A pair of high-class fillies have added further substance to an already compelling Chairman’s Sale, with the unbeaten promise of youth and the proven strength of pedigree combining in Chayan and Philia.
Chayan, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, arrives as one of the most intriguing prospects to be offered at public auction in recent seasons. Lightly raced and still learning her craft, she has nevertheless left a deep impression in a short space of time, most notably with a dominant three-length success in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes at Rosehill.
That performance, achieved with authority and eased down late, marked her as one of the most forward juveniles of the year. It also saw her start favourite in the Golden Slipper, where the demands of an early campaign appeared to catch up with her late, though she was beaten only four lengths.
Her form leading into that race was already strong. She had finished a close second on debut in the Blue Diamond Prelude behind Streisand, who would go on to secure top-level success, before enduring a wide run throughout when beaten just two lengths in the Blue Diamond Stakes itself.
Offered by owner Eric Koh through the Newgate draft, Chayan presents as both a racing and breeding proposition, with her future still very much unwritten. Koh, who has fielded steady interest in the filly, believes the sale provides the most equitable platform for her next chapter.
“She’s a special filly,” he said. “Very focused, very talented, and still improving. What she did in the Reisling was exceptional, and she’s only just getting started.”
If Chayan represents untapped potential, Philia brings a more established résumé to the table. The daughter of All Too Hard is out of the outstanding producer Meerlust, placing her among one of the more active and accomplished families in the stud book.
Her race record reflects that pedigree. She put together a sequence of four consecutive wins during last year’s Brisbane Winter Carnival, highlighted by a polished performance in the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben, where she accounted for a deep field of fillies.
Philia will be offered through Widden, who know the mare well, having raised her. Antony Thompson pointed to both her physical qualities and the ongoing success of her family as key factors behind her appeal as a broodmare prospect.
The catalogue itself continues to build in both depth and quality, with a number of elite performers and well-related mares set to go through the ring. Among them are Group 1 winners and high-earning mares, alongside emerging talents and valuable breeding prospects.
Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager Harry Bailey expressed his satisfaction at securing both Chayan and Philia, noting the rarity of a filly like Chayan being made available at this stage of her career.
“It’s not often a filly of that quality comes to market so early,” Bailey said. “She’s already shown what she can do, and there’s every indication there’s more to come.”
The Chairman’s Sale will take place at Riverside on the evening of Thursday, May 7, with supplementary entries closing on April 24.
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