Buyers’ market as Gollan targets his next Skirt The Law at Magic Millions

Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan left the opening session of the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale hoping he had added another Skirt The Law to his stable after purchasing the highest-priced lot at the Gold Coast on Thursday.

Operating in a buyers’ market, where the clearance rate limped to 63 per cent as competition for yearlings proved discerning, Gollan signed for four QTIS-eligible fillies headed by two daughters of Better Than Ready from Daandine Stud.

The session-topping $130,000 filly by Better Than Ready – the Lyndhurst Stud Farm-based sire of Gollan’s 2023 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Skirt The Law – was one of six yearlings to sell for $100,000 or more on day one.

One of a six-horse haul for Gollan, the filly is the second foal out of the former Rex Lipp-trained mare Gem Of Scotland, a six-time winner and stakes placegetter.

“Maybe she’s another Skirt The Law, who knows?” Gollan said. 

“I’ve bought a few Better Than Readys since we’ve been here and this filly was probably the pick of them so far.

“She looks to be a nice sharp filly. I remember her mother racing. She was quite a good mare, so she’s out of a good mare, by a good stallion. It’s what you come here to buy, the QTIS horses.”

Gem Of Scotland’s first foal by Stay Inside was bought at the Magic Millions National Sale last year by Sydney trainers Lee and Cherie Curtis.

Gollan also teamed up syndicator Dream Thoroughbreds to buy a Better Than Ready filly out of Wilcannia, a half-sister to Group 3 winner and the Group 1-placed middle-distance mare She’s Ideel, as well as signing for fillies by Pierata and Spirit Of Boom.

Late in the day, he also paid $100,00 for another filly by Better Than Ready from the draft of Dan Fletcher’s Telemon Thoroughbreds.

Father-and-daughter trainers Tony and Maddy Sears, who are now based at the Gold Coast, also bought three yearlings for an average price of $100,000, led by a $120,000 Wild Ruler colt and a $90,000 filly by the same Newgate Farm-based stallion.

Rival Gold Coast trainer Adam Campton bought an Artorius colt for $100,000 while Eagle Farm trainer Desleigh Forster went to the same amount for a Spirit Of Boom filly as did New Zealand trader Sam Beatson of Riversley Park for a Dundeel colt.

The sale was opened up to non-Queensland-bred yearlings this year, leading to a larger 490-lot catalogue being compiled, but buyers certainly knew what yearlings they were after.

The average closed at $39,281 while the median was $30,000 with gross turnover hitting $5,450,000 after one day’s trade.

Gollan was happy with how the market played out, even though some vendors may hold a different opinion.

“It’s good buying here today and long may it continue. We are here to try and buy these QTIS horses, mainly,” he said.

“We added one horse that wasn’t QTIS into our lot as well, but I think it’s a good mix of nice, QTIS running horses here today. 

“I think if you really open your sights here, that there’s certainly enough horses to come home with.”

Day two of the March sale starts at 10am (AEST).