New money from America and a well-known owner and breeder reinvesting at the Gold Coast has helped the Magic Millions Yearling Sale’s opening session to a satisfactory level, providing a platform for the next three days.
American John Stewart, despite not being on the ground, made an impact across all levels of the market from afar, with the Resolute Racing founder buying nine yearlings ranging from $80,000 to the day’s most expensive at $1.8 million.
There were four seven-figure yearlings sold on Tuesday, led by Stewart’s purchase of the Written Tycoon-Away Game filly and his $1.6 million investment in the I Am Invincible-Avantage filly, which was comparable to the same session in 2024.
“We’re satisfied with the first day. There’s good healthy genuine trade and four million-dollar lots was what we had last year,” Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said.
“It set a good theme for the day and I think there’s a good middle to top end (of the market) to come.”
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Bowditch was grateful that Stewart, who was forced to back out of his planned trip to the Gold Coast for family reasons, was so enthusiastic about the Australian industry.
“Obviously, we’re really disappointed they (Stewart and Chelsey Stone) can’t be here, we would have loved to have enjoyed the week with them and shown them the Magic Millions experience, which I think they both would have enjoyed thoroughly,” Bowditch said.
“It’s great that they’re participating and when they’re participating it means they’re likely to be back here for the race next year, so we’ll have them here next year and that is exciting for us.”
Tim Rowe
For the first time in four years, prominent owner Jonathan Munz was also a buyer on the Gold Coast.
And the Victorian businessman and his long-time trusted Kiwi agent Dean Hawthorne made sure there was some intent with their Magic Millions presence, having not bought at the January auction since 2021.
The success of the first southern hemisphere-bred two-year-old crop by Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett proved a major factor in luring the GSA Bloodstock principal from his summer sale slumber.
The pair went to $1.7 million, the second-highest priced lot on day one, for the Milburn Creek-bred colt out of the US Listed winner Battleofwinterfell who will be trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman.
“We went a little bit over than what we thought but a group of us thought he was the best colt in the sale and Wootton Bassett colts are flying, and there’s only ten more to go at Easter,” Hawthorne said.
“We just thought we’d get in and get one. He’s an athletic, lovely moving colt.”
Tim Rowe
Wootton Bassett, a proven sire in the northern hemisphere, has hit the ground running with his first Jerrys Plains-conceived crop which already has produced the highly talented Pallaton, Gallo Nero, West Of Swindon and the stakes-placed Wiltshire Square. The unraced Wodeton is also high up in betting for the Golden Slipper.
First-season sire Stay Inside achieved a milestone with the Black Soil Bloodstock-bred first crop colt out of three-time winner Bleu Zebra selling to the James Harron/Tony Fung colts fund for $1 million after being pushed by rival syndicate Newgate-China Horse Club.
Stewart was the leading buyer, taking home nine yearlings for $5.32 million, but trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott were also active, signing for 11 yearlings on day one either outright or in partnership.
Staff Writer
Te Akau’s David Ellis also made a statement during the opening session, purchasing four yearlings for a combined $2.085 million.
Segenhoe was leading vendor by aggregate, selling nine yearlings for a total of $4.37 million while Newgate Farm sold 11 horses for $4.22 million.
In total, more than $45 million changed hands during Tuesday’s 240-lot session - 30 lots more than last year - but the expected selectivity of the market was clear on day one, with the clearance rate closing at 75 per cent.
Bren O’Brien
The median was $200,000 while the average was $278,549.
“A $45 million gross is very similar to last year’s gross at the end of day one,” Bowditch said.
“Obviously, we sold a few more horses today, but I think it puts us in great shape to end up at a number that’s going to be not far from last year’s sale given the fact we’ve got a lot of key horses to come.”
Day two starts at 10am Wednesday.
SALE STATISTICS
(2024 Day 1 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: (210)
Lots Sold: 162 (163)
Lots Passed In: 55 (29)
Lots Withdrawn: 23 (16)
Sale Gross: $45,125,000 ($45,928,000)
Top Price: $1.8 million ($1,300,000)
Average Price: $278,549 ($281,767)
Median Price: $200,000 ($210,000)
Sold %: 75 (85)
