New benchmarks set at Magic Millions sale

A RECORD 11 yearlings sold for $1 million or more – plus a record average – has seen the Magic Millions yearling sale set new benchmarks.

All up, 66 yearlings sold for $500,000 or more including the 11 top lots. Four almost reached the ‘magic million’ mark selling for $900,000 each while a further seven sold for $800,000 and above.

While this year’s Book 1 catalogue contained an extra 53 lots, the active buying bench proved more than equal to the task outlaying more than $169.5 million on 707 lots sold at a record average price of $239,809 – up $11,000 (five percent) from last year’s record of $228,000 – while the clearance rate of 88 percent was line-ball with last year’s 89 percent.

Thrilled with the incredible Book 1 results, Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said a lot of work had gone into the sale. “The buyers and vendors have really stepped up and done their jobs well and we couldn't be more pleased with how it's gone. These are probably results that were beyond our expectations and also the industry's expectation," he said.

Top price honours of $1.7 million went to the second foal of Magic Millions 2YO Classic runner-up Oakleigh Girl by record breaking stallion I Am Invincible sold during the final fourth session on Saturday night, January 12The now Melbourne based trainer Lloyd Kennewell was able to outbid the powerful Godolphin operation to secure the star colt who was offered by Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW, on behalf of the Gillard family.

A $400,000 purchase at the 2013 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast, Oakleigh Girl was trained by Brisbane-based Dan Bougoure to win the Group 3 7 News Plate on debut on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington and the Listed Callaway Gal Stakes at Doomben in successive starts prior to being runner-up behind Unencumbered in the 2014 MM 2YO Classic. The Oakleigh portion of her name is in due deference to her dam – Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Miss Kournikova.

Retired to stud, Oakleigh Girl’s first foal is the unraced 2YO filly Beachbreak by Magic Millions Group 1 Golden Slipper winning graduate Sebring sold for $450,000 at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.

Kennewell bought the colt in conjunction with Matthew Becker's Group One Bloodstock, Aquis Farm and successful owner Ozzie Kheir. Kennewell has a deep insight into the ability of I Am Invincible progeny having trained his daughter Viddora to dual Group 1 success plus winning last year’s Magic Millions Snippets sprint.

I Am Invincible also sired last year’s sale topper, a colt from Tai Tai Tess, sold for $2 million. The unraced colt named Faretti is being trained at the Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott stable while his yearling brother was bought by Chris Waller/Guy Mulcaster for $1.3 million during Session 1 of this year’s sale.

I Am Invincible totally dominated the stallion rankings by gross with his 55 lots sold realising $24.345 million – almost double that of his two closest rivals Zoustar (40 at $12.815 million) and Snitzel (32 at $11.76 million). However, honours for top average (3 or more lots sold) went to Medaglia d'Oro (4 lots averaged $633,750) followed by Redoute’s Choice (15, $549,667) and I Am Invincible (55, $442,636).

The Godolphin team, who just two hours earlier had celebrated winning The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic, secured the other seven figure seller on the final night, going to $1 million to buy a Medaglia d'Oro filly from Blue Diamond Stakes winner Miracles Of Life.

The second top sale price of $1.6 million occurred in the first session when a Redoute's Choice/Purely Spectacular colt – a three-quarter brother to Group 1 winner Stratum Star –offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds was bought by Queensland-based Aquis Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbreds. The colt was one of six yearlings bought by Aquis/Phoenix for $5 million while Aquis bought a further seven lots for more than $3.2 million plus buying several more in other partnerships. Aquis also sold 15 yearlings, prepared at Emirates Park, Murrurundi, NSW, for $3.1 million.

Aushorse CEO Tom Reilly was enthusiastic about the international buying contingent. “The official list shows purchases from Hong Kong (the ‘busiest’ with 33 yearlings), USA (14), New Zealand (16) , United Kingdom, China, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, but that doesn’t necessarily reflect those purchases by local trainers on behalf of international clients,” he said.

“Aushorse has worked hard on getting the message out to the northern hemisphere on the benefits of buying Australian-bred horses and it’s literally paid off in droves over the past week.

“Overseas buyers are definitely seeing the advantages. Prizemoney in Australia has increased by a whopping 92 percent over the last 10 years – the greatest lift for any racing region in the world – while there is now $55 million available annually through sales or breeding scheme related bonuses.

“Aside from races like the $13 million Everest, the Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper, there are 55 races worth a million or greater, while eight of those are restricted to 2YOs. And perhaps the most interesting statistic for those million dollar youngsters throughout the sale, is that in the past five years nearly 70 locally-bred colts have gone to stud in Australia at a fee of $10,000 or more,” Mr Reilly said.

SALE STATISTICS
(2018 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 888 (853)

Lots Sold: 707 (684)

Lots Passed In: 99 (87)

Lots Withdrawn: 82 (82)

Sale Gross: $169,545,000 ($155,952,000)

Top Price: $1,700,000 ($2,000,000)

Average Price: $239,809 ($228,000)

Median Price: $170,000 ($170,000)

Sold %: 88 (89)

LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)

$6,560,000 - Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing - 24 lots

$5,320,000 - China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock - 12 lots

$5,200,000 - James Harron Bloodstock - 8 lots

$5,095,000 - Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock - 12 lots

$5,000,000 - Phoenix T'breds (II) Ltd/Aquis Farms Pty Ltd - 6 lots

LEADING VENDORS
(ranked by gross)

$11,595,000 - Yarraman Park Stud - 27 sold

$11,080,000 - Arrowfield Stud - 47 sold

$10,875,000 - Newgate Farm - 45 sold

$10,860,000 - Widden Stud - 37 sold

$10,590,000 - Coolmore Stud - 46 sold

LEADING SIRES
(ranked by gross)

$24,345,000 - I Am Invincible - 55 sold

$12,815,000 - Zoustar - 40 sold

$11,760,000 - Snitzel - 32 sold

$11,685,000 - Written Tycoon - 40 sold

$8,695,000 - Sebring - 30 sold

LEADING SIRES
(ranked by average - 3 or more sold)

$633,750 - Medaglia d'Oro - 4 sold

$549,667 - Redoute's Choice - 15 sold

$442,636 - I Am Invincible - 55 sold

$377,353 - Fastnet Rock - 17 sold

$367,500 - Snitzel - 32 sold

Article courtesy of Nine and Queensland Country Life