Japanese venture a winner with Vamoose

Prominent owner Damien Flower thanked Swettenham Stud for thinking outside the box with Vamoose (Jpn) at the Magic Millions National Sale.

Flower (Jadeskye Racing) teamed with Craig Anderson (Amarina Farm) to pay $340,000 for the imported mare who is carrying the first-ever southern-hemisphere foal by Japanese champion Lord Kanaloa.

Swettenham owner Adam Sangster sold her on behalf of his good friend, the late Phil Sly. Interest appeared to stall at $200,000 before several interested parties peppered bid-spotters around the parade ring.

“Damien and I both rate her very highly,” Anderson said. “She’s a lovely individual and was a high-priced yearling in Japan. She’s a half-sister to Caulfield Cup winner Admire Rakti and that will help when we sell the foal at one of the major yearling sales.”

Vamoose (Admire Moon) is due early off a September 1 cover at Shadai Stallion Station. “Hopefully, the stars align and it’s a colt,” Anderson added. “We will assess the foal before deciding on a stallion for this year.”

Lord Kanaloa is a son of Kingmambo sire King Kamehameha from Storm Cat mare Lady Blossom. Second-dam Saratoga Dew was bred by Penny Chenery of Secretariat fame, and she won the G1 Gazelle Stakes & G1 Beldame Stakes before transferring Shinkoh Farm.

After winning his second G1 Hong Kong International Sprint by five lengths in 2013, Lord Kanaloa was awarded a 128 rating by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. That bettered the previous record for a sprinter of 125 held by 2003 July Cup winner Oasis Dream.

Lord Kanaloa covered a combined total of 517 mares in his first two seasons at Shadai Stallion Station at a 5 million yen service fee (AUD 63,550).

Swettenham also sold USA bred mare Anna Dana in foal to its champion shuttler Toronado. She’s by a Mr Prospector sire from a half-sister to Street Cry and was a bought by Emirates Park for $110,000.