Group 1 winner Amarelinha sells for $1.1 million

Waikato Stud-bred mare Amarelinha will remain in New Zealand after she was sold for $1.1 million on Gavelhouse Plus on Wednesday evening.

No fewer than five international buyers keenly pursued her, but it was Cambridge Stud who came out on top to secure the G1 New Zealand Oaks winner.

“It’s great to be able to reverse the tide a little bit and keep this mare in New Zealand.” Cambridge Stud’s sales and nominations manager Cameron Ring said.

By eight-time champion New Zealand sire Savabeel, Amarelinha comes from the immediate family of Group 1 winner Metal Bender and G1 Golden Rose placegetter North Pacific and is also closely related to Group 1 winner and producer Keeper.

Her Oaks victory aside, Amarelinha also won the G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic, the G2 Eight Carat Classic and the G3 Sunline Vase.

She was also runner-up in the G1 Otaki WFA Classic and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic.

“She certainly had a lot going for her as a broodmare prospect,” Ring said.

“She hails from an outstanding family that we didn’t previously have represented in our Cambridge Stud broodmare band. We’re delighted to have been able to secure an Oaks winner with that pedigree page.”

Amarelinha was a $300,000 purchase from Waikato Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka in 2019 by Te Akau’s David Ellis and she retired with earnings over $627,000 in stakes.