Offered early in the day by Amarina Farm, the colt was knocked down to the bid of Jason Abrahams of Champion Thoroughbreds for $250,000.
Abrahams said he and trainer John O’Shea had seen the colt late last year as he was being prepared for another sale, but after a pre-sale setback he was redirected to the National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.
“We really liked the colt when we first saw him in New Zealand and then we noticed he was in this sale. We flew up to have a look at him among the others and he had really come on well in those six months.”
“He doesn’t really look an out and out stayer,” Abrahams noted. “He looks more a miler – like Starcraft who is in the pedigree.”
“He’s full of quality with a good female line. He’s big and strong and has a deep and strong hip and hindquarter.”
“We knew there would be a bit of competition on him but he was the only one we really wanted and I know John is excited about getting him to train,” Abrahams added.
The top selling colt is the second foal of the lightly raced Echo of Light mare Lithograph – a half sister to international stakes winner Law Speaker and daughter of Sydney stakes winner Forum Floozie.
The second top priced lot of the day and the overall top selling filly of Book One was the Fastnet Rock-Valadon filly offered by Highgrove Stud.
A half sister to stakes performers Global Dream, Maraatib and Valoura, the filly was purchased by John Crowley of Chevaux Bloodstock for $245,000 after a spirited bidding battle.
The filly, like yesterday’s $250,000 Exceed and Excel colt, could return to Queensland later in the year for the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale.
“She’s a beautiful filly with great residual value,” Crowley said. “She’s got almost that value as a broodmare I think.”
“We will take her home now and break her in as soon as possible and we may even put her through the two-year-old sale.”
“She’s probably not an early runner and she’s by Fastnet Rock – but she could be, he’s had a few this year that have raced well in the early two-year-old races.”
Chevaux Bloodstock was the leading buyer on spend for Book One of the National Yearling Sale with an outlay of $659,500 on five purchases.
Yulong Investments continued their busy sale with five purchases at $580,000 pushing the overall lots purchased across the entire National Sale by Yulong and associates to an impressive 51 lots
Over the two day Book One sale of the National Yearling Sale almost $10 million was traded on 230 lots sold at an average price of $43,172. The clearance rate climbed during the day and should further overnight – it currently sits at 71 per cent.
“Today’s sale had a much better vibe to it with the clearance rate increasing to some 71 per cent,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “Albeit we’re still disappointed with how the clearance finished up.”
“For the right yearling this sale is a viable option and we have great faith in this sale going forward.”
“We will look at the structure of the sale and whether it needs fine tuning. The market here was very strong yet selective on the product on offer.”
“There’s great opportunities tomorrow with Book Two yearlings followed by a quality packed racehorse sale and it will bring to a close a memorable three weeks of trade,” Bowditch added.
To see a video review of today’s sale click here. To check the results of the National Yearling Sale and to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
The Magic Millions National Sale rounds out tomorrow with Day Three of the National Yearling Sale comprising the Book Two youngsters before the National Racehorse Sale takes centre stage. Selling commences at 11am (AEST).
SALE STATISTICS
Lots Catalogued: 385
Lots Sold: 230
Lots Withdrawn: 60
Lots Passed In: 94
Top Price: $250,000
Average Price: $43,172
Median Price: $30,000
Sale Gross: $9,929,500
Sold %: 71
DAY TWO TOP SELLERS
$250,000 – Tavistock-Lithograph colt (Lot 1900)
Vendor: Amarina Farm (As Agent) / Buyer: Champion Thoroughbreds P/L (NSW)
$245,000 – Fastnet Rock-Valadon filly (Lot 2077)
Highgrove Stud / Chevaux Bloodstock (NSW)
$160,000 – Dissident-Miss Twiggy colt (Lot 1936)
Element Hill / Jason Tam/Gary Moore (NSW)
$150,000 – Starspangledbanner-Rock Cathedral colt (Lot 2004)
Amarina Farm (As Agent) / Francis Lui (HK)
$140,000 – Spirit of Boom-Memories of You filly (Lot 1924)
Eureka Stud (As Agent) / Gollan Racing/John Foote B’stock (Qld)
LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)
$659,500 – Chevaux Bloodstock – 5 lots
$580,000 – Yulong Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd – 5 lots
$365,000 – Champion Thoroughbreds – 3 lots
$300,000 – Hong Kong Jockey Club – 2 lots
$230,000 – Dermot Farrington – 1 lot
LEADING SIRES
(ranked by average – 2 or more sold)
$140,000 – Tavistock – 2 sold
$128,750 – Fastnet Rock – 4 sold
$98,000 – Not a Single Doubt – 2 sold
$93,000 – Exceed and Excel – 4 sold
$83,143 – Spirit of Boom – 7 sold
