HAVING failed to meet her reserve at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for A$3.4 million, Arcadia Queen, the three-time Group 1 winner who started just 16 times, has subsequently been sold for $3.2 million. Arrowfield Stud were the successful purchaser.

“She’s a wonderful mare, one of those foundation-type mares that you love to have,” said Paul Messara.

“She was passed-in on the day but then they (the Peters family) came to us with an option to possibly do a deal around that price, which we agreed to. There was a little bit of toing and froing behind the scenes but that’s it really.

“We’ve got Dundeel as a possibility for her, there are a few others as well and we’ll have a look outside our own stallion roster. Obviously with a mare like this, it’s very important to make sure we get the right mating for her to produce the best commercial outcome.”

FIVE mares from the Magic Millions National sale on the Gold Coast were killed when the horse float they were travelling on crashed at 6.25am Saturday morning in the Hunter Valley near Jerry Plains.

New South Wales Police confirmed the deaths of the yet unnamed mares, who were purchased at the National Broodmare sale. It’s understood the mares were in transit to one or more of the studs in the area. Two men aged 62 and 59 sustained non-life threatening injuries.