The connections of world champion sprinter Rocket Man struck during today’s opening session of the Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale.
South African based bloodstock agent Andy Williams and Singapore based trainer Patrick Shaw were determined to buy the day’s top seller, a colt by Red Dazzler, and went to $260,000 to do so.
Shaw, who trains the Magic Millions sold superstar Rocket Man, big strongly and outlasted Macau based trainer Gary Moore to secure the lot who was sold by David Kelly and Lucas Bewley.
“He’s a lovely colt,” Shaw said. “He was one of our real star lots of the sale and we’re thrilled to buy him.”
“He is a lovely individual, he breezed well and he comes from a lovely family. He looks a very good prospect.”
“We’ll send him over to Singapore and hope he can go the job on the track.”
Shaw and Williams purchased the top priced lot at last year’s HIT sale – Tzar, a son of Gonski, for $180,000. He is already a multiple winner at Kranji.
“We’ve had a lot of luck buying from this sale ring – we hope it continues with this colt and the others we get from the sale,” Shaw added.
All up today over $3.2 million was traded on 78 lots sold at an average price of $41,449 and clearance rate of 69 percent. The average is slightly down on last year’s sale opener, but above the overall sale average from 12 months ago.
The clearance rate today is higher than last year’s first session when 67 per cent offered were sold.
Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said today’s opening session was solid with strong interest from buyers from a number of countries.
“There was strong demand on a number of lots through and the top and middle of the market,” Cox said.
“We had a good line up of buyers from around the country as well as overseas – with a large percentage of horses sold to international buyers.”
“The top priced lot of the day – the Red Dazzler colt from Boganvillia – was the obvious stand out – but plenty of others sold well.”
“Obviously the demand on the fillies wasn’t as strong – there’s no doubt buyers got some great value there,” Cox added.
The second session of the auction will commence at 11am (Qld time) tomorrow and be followed by a Racehorse Sale comprising 48 lots.
To view the online results click here. To view the online catalogue for tomorrow’s session click here. And to view the line up for tomorrow afternoon’s Racehorse Sale click here.
SESSION ONE TOP SELLERS
$260,000 – Red Dazzler-Boganvillia colt – World Wide B’stock (Sth Africa)
$180,000 – All Bar One-Croft colt – N & J Moore B’stock (Macau)
$120,000 – Shinzig-Chlorophyll colt – At the Wire T’breds (Qld)
$110,000 – Mossman-Dane Promise colt – Ricky Yiu (HK)
$95,000 – Shinzig-Time is Hope colt – Steven Burridge Racing (Singapore)
$90,000 – Bradbury’s Luck-Tessa Bianca – Kranji T’breds (Singapore)
$80,000 – Magnus-De Lago Lass filly – Ontrack T’breds (Qld)
$80,000 – Written Tycoon-Always Vain colt – Gino Poletti (WA)
$80,000 – Jet Spur-Zabori gelding – Cameron Cooke B’stock (Vic)
$80,000 – Freeze-Velvet Vibe colt – Barry James (Vic)
SESSION ONE STATISTICS
(2010 Session One in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 150 (200)
Session Gross: $3,233,000 ($4,733,500)
Average Price: $41,449 ($43,427)
Top Price: $260,000 ($180,000)
Lots Sold: 78 (109)
Lots Withdrawn: 37 (38)
Lots Passed In: 35 (53)
Sold %: 69 (67)
