Records were shattered at the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale; some vendors haven’t recovered from shell shock yet.

What a sale! Hang the cost; buyers were oblivious to that, it became fashionable to lead a yearling home, literally by Spirit of Boom.

Veterans that have been following sales were blown away, it was almost a frenzy, money was treated as if was like confetti.

It was all about Spirit of Boom, he was the star, or at least his progeny were, with 21 lots changing hands on the first day for $2,817,500.

The second day was even better when 14 lots were sold for $2,880,000, overall, 35 lots changed hands for a massive $5,697,500.

Gold Coast March Yearling Sale

Selling 389 Quality Lots OverTwo Days, March 19 & 20

Queensland is currently on a roll with boom sire, Spirit of Boom, he topped yearlings in Adelaide earlier this week, when a colt was sold for $300,000.

With his 45 lots to be offered he will play an important role, in what promises to be an excellent sale on the sunny Gold Coast.

Scott McAlpine and his son, Angus, are certainly winning the battle, even if it has been a hard grind.

Better Than Ready shows a lot of promise, he is a first season sire represented by 38 lots, he has been well managed, he stands at Lynhurst Stud, at Warwick, of their 25 lots, 13 are by Better Than Ready, while his owner, Richard Foster, is preparing a further 12 lots at his own farm, Yarramalong at Kalbar.

Sun Stud are having a great season with Love Conquers All, he has 30 lots from various breeders, the son of Mossman is proving a very consistent sire, while Bel Esprit has 19 lots, his earnings are in the vicinity of $40 million plus .  

Golden Archer, formerly trained by Peter Moody, was a well above an average two year old; in fact he won 8 races and was in the money 14 times from 20 starts.

His first crop sold up to $120,000 in the 2016 season, and his second sold up to $100,000, he has a draft of 15 lots in the sale.

Lynhurst Stud, the home of Rothesay by Fastnet Rock, proven sire with a nice draft that is sure to win appeal.

Real Saga, by Tale Of The Cat, is never short of siring winners, he was a very good colt, he will be represented by 23 lots on the Gold Coast.

Better Than Ready has a good draft

Magic Millions Sales

Adelaide Yearlings

13—14 of March

Adelaide will feature 454 yearlings over two sessions next week, with an interesting list of first season sires numbering 22.

The sale has a reputation of being a great value sale, certainly with Victorians, over years it has become a very popular selling and buying venue, it is not as inflated as some sales are.

It is really a great venue and very popular, you can move about with plenty of freedom, it gets ten out of ten for popularity.

There is a great line up of yearlings this year, with excellent pedigrees that are sure to come in for lots of attention.

Cornerstone has catalogued 35 lots, while Baramul, at the entrance of the renowned Widden Valley, is within striking distance, with a draft of 32.

I recall 1985 for a very good reason, the one and only crop of Adraan’s year, the outstanding French sprinter, he won six races in France, he was the best sprinter of his generation, his pedigree was superb, he was by Zeddaan from Adara by Le Haar.

Adraan had passed on before his only crop of yearlings were sold, there were 15 lots offered, they all won races, in some instances stakes events

The late Colin Hayes, a noted horseman, had a large draft of 53 lots, possibly the largest draft at an Adelaide sale back in 1985.

That was about the time Hayes was standing Without Fear, he sired well over 30 two year old winners in a single season, which still remains a record as a sire

Rosden Park, at Wellington, has a nice draft, with a variety of horses that will do justice to their vendors, and their sires.

Alan Harvey has two nice colts, Lot 184 by Helmet from Scarlet Silk, half sister to Brief Embrace, it is a good winning family, the second dam ,Tranquil Love, saluted the judge on ten occasions, he also has Lot 188, the Zoustar colt out of Secretary’s Secret, an unraced mare.

 Zebedee - a Promising Sire

Perth Yearling Sales

Magic Millions will conduct their annual Perth Yearling Sales, commencing on 19^th February over two days, offering 302 lots.

