For the second consecutive day, trainer Gai Waterhouse walked away with the
session topper at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which held its
third session Friday. Bidding on behalf of a group of owners that raced the 2008
Golden Slipper S. (Aus-G1) winner Sebring, Waterhouse went to A$620,000
(US$572,791) Friday to obtain Hip No. 540, a bay son of Encosta de Lago.
“He’s one of the most attractive horses in the sale,” said Waterhouse, who
has spent just over A$2.7 million at the sale to lead all buyers. “I thought he
was just lovely. I actually wrote in my catalog ‘sexy!’ The main group (that
bought the yearling), the Henderson boys, had said to me, ‘Identify a few colts
at the sale that we should be investing in.'”
While the average price compared well to last year’s mark, the sale continued
to lack a seven-figure horse, and the weakness at the top was noted by
Waterhouse.
“He looks a great value,” she said of the session topper. “There is no doubt
a few years ago he would have made a lot more. It’s a great time to be buying
horses, especially as the prize money keeps going up.”
The top filly of the day was Hip 473, a daughter of Redoute’s Choice who sold
for A$520,000. Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock Agency outbid James Bester to
acquire the yearling, who is out of Group 2 winner Piper Star (Kaapstad).
According to Racing and Sports, all four of the dark bay’s siblings had
sold as yearlings through Magic Millions, with her three-quarter brother, Demi’s
Star (Danehill Dancer), fetching A$720,000 in 2006.
Hip 427, a half-brother to last year’s Golden Slipper and Magic Millions
Classic winner Phelan Ready (More Than Ready), went unsold when bidding stopped
A$40,000 short of his reserve at A$460,000.
After a somewhat slow start, the clearance rate improved for the second
straight session, which pleased Magic Millions Managing Director David Chester.
“There has been plenty of good competition on a number of the lots, but I
still think buyers are getting exceptional value,” Chester said. (Saturday)
night’s session should continue the trend. We’ve got some lovely prospects to go
under the hammer. I’m hoping the figures continue to improve again and we finish
on a high in preparation for the fifth session on Sunday.”
Full catalog and results are available at magicmillions.com.au.