The first yearling sale of the year has been hailed a success, allaying fears brought on by economic difficulties around the world.
The four days of the premium section of the Magic Millions sale grossed 62.57 million for a catalogue of 645 horses compared with the 2011 gross of $63.669 million for 674 lots.
The buying bench was led by Gai Waterhouse who was both a winner and a loser in Saturday’s $2 million Magic Millions Classic fought out by stablemates No Looking Back and Driefontein.
No Looking Back was relegated to second on protest.
Waterhouse, in partnership with James Harron Bloodstock, spent $5.532 million on 22 yearlings while Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, which syndicated Driefontein, purchased 16 yearlings for $2.197 million.
Star Thoroughbred horses are all trained by Waterhouse.
With a clearance rate of 84.4 per cent and a top price of $960,000, the average was $127,175, up from $123,629 a year ago.
“We’re thrilled with the figures for the sale,” Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said.
“The story of the sale is the clearance and the median price. The clearance rate is outstanding.
“And the average price has increased on last year’s figures – so all in all we’re very happy.”
“Demand on the quality lots was strong and many vendors returned some positive results.”
Arrowfield Stud’s Redoute’s Choice was the leading sire by average with eight lots sold at $255.370 followed by Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock (27 sold at $246,364).
Among Waterhouse’s purchases was a $680,000 colt by More Than Ready out of Aqua D’Amore who Waterhouse trained to win the 2007 Group One Futurity Stakes.
Fellow Sydney trainer Gerald Ryan had to go to $750,000 to buy a full brother to star mare Melito who he took to two wins and four placings at Group One level during the autumn of 2010.
The top priced lot, a Fastnet Rock colt out of Rose Of Cimmaron, was knocked down to bloodstock agents James Bester and Demi O’Byrne.
AAP TURF