The opening lot should get the sale rolling, the colt by Magic Albert, gee! He has been a good horse, siring a lot of winners for Yarraman Park, however, he is being offered by Dawson Stud, it’s not a bad pedigree to get the sale under way.

The dam, Tantra Dancer, won five races; she is from the family of Dark Eclipse, as is Taj Rossi, we have not got three year olds like that today.

There has been some good horses come out of the west, Eurythmic, he won a Caulfield Cup and numerous weight for age races, Aquanita, a Cox Plate winner and Manolive, the Eclipse Stakes and Williamstown Cup, while Black Hard Bart is pretty handy too.

There is an interesting group of yearlings by Magnus, six in all, he just keeps on keeping on, he is a wonderful sire, I would fancy Lot 100, the colt out of Midnight Blues by Distant Blues, she was more than handy winning four city races, and she has been a handy mare too.

The late Blackfriars has been the lynch pin in Western Australia, almost since he won the Victoria Derby, his recent death leaves a hole in the industry.

He is well represented with 25 lots, its pennies to peanuts there will be more than one winner in the draft.

Written Tycoon has a colt and a filly, they are sure to conjurer a lot of interest, the filly is out of Elle Labelle unraced, three dams on the page with a lot of Black Type.

The colt is out of Jest Envy Her by Patronize by Redoute’s Choice, he is a 12^th October foal, he is likely to stretch some pockets.

Deep Field, by Northern Meteor, created a lot of interest on the Gold Coast, 39 lots were sold for $8.55 million, with the top price being $675,000.

Rubick adds a lot of interest; he was catalogued with a yearling in Tasmania, but was withdrawn.

Sepoy has two entries, both are fillies, it would be a shame if he didn’t get a good horse, as he was so good; he was an outstanding colt at two.

Tasmanian Yearling Sales

Tasmania has long been a source of breeding sound bloodstock that win races and nothing has chancd that.

The yearling sales will be conducted in within two weeks, when 137 lots offered at the Inveresk Showgrounds Launceston, on the 15^th of February.

It is an exciting experience, a sale with a difference, the regulars turn up every year, Terry O’Sullivan and John McArdle, both pick out the right horses, they don’t go over for the good of their health.

One hundred and thirty seven lots have been catalogued, among the first timers include Cluster, Puissance De Lune, Rubick , Toronado, and Wandjina, who stands at Newgate.

Armidale, at Carrick, a three generation stud in the era of Blessington, who had a great infusion of Star Kingdom blood, Poacher’s Moon, he was an excellent sire, very fertile, he left a number of winners, and the handsome St. Briavels, by Sovereign Path.

Armidale will play a dominant role with 40 lots to offer, with 28 lots by an assortment of 18 sires, and resident sire, Needs Further, a son of Encosta de Lago, is already up and running, he is creating a big impression, including Mystic Journey, a filly that has won at 1000 metres, and another, Pateena Arena, won the fillies Guineas over 1600 metres.  

Graham McCullough has a nice draft to represent Grenville Stud, Whitemore, the draft numbers 28, Lot 111 is out of a handy mare in Some Cheer, she won 17 races, her foal is by Mawingo.

Two lots, a colt and a filly by Written Tycoon, may be hard to measure up; he currently stands at $ 80,000, which is the highest service fee for a stallion standing in Victoria.

Lot 137, Wordsmith by Testa Rossa, has a chestnut filly out of Vivre La Nett; she won nine races, one at listed level.

There are four Fighting Suns to be offered, lot 57 will sell depending on type, there is a fair share of speed in that pedigree.  

Fiorente will make into a sire if given time, a filly, lot 42, there is nothing wrong with the family, just play it cool, patience will be a virtue.

The star of the sale could be, Lot 74, the filly by Rubick, his progeny sold well on the Gold Coast, top price for a yearling was $470,000.

