THE Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale has smashed all records for its Book One auction with previous benchmarks obliterated during the action packed four-day event.
The Book One sale rounded out with a gross of almost $156 million – more than $22.6 million higher than last year. The average soared to exactly $228,000 – up $21,078 (10 per cent) from last year’s $206,922 – while the clearance rate was a record equalling 89pc.
"We've closed out with the highest grossing yearling sale ever in the southern hemisphere," Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said.
"The previous record was back in 2008. It's been a wonderful sale and it's a wonderful result for Magic Millions and obviously a massive result for our breeders."
"A lot of people came to town to support us. Many of the breeders brought us their best horses to support us and I guess in a way the perfect storm was created – everyone played their part and played it very well."
"We're in a wonderful position being the number one sales company in the southern hemisphere for a while now and with this sale being as strong as it is, really gives us a great platform going forward to attract even better horses and quality buyers," Cox added.
A strong international buying bench from nine countries added impetus with Hong Kong buyers selecting 31 lots and New Zealand buyers signing for a further 22 lots.
Nine yearlings sold for $1 million or more with a million dollar lot selling in each session.
Top sale price was $2 million paid by the partnership of Reg Inglis, Jon Kelly and Paul Frampton on the second day for an I Am Invincible/Tai Tai Tess colt which will be trained by Gai Waterhouse.
The colt was sold by the Mitchell family's Yarraman Park Stud and is the highest priced progeny of I Am Invincible and the highest-priced yearling sold at the Gold Coast sale for a decade.
A daughter of Magic Albert, Tai Tai Tess won the Listed Morphettville Guineas in Adelaide and is a granddaughter of dual Group 1VRC Oaks/VATC One Thousand Guineas winner Arborea.
There were more fireworks late in the afternoon on day two when another group of buyers joined forces to secure Sizzling’s full-brother for $1.6 million. Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments was able to outbid Spendthrift Farm to secure the much admired colt from the draft of Milburn Creek. The Snitzel colt was purchased by Yulong in conjunction with Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Aquis Farm and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
From the General Nediym mare Admirelle, the colt's sibling Sizzling won the 2012 Group 1 TJ Smith Classic (now known as the JJ Atkins Stakes) as a 3YO. This is also the family of stakes winners Laudemio, Loving Cup and Vintage Dance.
Five individual lots sold for $1 million or more on Day Three. For the second time in 24 hours it was a colt by Yarraman Park-based sire I Am Invincible on top of the leader-board. This time it was Segenhoe Stud’s offering of a colt from Electric Dreams bought by James Harron for $1.9 million. The colt, who hails from the family of Group 1 winners Grand Armee, Drum, Dealer Principal and Anamato, is a half-brother to the Group winning juvenile Broadband.
After buying Thursday’s top selling colt by I Am Invincible for $2 million, the partnership of Reg Inglis, Jon Kelly and Paul Frampton stepped in to snare the top priced filly of the auction when they purchased Sweet Idea's sister by Snitzel from Flidais for $1.8 million. The filly was presented by Arrowfield Stud and is also a full sister to this season's Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes winner Showtime and half-sister to crack Asian galloper Rush.
Jadeskye Racing's Damion Flower went to $1.45 million to secure the first foal of Group1 Thousand Guineas winner Commanding Jewel, by Commands. Flower bought the colt in conjunction with BK Racing and Breeding and trainer Brad Widdup. The colt by I Am Invincible was offered by Vinery Stud on behalf of breeder Greg Perry.
Commanding Jewel, like her outstanding half-sister Atlantic Jewel, was a graduate of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale – when purchased by Spicer Thoroughbreds before winning at Group1 level and ultimately retiring to stud.
Queensland shared in the million dollar success stories courtesy of a colt by former champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock topping the opening day when sold to Coolmore's Tom Magnier and trainer John O’Shea for $1 million.
Consigned by the Hutchins family’s Element Hill, Innisplain, the colt is from the stakes winning Encosta de Lago mare Risk Aversion – a daughter of the good producing Machiavellian mare Subterfuge. This makes the colt a close relation to dual Group1-winning Hong Kong sprinter Scintillation (Danehill), Group1 Diamond Stakes winner Summer Passage, Group 2-winning Australian mare Shania Dane (Danehill), English Derby winner Slip Anchor, and talented Group 2 Hobartville Stakes winner Man From Uncle.
Former Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase Snitzel edged out I Am Invincible as leading sire by average (for three or more lots sold), while James Harron Bloodstock was leading buyer and Arrowfield Stud (by gross) and Yarraman Park Stud (by average) led the way for the vendors.
Leading Queensland vendor by gross was Element Hill with 17 yearlings grossing $5.175 million to average $304,412 while the McAlpine family’s Eureka Stud, Cambooya was top vendor by average with four lots averaging $416,250 including a colt by leading first season sire Spirit Of Boom sold for $500,000.
Other prominent Queensland vendors were: Aquis Farm (22 lots averaging $171,364); Highgrove (five at $263,000); Glenlogan Park (four at $318,750) and Raheen (four at $218,750).