UNIONVILLE, Pa.--The sale of Barnavera for 4.8 guineas, or $6.6 million, was  "beyond expectations," and set a 2025 record sales price.

Russell Jones (Photo by Tod Marks)"It's more than just exciting," said Russell Jones of Unionville Pa., a member of the Alpha Syndicate that raced and sold Barnavera at the Tattersalls December's Sceptre Sessions on Dec. 2, "It was beyond anyone's expectations."

Trained by Jessica Harrington, the 3-year-old daughter of Calyx won the G1 Prix de l'Opera this fall, after winning the G2 Blandford stakes in September.

Barnavera was bought as a yearling for 70,000 euros, and her 4.8 guineas sales price translates to $6.6 million.

"Barnavera topped the sale, and this was the highest price of any previous action in 2025," said Jones. "We though she'd sell well, but to top the sale and set a record was thrilling."

"It's what you get when people who have lots of money want something'" he said."From 4 guineas to 4.8 guineas, there were just two bidders. Before that there were probably a half dozen bidders."

 

"SHE WAS bought by Yulong Investments, that is owned by a Chinese man, Mr. Zang," said Jones. "He has his operation in Australia. She'll go to Australia. She's only 3,, so she can race all next year and then go into his breeding program. You never know if that's what a buyer will do, but she's perfectly sound to race."

Russell Jones with Barnavera "Both the winning bidder and the under bidder, Henry Lascelles, are experienced horsemen," he said.

“Some buzz!" said Harrington to the Daily Racing News. "I promise you, that was more than my wildest dreams. We all get excited and said, 'oh, she might make three [million]. But what did she even make? 4.8 million? It was stuck at 1.5 million and then it went on and on and on and on. I promise you, it's amazing. Best of luck. Yulong usually bid online – I better try to keep her! There's a lot in the tank still. We thought that she was only just growing into herself because she went on improving all year. She's a very big filly – she's an amazing filly, she really is.

“The Alpha Racing Syndicate was set up by my son-in-law Richie Galway, Patrick Cooper and Legs [Elaine] Lawlor" said Harrington. "We set it up to buy yearlings, race them and have fun and hopefully wash our faces every year. But it has been incredibly lucky. We've had Kinesiology, Cadillac and a lot of good horses. Everyone has had fun doing it and a lot of the syndicate members are here today. Even three people came from America. It's amazing.”

"There's less than 20 of us in the syndicate, and most of us were at the sale," said Jones.

"I joined the syndicate in its second or third year, and I've been in it for seven or eight years. We stopped the number in the syndicate at 20 for this year. We have bought seven yearlings that are being broken now.

"It's the syndicate's agreement that everything has to be sold before they are 4,"  said Jone. "For most years, we either have gotten no bill or a check."

Along with being in the syndicate, Jones also owns five broodmares in this country and one in Ireland, and he said he tries to sell them at at their prime either as weanlings or yearlings.

He has many years of experience in the business, having previously owned and run Walnut Green, a top sales agency. 

"This sale topped my own previous sales record." said Jones. "We sold Producer in 1982 for $5.2 million."

"You have no idea of how exciting this sale was," said Jones.