Rubick is a cracking type, could he possibly fail? Surely not, he is a lovely horse, there’s a lot to like about him.

Twenty three lots were sold by him for $3,645,000.

 Needs Further

Records were made to be broken, that was never more evident than at the Magic Millions yearling sales, on the Gold Coast, that concluded last Sunday.

The Magic Millions is now the premier thoroughbred sales company in the southern hemisphere, records have continued to rise under the directorship of Vin Cox as Managing Director, and his dedicated staff.

Vin leaves the company after seven successful years, that has seen the Magic Millions rise to the pinnacle of success

He takes up a position as Managing Director with the global giant, Godolphin, controlling their thoroughbred breeding interests and racing empire.

Vin Cox

Book 1 showed a significant rise of $ 21 million from last year’s sale, with a final figure of $155,952,000, against last year’s sale of $134,292,500.

The average kicked in at $228,000, while the clearance rate equalled the best on record.

Highest priced lot was 373, the colt by I Am Invincible, from Tai Tai Tess, by Magic Albert, the youngster topped the sale at a cool $2 million.

Purchased by Reg Inglis, JonKelly and Paul Frampton USA, he will ultimately be trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at Randwick.

I Am Invincible has enjoyed an outstanding season on the track, he is a most sought after sire, he had 43 lots, 37 were sold realising $17.7 million.     

He topped the million twice when the colt, lot 624, halted bidding at $1,450,000, again by I Am Invincible, he looked the real racehorse, he had an exciting presence, he had a great pedigree, the first foal from the Group 1 winning mare, Commanding Jewel, the half sister to Atlantic Jewel.

When John Moore from Macau Racing put in his final bid, of one million dollars for the colt by Redoute’s Choice from Cat By The Tale, lot 591, it was the sixtieth yearling by Redoute’s Choice, sold by public auction that had realised a million dollars or more .

 Redoute's Choice - Champion Sire

Magic Millions

Selling 1062 Quality Yearlings

Over Five Sessions On The Gold Coast

January 10 --11 -- 12 --13 –14

Selling on the first three days, at 10am sharp, when756 lots will have been sold, fourth day is the $10 million dollar race day, with selling again, from 6.00 pm, with 96 lots to sell, and the following day, Sunday, the sales wind up at 11 am, with the final 208 to go under the hammer.

The best sons and daughters, of the best stallions and mares, are sold at the Magic Millions.

The Magic Millions have gone from strength to strength, this is the third year in succession the sale has catalogued over one thousand yearlings.

Last year was a stellar year for the Magic Millions with a record aggregate of $146,125,300, which is an increase of $17 million on the previous year.

The top colt changed hands at $1.3 million, and top priced filly sold for $1.2 million dollars, neither has raced as yet.

The sale is represented by the progeny of 104 sires, which includes 24 first season sires, with three standing in New Zealand.

Baramul Stud, where the great Star Kingdom stood for his entire stud life, has the largest draft with 92 lots by a variety of notable sires.

Aquis is selling 27 lots, with three nice youngsters by I Am Invincible, Arrowfield, with 52 lots, is a proven source of winners by the flagship Redoute’s Choice, a stallion who has stood the test of time, like few sires have.

As expected leading sire, Snitzel ,with winners last season of $16,220,135, is well clear on the sire’s list again this season with $13,554,456, he is well represented with 47 lots catalogued for the millions

Coolmore, with 45 lots, Kia Ora 16 lots, Musk Creek 14 lots, Newgate with 43 lots, is the sleeping giant of the future, with an excellent group of young sires such as Dissident, with his oldest progeny he has 42 lots, there is no doubt he has received every opportunity, it is reflected in the catalogue, he has covered a wide variety of very good mares.

 Newhaven, established all those years ago by John Kelly senior, when Wilkes reigned supreme in the early sixties, he was champion twice, the tradition is still there, a draft of 29 yearlings raised at Boorowa.

