Te Akau Racing’s strong association with Magic Millions will continue at the upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where they will offer a trio of exciting broodmare prospects. Group 1 winners Captured by Love (Written Tycoon) and Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award), and recent stakes winner My Lips Are Sealed (NZ) (Ace High) will be offered through the Newgate consignment.
Te Akau Racing sold New Zealand Horse Of The Year and nine-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) at this sale in 2024 where she made a record breaking $6.6 million to the bid of Yulong Stud.
“Te Akau is delighted to present three outstanding broodmare prospects at this year’s Magic Millions National Sale, with two further mares online (International Virtual Section),” Te Akau's Principal, David Ellis CNZM said.
A trio of top quality race mares
The market for the best performed race mares continues to grow in Australia, and Te Akau Racing will continue their association with Magic Millions this June.
“We’ve been fortunate to source some exceptional horses through Magic Millions, including Princess Coup, who we purchased for $300,000 and who went on to win in excess of $4 million, and to sell for $3 million at this sale,” said Ellis.
David Ellis | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“Then of course our star mare Imperatriz, who we also purchased for $360,000. She won over $7 million and then set a Southern Hemisphere broodmare record when selling for $6.6 million at this sale two years ago.
“It's a sale we have great confidence in, and we believe these mares will be very well received. Barry Bowditch and his team run one of the very best sales operations you will find anywhere in the world, and it is a sale where we have had tremendous success over many years - both buying and selling.”
Guineas winner Captured By Love
Very few fillies can win a Guineas, and even less of them are sold via public auction, so G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas victrix Captured By Love represents a rare opportunity.
“Captured By Love is a magnificent, scopy Written Tycoon mare and a real standout physically - exactly the type you want to take into the breeding barn,” Ellis said.
“Captured By Love is a magnificent, scopy Written Tycoon mare and a real standout physically - exactly the type you want to take into the breeding barn.” - David Ellis
“She showed tremendous tenacity and courage on the track, winning seven races including the Group 1, and was a stakes winner from two through to five. She was also Group 1-placed as a juvenile in both the Sistema Stakes and Sires' Produce Stakes, and her consistency at the highest level really highlights her quality.”
Purchased by Ellis from Millburn Creek’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $525,000, Captured By Love debuted as a November juvenile winning that before adding three more Group wins in succession before two third-placings in the G1 Sistema Stakes and G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes. She concluded her juvenile season with four wins and two placings from six starts with three Group wins under her belt.
Captured By Love | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Back at three, she placed in her first three starts – all in Group company – before winning the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas. As an older mare, Captured By Love added the G3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes to retire with seven victories from 19 starts with earnings over $755,000.
“She's a mare with a terrific race record, great constitution, and all the attributes and bloodlines to make a top-class broodmare.”
Bred on the Written Tycoon / Snitzel cross, Captured By Love is the first foal of Moldova (Snitzel), a city winning half-sister to Listed winner Oughton (More Than Ready {USA}). Her second dam, La Fluorescent (NZ) (General Nediym) is a half-sister to Group 3 winning full brothers Savvy Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) and Addictive Nature (NZ). Another full brother is recent Listed Old Comrade Stakes victor Essentric Nature (NZ).
Quintessa a stable favourite
Dual Group 1 winner Quintessa was bought by Ellis from Wentwood Grange’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft for NZ$170,000 in 2022. Winner of her only start at two, she won her first two at three including the G3 Gold Trail Stakes in the spring. Over summer, she added the G1 Levin Classic, before training on as an older horse to add the G1 Proisir Plate.
“Quintessa is a dual Group 1 winning mare with a tremendous turn of foot and always displayed a very strong will to win. She was a high class performer winning six races and over $1.1 million in stakes,” said Ellis.
Quintessa | Image courtesy of Race Images
“There's a lot of quality about her. She's by Shamus Award and has a lot of her sire about her; strength, athleticism and toughness. Her Group 1 wins in the Levin Classic and this season's Proisir Plate, particularly her sublime performance from last to first, really showcased her ability. She's a genuine, tough mare who was a real competitor at the top level.”
“There's a lot of quality about her (Quintessa)... She's a genuine, tough mare who was a real competitor at the top level.” -David Ellis
Quintessa is the third foal of Chaquinta (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who won five races, including three in Sydney. Chaquinta is a half-sister to stakes placed Our Heir Apparent (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) whose dam is a full sister to Group 3 winners Gold Lottey (Encosta De Lago), dam of Listed winner Iconoclasm (Toorak Toff), and Besame Mucho (Encosta De Lago), dam of Listed winning pair Frespanol (Choisir) and Essington (Redoute’s Choice).
My Lips Are Sealed brings recent form
G3 Phar Lap Trophy winner My Lips Are Sealed recently added the Listed Champagne Stakes at Matamata over 1400 metres. The winner of five of her 23 starts with earnings over NZ$260,000, was purchased by Ellis from Rich Hill Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft for NZ$160,000.
“My Lips Are Sealed is a lovely mare and very typical of the High Chaparral sire line,” Ellis said, referring to sire Ace High who is a son of High Chaparral (Ire). Ace High boasts two Group 1 winners, Guineas winner Molly Bloom (NZ) and She’s A Dealer who recently won the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
“My Lips Are Sealed is a lovely mare and very typical of the High Chaparral sire line.” - David Ellis
“She has great length, strength and presence, and all the makings of a quality broodmare. She was a dual stakes winner on the track and showed a great attitude and consistency throughout her racing career.
“She’s a mare we think will really appeal to breeders looking for that classic strength and soundness in a broodmare prospect.” My Lips Are Sealed is the second foal of unraced Tellmeaboutit (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who is a daughter of Group 2 winner What Can I Say (NZ) (Khozaam {USA}).
My Lips Are Sealed | Image courtesy of Race Images
What Can I Say has been an outstanding broodmare producing triple Group 2 winner Only Words (End Sweep {USA}), dam of Group 2 winners Chat (Deep Field) and Holy Snow (Fastnet Rock), as well as Listed winner Gibraltar Campion (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and winning mare You Can’t Say That (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}). You Can’t Say That is the dam of five-time Group 3 winner Babylon Babe (All Too Hard) and dual Group 3 winner Darci Be Good (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
“The three mares have proven performance, quality pedigrees and the physical attributes we believe are so important when selecting future broodmares,” said Ellis.
Newgate Farm’s Henry Field was thrilled to be part of Te Akau Racing’s journey with these three mares.
“It goes without saying that we are honoured to be consigning these exceptional mares on behalf of Te Akau at the 2026 Magic Millions National Sale.” - Henry Field
“From a very young age, I have admired David Ellis as one of the absolute elite operators in our industry,” said Field. “It goes without saying that we are honoured to be consigning these exceptional mares on behalf of Te Akau at the 2026 Magic Millions National Sale.”
