Magic Lineup Good As Gold

MAGIC LINEUP GOOD AS GOLD 
By Kelsey Riley 
Magic Millions kicks off the Southern Hemisphere yearling sale season this week when its Gold Coast Yearling Sale gets underway tomorrow at the Bundall sales complex in Queensland, Australia. Books 1 and 2 of Magic Millions' flagship sale see 912 lots catalogued over five consecutive days, and loud whispers on the ground suggest this year's renewal could be one of the strongest since the sale was born in 1986. A quick glance at the catalogue supports those rumors: there are 28 siblings to Group 1 winners set to go under the hammer, and 26 progeny of Group 1-winning mares. Champion sires like Fastnet Rock (Aus), Redoute's Choice (Aus) and More Than Ready are well represented, and the first-season contingent is one of the strongest in recent memories, including such standout racehorses as Canford Cliffs (Ire), Dream Ahead, Foxwedge (Aus), Gio Ponti, Helmet (Aus), Pluck, Poet's Voice (GB), Pour Moi (Ire), Sepoy (Aus), So You Think (NZ), Uncle Mo and Zoffany (Ire). 

An equally impressive international contingent of humans has descended on the Gold Coast, with Americans in town including B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift Farm, agent John Moynihan and Jon Kelly, who signed the ticket on last year's A$1 million sale-topping colt by Redoute's Choice in his first visit to the sale. Hughes and Moynihan are in attendance for the first time. 

Considering the growing appeal of Australian stock worldwide, it wouldn't be a surprise to see an increase in American purchases. Exports from Magic Millions sales increased by 47% in 2013/14, with the strongest growth coming from the U.S., which increased its purchases six-fold. 

“We're very happy,” said Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox. “There's a good vibe around the place. Everyone's busy–[Monday] was a worry because it was raining pretty heavily in patches, but everyone seemed to get around that.”

The rainfall continued into the early hours of sales eve yesterday, but the clouds gave way in time for the barrier draw for Saturday's A$2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic and A$1 million 3YO Guineas, which took place on the beach at Surfer's Paradise. The morning's festivities, which also included a display of horses galloping along the beach and a live broadcast by local radio station Gold FM, drew heavy attendance from not only the racing public and personalities, but from the general public, which crammed every available space to witness the draws for Queensland's most important day of racing. Magic Millions Racing Women Patron Zara Phillips and ambassador Francesca Cumani were among those in attendance and Phillips, a British royal and Olympic equestrian, spoke about Magic Millions' incentives to increase the involvement of women in racing. These efforts, which have been pioneered by Magic Millions' Katie Page-Harvey, include the Racing Women's Bonus, a $500,000 pot that is paid out to the first four all female-owned horses across the line in the 2YO Classic. The bonus is in its third year. 

“I'm very honored that Katie has got me involved,” Phillips said. “We're just trying to get more women involved in racing. I'm lucky I compete in a level playing field [in eventing], boys against girls, but trying to make that happen in other industries is hard work, so that's what we're trying to do.” 

Cox added, “The barrier draw on the beach was fantastic. The general public came out, there were a lot of people there and there was a lot of interest in it.” 

With the barrier draw festivities out of the way, the focus turned back to sales inspections, and indeed the sales grounds were teeming with visitors under spotless skies. Cox attributed the increased profile of the Gold Coast yearling sale to a few factors, including the drop in the Australian dollar and the recent announcement of Magic Millions' 2016 A$10 million raceday. 

“We're very happy with the internationals being here,” Cox said. “The dollar has worked in our favor, but I wouldn't put it entirely on account of the dollar. There's a few things in play. Obviously our A$10 million raceday has brought people out and put some focus on Magic Millions, and the Australian horse as well–we're competing internationally and are well recognized, and Magic Millions is now firmly on the international calendar as a sales venue to go to.” 
Next year's Magic Millions raceday will be the richest meeting in Australia and will include a diverse menu of contests for juveniles, sophomores and fillies and mares, including an A$1 million 1800 meter race. Cox noted that interest in the sale has undoubtedly increased since the unveiling of the raceday late last month. 

“It's really jumped up,” he said. “You can only talk anecdotally, but I was out to dinner and the local restaurant manager said, 'I was going to buy a horse this year, but now I think I might buy two.' There's no doubt lots of trainers have got onto their clients about it. It's a huge incentive–A$10 million for the life of the horse. And it's not restricted to 2-year-olds–it's 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, fillies and mares, horses that get over 1800 meters, and there's a Queensland-bred race.” 

Such opportunities for horses outside the sprinting division have likely helped evolve Magic Millions from a sale reputed as a source of early sprinters to a sale that offers quality horses of all types. 

“I'd say five or 10 years ago you would have said it was a one-dimensional catalogue, but we are getting a broader spectrum of horse nowadays–horses like High Chaparral and So You Think that will get a two-turn horse,” Cox explained. “It's just evolved naturally. In the past we have sold Melbourne Cup winners, Atlantic Jewels, Shoot Outs, who won the Derby. We have sold those types of horses in the past, but it's now a much broader spectrum, which is great.” 

The pre-sale festivities will wrap up tonight with the R.M. Williams launch party at Surfer's Paradise, and then it's down to business, with the sale kicking off at 11 a.m. Wednesday Australian time. 

“Everyone here is having a good time,” Cox added. “It's a fun place to be. Tonight's opening party will be fun, the barrier draw on the beach was fun, so people are in a great mood. It's holiday time here, so we want people to have a great time.”