 Segenhoe, with 19 lots, and Sledmere, 30, are well established studs that seemed to have been there for generations, both studs have stood the test of time having bred a number of successful horses over several years.

 There are some nice horses in the draft from Vinery as always, overall All Too Hard has 32 lots, from various vendors.

 Villermont, by All Too Hard, is a highly promising colt after winning the Sandown Guineas Group 2, he is being set for the Australian Guineas, and the Australian Cup would not be beyond him.  

 More Than Ready deserves a good son at stud, and he may have him in the form of Better Than Ready, his weaners looked pretty good, they are all good types and have plenty of bone about them.

 Better Than Ready stands at Lyndhurst Stud at Warwick on the Darling Downs where The Buzzard saw service, the finest sire of stayers we have known.

 Eureka Stud struck a bonanza when Scott Mc Alpine discovered Spirit of Boom, he was a very good racehorse and as tough as old boots, there was no doubt he did have a busy racing career having had 11 starts as a two year old.

 Overall he had 52 starts, winning nine times and placed 20 times, he was a dual Group 1 success and was placed numerous times in Group races.

 Eureka Stud at Cambooya was founded by Andrew McAlpine nearly a hundred years ago, he handed the stud over to his son, Colin, with his best wishes, sometime in the forties.

 Colin was a popular figure, he did a lot for racing and breeding in Queensland, he stood a number of sires over those years, but just failed to get a precocious horse that can get those early two early two year old winners.

 Scott McAlpine has cracked it with the aid of his son Angus, a young man of 24, they have the horse, Spirit of Boom, the current leading sire of two year olds in Australasia by winners, he has 11 lots to be offered at the Magic Millions.

 Barry Bowditch, current Bloodstock Manager, will take over as Managing Director after the January Sales, replacing Vin Cox, who has taken a similar role in Sydney with Godolphin.

 Vin Cox has seen records tumble since he joined the Magic Millions, as the sales have gone from strength to strength, he leaves the company in good shape.  

 Barry comes from Wagga Wagga, the capitol of the rich Riverina of New South Wales, a very strong racing area.

 The name Bowditch is familiar in racing circles around Wagga; his father also christened Barry, was a leading jockey in Wagga and the southern districts of New South Wales.

 While Barry junior never rode in racing he was a keen student of breeding, he began work as a junior with a bloodstock company in Sydney.

 He studied pedigrees carefully, how certain matings worked and others didn’t, he rapidly became what is known as a breeding buff.

 When the racetrack closed for a time at Wagga, the family moved to the Gold Coast with their racing team, he became a Queenslander.

 He recently travelled with Vin Cox to America for the Breeder’s Cup, looking to buy mares for clients, and promoting the forthcoming January yearling catalogue.

 ‘’Asia is playing a major role in our bloodstock industry, they are constantly buying breeding stock, and are investing heavily in buying up land,” said Barry Bowditch

Barry Bowditch.

Selling Schedule with 293 lots to be offered over two sessions

0ctober 10 &11 with 147 lots on the first day, 146 lots on the second day.

Most of the entries have been broken in; the majority would have trialled and are near ready to race.

Baramul Stud, in the Widden Valley, has the largest draft with 36 lots, 15 lots by Congrats, a son of A P Indi.

The draft includes 7 lots by All Too Hard, he is now making his presence felt with two crops of racing age, he is leading the way in that division now that his progeny are maturing, he is on the fringe of really getting a good horse ,he is represented in the sale by 12 lots overall.  

Afraah, by Danehill, was quite a handy mare, putting six wins behind her, including the Frank Packer Plate Group 3, she has left two winners to date, her colt, by Harbour Watch, is an interesting youngster.

Lot 11 has a nice family to support him, he is by Redoute’s Choice, from the American bred Ailalea, she won at Group level at Churchill Downs over 1600 metres, he has a close up double cross of Mr. Prospector on the female line of his pedigree.

