Widely expected to star during the opening session of the Magic Millions Gold
Coast Yearling Sale, Hip No. 30 was purchased
by trainer Peter Moody for A$850,000 to top the day’s action.
Bidding on the attractive colt, who is a full brother to 2005 Golden Slipper S.
(Aus-G1) hero and successful young sire Stratum (Redoute’s Choice), kicked off at A$300,000 and
progressed quickly beyond A$500,000. It was Moody, on behalf of a “group of
stable clients,” who proved most
resourceful at the finish.
“He is a nice quality colt and I thought he was the
colt of the sale,” the conditioner explained. “He has an exceptional pedigree
being a brother to a Slipper winner and just an all round athletic colt.”
Moody
said he was keen to buy the colt, who is out of Bourgeois (Luskin Star), and could have gone a fraction higher to secure
him at the auction.
“We would have been prepared to go a little bit more, but we
not have to thankfully,” he added.
Stratum was the champion first-season sire in
Australia in 2009-2010 and was represented by a Slipper winner of his own last
year in the
form of his daughter Crystal Lily.
The results sheets showed a hodgepodge of buyers from New Zealand, South
Africa, Singapore and Ireland, including a pair of six-figure purchases from
James Harron of DeBurgh Equine. The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has long been a loyal
customer of Magic Millions, and four colts are headed to the nation to be
prepared for their racing careers.
The HKJC acquired four youngsters for gross
receipts of A$1.32 million, the most expensive of which was Hip 193, a Flying
Spur son of Group 3 winner Fumble (Snippets), herself a
half-sister to Group 1 scorer Hard to Get (Geiger Counter). The brown colt was
consigned by Willow Park Stud, agent, and became the second-highest price seller
on the day when going for A$440,000.
Encosta de Lago was responsible for the session’s leading filly, consigned as
Hip 170 by Coolmore Stud, agent. Ingham Racing made the winning A$350,000 bid on
the miss, who is a daughter of dual listed-placed Fiammarosa (Danehill), herself a full sister
to 2008 C.F. Orr S. (Aus-G1) winner Shinzig.
Session one of the Gold Coast sale more than held its own, statistically
speaking, with a slight increase in the average price versus 2010 and just a
5-percent decrease in the median price. Turnover was nearly A$16.7 million as
three of every four horses found homes.
Magic Millions Managing Director Stephen
Silk said he was pleased with the opening session of the auction and was looking
forward to the second session.
“It’s been a satisfying day for both
buyers and vendors,” Silk reported. “It did seem to be a buyer’s market — I think
there was some great value buying. We were pleased with some strong
international bidding — particularly from the Hong Kong Jockey Club which has
been a strong supporter of the Magic Millions Yearling Sale over recent years.”
This year’s Gold Coast sale is also providing an avenue to help those
affected by torrential rains and flooding in Queensland, Australia. Four of Australia’s leading studs have donated stallion nominations for the
2011 breeding season and those seasons will be auctioned off this coming Saturday prior to the
start of the fourth session of the Gold Coast sale.
Emirates Park Stud is
offering a season to Al Maher, while Arrowfield Stud will
auction a nomination to Flying Spur. A season to High Chaparral
(Ire) is available from Coolmore Stud, and Darley Stud has a
season to Lonhro up for auction.
“We have all been deeply saddened by the loss of life and
property in so many parts of Queensland,” Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said. “A huge number of people in rural and
urban Queensland are suffering through the most appalling and frightening set of
circumstances due to the floods and many people now find themselves desperately
in need of support.
“The Thoroughbred breeding and racing community has a strong
tradition of rallying in times of crisis, and we are in a position to be able to
support those many people suffering in these times. We urge people to attend the
auction and bid.”
Magic Millions is also accepting donations on the sales
grounds.
For complete results of the sale please visit
www.magicmillions.com.au.