Retired racemare Imperatriz's future has been secured after setting an Australasian record with her sale at this week's Magic Millions broodmare sale in Australia, but the vending has come with "a mix of emotions" for those who have watched her shine.
While the thoroughbred racing world paused last night to watch the historic auction unfold on the Gold Coast, the champion horse being bid on was able to watch back here on homesoil in Ngāruawāhia.
"Last night while she was going through the ring on a digital basis at Magic Millions, one of the girls, she was showing the horse [the auction] live on her iPad," Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis recalled to 1News.
"It was a really wonderful situation."
Such is the love and care for Imperatriz at Te Akau Racing, that seeing her sell for A$6.6million [NZ$7.14m] was something to both celebrate and feel with a heavy heart.
"She's represented New Zealand on the world stage and been judged the best sprinter in the world," Ellis said.
"To do that is an incredible achievement."
The title was well earned though, having won 19 races throughout her career including 10 Group One victories, before Te Akau Racing made the stunning announcement last month to retire her after she was found to have wear and tear during her end-of-season veterinary examination.
During her racing career she won $7.5 million, meaning last night's record sale will leave her syndicate of owners with more than $14 million in profit, minus expenses.
"We bought her for $360,000," Ellis recalled.
"We didn't have an owner for her so we put her on our website and she was the last horse that year to sell, we sold the last share in August or September and it's been just the most remarkable story since.
"It's been the thrill of a lifetime for her owners."
Imperatriz's buyers are breeding and racing giants Yulong out of China, who Te Akau Racing have had dealings with in the past and trust to look after her.
"We're really honoured, they're a wonderful organisation headed by one of the best bloodstock minds in the world in Vin Cox," he said.
"They've bought a lot of good horses off us in recent years and we're just very proud to have horses at Yulong Stud."
The sale adds to an already big year for the New Zealand racehorse community after the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearlings Sales also had record sales in February.
The Book 1 session of this year's sales reached a record $80 million from a combined 473 sold horses over the first three days, including one horse alone which went for an historic $1.6 million after a fierce bidding war in the auditorium.
Ellis said it was an exciting time for the industry.
"We're just really lucky that we've got a government that understands the contribution that racing makes to the general economy in terms of employment and exports.
"It's just an incredible time to be in the horse racing industry."
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