavelhouse.com for an online world-record of $4.1 million.

But Ellis is adamant he has found the near-perfect filly from Curraghmore’s draft.

“She was just perfect. She has a beautiful pedigree and the mare had a lot of speed,” he said.

“I saw the mare’s foal at Coolmore Stud in December and that is a cracker. There is so much to like about this filly, and I can’t wait to get her into training.

“I think she will make a two-year-old, she is a definite Sires’ Produce (Gr.1, 1400m) filly and is a filly we would like to take to Melbourne as a three-year-old and have a crack at those big races.

“The good thing about this filly is that there are two one-million-dollar races for her that are restricted to horses that came from this sale.”

Ellis could see similarities between this filly and the mighty Avantage.

“Avantage was by the same sire. They are both very fast-looking Fastnet Rock’s,” Ellis said.

“This one is out of a Testa Rossa mare, which reflects in my opinion a lot of speed. This filly’s mother was a very fast filly and I think she will be a really good broodmare.

“When you buy one from Coolmore Stud you know you have got a great chance because they are reared in such a great environment.”

The star filly is the second foal of Test the World, a grand-daughter of Group II winner Glory Girl. Test the World had a colt by Pierro last year and is now in foal to So You Think.