Former American shuttle sire Justify sired the top pair of lots during Tuesday's Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses-in-Training Sale.
A colt (lot 76) out of Port Augusta (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus}) made A$700,000 on the bid of Yulong. Hong Kong's Lok Lor was the underbidder. Consigned by KO Racing, the bay was a A$300,000 graduate of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was prepared by Kenmore Lodge for this trip back through the ring.
“He was a pretty easy horse to prepare,” Kenmore's Kellie Bond said. “He had so much quality, a beautiful pedigree and was just a ripping individual.
“It was pretty easy to see he was going to be a quality lot. They (buyers) were all over him the minute he got here. His breeze up was exceptional–great stride length and he's by a horse who can get an absolute superstar.”
“You could easily see why he would get a good result and it was nice that Yulong was able to secure him,” Bond added.
A half-brother to three winners from three to race for his dam, the colt's best half-sibling is the two-time winner and stakes performer Lady Young (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). His dam is a half-sister to Group 1 sire and runner Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) (Danehill).
Nolen Racing offered lot 88, a filly by the American Triple Crown Winner. She brought A$425,000 from Bartholomew & Co. The filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Religify (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) with the duo out of Sacred Witness (Aus) (El Moxie {Aus}).
“They liked her and we liked her when we first saw her,” Bartholomew said moments after the gavel fell on the filly who breezed impressively at Seymour. “She's a lovely, big-framed filly by Justify, and you can't get any more of them. He's not coming back from America. It's all in the lap of the gods from here.”
The filly changed hands for A$60,000 at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
The next two lots each sold for A$280,000 apiece: lot 138, an Ole Kirk (Aus) colt from Network Bloodstock and lot 166, a Zousain (Aus) colt from Nolen Racing, who both sold to Hong Kong's Magus Equine, Ltd.
At the close of trade, 105 juveniles sold (65.2%) for a gross of A$7,331,000. The average increased to A$69,819 and the median was almost flat at A$40,000. It was A$41,000 in 2023.
“We always thought it was going to be a polarising market and that's exactly what it was,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “I thought when the quality horses with good confirmation and by the right sire walked in the ring, there was very buoyant bidding on them.”
“I thought the top 20 horses sold particularly well. All in all we've had a significant increase in gross and average price which is encouraging.”
“We were hoping to have a clearance rate around 70% and we are working toward that figure. We will keep working over the next 24 to 48 hours to get more sold,” Bowditch added.
For the full sale results, please visit the Magic Millions website.
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