If the current Ailsa, is as good as her name sake, she will do no harm to this pedigree, the colt, by Dundeel, is well related, he stems from the family of Snitzel,Australia’s c urrent leading sire, and Hinchinbrook, you could take a punt on this fellow.

Love Conquers All is currently on a roll with 50 per cent winners to runners, Lot 23, out of Ashkaleta, she won at two over 1000 metres, it is a good family raced by the late Bruce Gadsden, he raced Natural Tycoon and Sentimental Lady from that family.

Lot 25, a colt by Lope De Vega, the third dam in the family is Triscay, she was by Marscay, she won 15 races from 1,000 metres to 2400 metres, of her 15 wins 7 were Group 1 status, 7 were either Group 2 or 3, she was raced by Geoff and Beryl White, and trained by Jack Denham.

Golden Archer is represented with 17 lots, his oldest progeny are three year olds, he holds a prominent position on the first season’s sire’s list.

He was a former good two year old when trained by Peter Moody, winning eight races. and has made a successful transition as a sire .

Lot 67 is an interesting colt, he is either black or grey, and is inbred to Danehill in the third generation, he does have quite an impressive pedigree, his dam is an unraced sister, Lovely Jubly ,the dam of Chautaujua.

Nolan Racing, at Benalla, has supported this sale with another strong draft this year, 12 lots by a variety of sires.

Included in their draft is Lot 188, the black or brown colt by Zoustar, his progeny are ready to race, he looks like an early comer.

Woodpark, at Mittagong, will present an interesting draft, Lot 224 is another Zoustar out of Rosebrook, he carriers a double cross of Danehill 3X4, his dam ,Rosebrook, is by Danzero.

Magic Millions breeze up sales will be conducted at the Gold Coast Sales on October 10 and 11

Breeze ups will be held at Seymour Friday September 22 – Monday September 25, Gold Coast –Tuesday September 26, Warwick Farm – 9^th October Gold Coast

Entries for the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Close on Friday 11 August 2017.

Records tumbled as the curtain was drawn on a spectacular, what could only be described as one of the most remarkable sales in the history of bloodstock, seen in this country.

The final selling comprising Book 2 Yearlings and Racehorses, grossed over $1.56 million to post a new record for the Southern Hemisphere premier breeding stock sale.

The total gross at the end of selling sat on $144,344,750, for 1636 lots sold.

This is a overall record smashing last year’s gross by $37 million, or 35 per cent.

The overall average for every lot sold, the National Weanling, Broodmare, Yearling and Racehorses Sales, is $88,230, up almost 15 per cent on last year, when fewer lots were offered.

Among the top sellers was an untried three year old filly by Stratum, from Melbourne Rose, who sold for $100,000, to recent Champagne winning trainer, Paul Perry.

Stock from Godolphin proved extremely popular at the National Racehorse Sale, with that draft’s top sellers including Saxophone, $65,000 to Rosemont Stud, Divine Sanction to $65,000 to Australian Bloodstock, and Fanforon, $50,000 to Rosemont Stud.

“It is great to see such strong competition today, it proved that live auction is the most effective way to market racehorses, “said Vic Cox, Magic Millions Director.

“The overall event has been an incredible success, with records tumbling across the board,” he added.

“We starting selling 15 days ago and in that time we’re seen many people come and go, everyone has played a significant role in the success of the sale,” he said.

Cox didn’t miss anyone, he paid compliments to the vendors and their staff, the Magic Millions team, bar staff, those attending to the grounds, including night crews, and a special mention to the transport companies and their staff, it was an unprecedented logistic exercise, to turn the place around three times is a fantastic performance he added.

The Magic Millions focus now switches west for the Perth Winter Yearling Thoroughbred and Racehorse Sales on June 25.

Entries are also open for the Gold Coast Two Year olds in Training Sale, to be conducted on October 10 and 11.