Greenfields Lodge owner Tony Patrizi has purchased Group winning mare Admiration Express for $280,000 out of the Magic Millions Digital (April) Sale.
Admiration Express (6m My Admiration – Comme Ci by Verglas) was offered as a breeding prospect by her owner-trainer Jason Miller and his wife Sarah after a career that accumulated prizemoney of $970,000 from four wins in 30 starts.
All four victories were in feature races and the grey mare was also runner-up to Light Infantry Man in the G1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) in December 2024. “It is a great result,” Miller said. “We are obviously a bit sad because she was a very special horse for us but she’s going to a good home and we wish her new owners the very best of luck.”
Admiration Express (Photo / Western Racepix) was purchased by Miller for $60,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from the draft of Namerik Thoroughbreds owner Alan Bansemer. He bred her using Westbury Park stallion My Admiration (Encosta de Lago) over a mare who had also foaled the black-type performers Fred Dag (Patronize) and Janaura (Safeguard).
Her feature wins came in the G3 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m), G3 Strickland Stakes (2000m), LR Ascot One Thousand Guineas (1800m) and KBRC Coolgardie Cup (1760m). She bowed out with a black-type placing in the G3 La Trice Classic (1800m) won by Luvnwar (NZ) in January.
“She’s a little superstar and is always racing in Group or Listed company,” Miller said after last year’s Strickland Stakes victory at Pinjarra. “She wasn’t much to look at as a yearling but we liked the family and she had that presence about her at the Magic Millions.
“Admiration Express is a special horse with stamina going back in her pedigree and she was strong through the line today.”
The bottom-line goes back four generations to Miss Personality (Vibrant) who was a 1973 Group 1 winner of the race now known as the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill.
Greenfields Lodge finished second on the Perth Magic Millions vendor leaderboard with an average of $129,000 in February after Pearce Racing spent a combined $685,000 for its colts by Playing God (Lot 125) and Too Darn Hot (Lot 138).
The Capel nursery has bred and/or raced numerous winners this year including Later Alligator (Playing God), Boy Crush (Manhattan Rain), Elegant Indi (Toronado), Jaz Session (Sessions) and last week’s TBWA Winner Of The Week Perfect Sister (Gingerbread Man).
