Magic Millions Heats Up On The Gold Coast

GOLD COAST, Australia–As buyers continued to stream in from all corners of the globe for this week's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the sale company's headquarters in Bundall began to heat up on Monday–quite literally, with temperatures hitting almost 30 degrees celsius and set to rise throughout the week. Magic Millions and vendors alike will be hoping action from the buyers is just as hot as they put the finishing touches on the 1030 yearlings set to sell as part of Book 1 of Australia's curtain-raising sale; 816 are slated for Book 1 from Jan. 11 to 14, while 213 are catalogued for Sunday's single-session Book 2.

Those patrolling the grounds on Monday, two days out from the start of action, included the usual suspects from Australasia as well as some familiar faces from Asia, America and Europe. Magic Millions's Barry Bowditch said he thinks inspections have been comparable to this stage last year.

“The roll call is good; everyone we expected to be here is here,” he said. “We're pleased with that. Inspections are in line with last year, probably a little busier. Vendors are giving us great feedback in what buyers are saying about the horses. We have a great lot of horses and we expect the sale to be in line with last year, and if we get an increase with 70 more lots in Book 1 we'll be really happy.”

Last year's edition of Book 1 of the Gold Coast sale likely exceeded even the sale's company's expectations. With a gross of A$115,646,000 for 591 sold, the sale became the highest-grossing yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere since 2008. It produced six seven-figure lots–a Magic Millions record–while the average and median were both up 15%. Perhaps the most celebrated statistic was the 88.5% clearance rate.

Seventy more yearlings have been catalogued this year, which Bowditch explained is a product of greater demand from vendors.

“A few years ago we took the catalogue back to 640 lots and over the last few years, as vendors have given us more quality horses, we've just slowly increased it,” he said. “Last year was such a great sale that the vendors have supported us heavily again.”

He added that Magic Millions has remained mindful of keeping the sale one for buyers at all levels.

“We've always wanted to keep it that there's a horse here for everyone,” Bowditch noted. “So people can come buy a horse for A$50,000, A$100,000, A$200,000; there's a horse at all levels for buyers. We don't want to lose sight of the fact that there will be a good horse here making little money.”

Indeed, good horses come from everywhere, and the most highly anticipated lots come from a spread of proven and first-season sires, as well as some international sires, and a variety of stud farms. Not A Single Doubt (Aus) enjoyed a watershed year both on the racetrack and in sales rings last year, and he will be well-represented this week, his offerings including lot 243, a half-brother to G2 Western Australian Guineas winner Moccasin Bend (Aus) (Eternity Range {Aus}) and lot 619, a half-brother to juvenile stakes winner Azazel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). Not A Single Doubt's Arrowfield Stud barnmate Snitzel provided three of the six millionaires at last year's sale, and he is well represented with 52 offerings. Those include lot 72, a filly who is the first foal out of dual Grade II winner Gypsy Robin (Daaher); lot 348, a colt out of a stakes-placed daughter of outstanding producer Monsoon Wedding (Aus) (Danehill); and lot 583, a filly out of Your Life Style (Aus) (Hussonet), another daughter of Monsoon Wedding.

Arrowfield's John Messara has been busy this week, with the stud offering 55, and he said on Monday, “The activity has been steady. I think the sales in Australia are becoming very professional. There are very few onlookers now; it's really the genuine buyers that come out. I'll be very happy if the sale is about the level of last year; last year's sale was excellent. I don't think it needs to go up off that. If it does that's fine, but there's no need for it to go up any further; it was a very buoyant sale last year.”

Arrowfield also debuts the first yearlings by its young sire Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}). The six-time Group 1 winner has 12 catalogued. Two of those reside at Arrowfield, including lot 232, a colt out of dual champion and Classic winner Miss Finland (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), who has already produced G1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}).

“We only have two [Dundeels], but I'm very pleased with them,” Messara said. “I've looked at all the others and I'm pleased with them too. There's a dozen on the ground and I'm hopeful he's going to return good results for the people who bred to him.”

Dundeel certainly isn't the only exciting first-season sire with representation. Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) and Shamus Award (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) from Widden Stud have 40 and 16, respectively, catalogued. Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Declaration of War (War Front), a pair of Coolmore shuttlers who enjoyed good results with their first Northern Hemisphere yearlings last year, are in the mix, as is Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), Darley's European 2-year-old champion and Classic winner, and Epaulette (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), a half-brother to productive young sire Helmet (Aus). Newgate Farm has three first-season sires represented: Eurozone (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}), Sizzling (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) and The Factor (Aus) (War Front), while Arrowfield also presents a filly by Japanese-based first-season sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}).

Magic Millions has been the scene of excellent sales for first-season sires like Sepoy (Aus) and Pierro (Aus) in recent years, and Bowditch said, “I think both Zoustar and Dundeel will feature with highlighted horses within the sale. Widden have some great fillies by Zoustar and there are some outstanding colts on the grounds. There are a couple of Dundeel colts here that are outstanding horses that should be right up there.”

Perennial leading sires like Fastnet Rock (Aus), Redoute's Choice (Aus) and Exceed and Excel (Aus) are also bound to cause a stir during the week, and another internationally leading sire of that stature who adds some flavour to the sale is Tapit, America's champion sire who has two catalogued: lot 165, a filly from Newhaven Park out of the stakes-winning Leinan (Ready's Image) on day one; and lot 532, a colt out of G2 Schuylerville S. winner Touch Love (Not For Love) on day three. The latter was bred by Gainesway Farm in the U.S. on Southern Hemisphere time and sent to Vinery in Australia along with two other youngsters. He is a half-brother to stakes winner Starfish Bay (Elusive Quality) and two stakes-placed horses.

“[Gainesway] sent three out early in the year and they were three really nice Tapits: two colts and a filly,” said Vinery manager Peter Orton. “We thought we'd bring one of the forward colts here to have in the Magic Millions, and [lot 532] is a lovely colt, a nice forward colt. We have two greys at home, a filly and a colt, and they'll go to [Inglis] Easter.”

“We're really excited about them,” Orton added. “They're lovely horses and they've done well since they've been here. Since they've arrived they've been in good order, and they've been out in normal conditions and they've thrived. They're well- adjusted and there's been really good interest in them.”

Orton, who noted Gainesway has three more Tapits booked to head Down Under in the coming months, said the locals seemed to be quite receptive to the Tapits.

“There's been a lot of interest, and our buying bench is so internationally aware,” he said. “They're a good product to have here. With our bloodlines going between hemispheres, we have a market that can appreciate [an international] pedigree. We have to look at a stallion like Tapit, who has been such a dominating sire in America, as an opportunity for Australia. But we can't do that without some consideration. You have to think it through and he's the sort of horse we think can work.”

Lot 532 is bred on the same cross as American Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), and Orton noted with a laugh that comparison has come up a lot for the chestnut.

“It's been mentioned all the time, but that's it; those are the sorts of things you're looking for.”

Regarding the Vinery draft as a whole, which numbers 23, Orton said, “We've got a very good draft; I know we all say that every year, but we have a very good group of athletic horses. The pedigrees are great; All Too Hard is emerging as a really exciting stallion. We have a nice mix and there's been great interest, so we're looking forward to the sale.”

Book 1 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale begins at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11.