No Nay Never makes sales hits on both sides of world

Images courtesy Magic Millions

At A Glance

>> Coolmore shuttle stallion No Nay Never (USA) lights up sales rings in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres.

>> More than $11.4 million was traded on 182 lots sold at an impressive average price of $63,609.

>> Clearance rate of 80 per cent delights Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch.

>> Symphony Lodge the top vendor with 22 lots sold for $1,457,500.

>> Hong Kong buyers account for the biggest spend outlaying $2,189,000 on 19 lots.

Costa goes high

A youngster offered by Nolen Racing was the star of the show at the Magic Millions sale when he was knocked down to trainer Michael Costa, on behalf of Ardross Bloodstock, for $525,000.

On the other side of the world at Tattersalls, MV Magnier had paid 900,000 gns (AU$1,719,000) for a No Nay Never (USA) yearling, a record mark before it was later surpassed by a son of Dark Angel (Ire) who realised 1,050,000 gns (AU$2,005,500).

The Gold Coast headline act represented a massive windfall as the youngster, who had been initially purchased at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $18,000, was bought by Tal Nolen at the company’s Yearling Sale for $90,000.

The juvenile, who breezed up at 10.35s, is out of the winning Encosta de Lago mare El Shahar and there is an abundance of class and speed in her pedigree.

"We thought he was one of the standouts of the sale and he was our number one pick," Costa said.

"We had to give a little bit extra for him but we were determined to get him.

"He has got a really good attitude which will stand him in good stead if he does head over to Hong Kong as well. His breeze up was one of the talks of the sale and he ticked a lot of boxes.”

The colt’s dam is a half-sister to the G1 Goodwood H. winner Zip Zip Array (Bellotto) and under the third dam are the multiple Group 1 winning half-brothers Niconero (Danzero) and Nicconi (Bianconi {USA}).

For vendor Nolen, the result capped a bumper sale in which he sold nine youngsters for a gross of $1,230,000.

"He was a lovely horse. The best breeze up horses we've ever had," he said. "He has heaps of improvement and he will grow into a lovely horse - a Group 1 horse even. I bought him here in June. It's a massive gamble and you have got to have something like this to keep going."

Smart breeze up

It was no surprise the son of the five-time Group 1 winner Dissident colt, Lot 235, offered by O’Gorman Racing Stables made $320,000 after he breezed up in a swift 10.12s and with a rich pedigree behind him he was seen as the complete package by purchaser Barbara Moore.

"He looks a very exciting prospect. He breezed very well and very fast,” Moore said. "He is a great type - a nice strong 2-year-old type. At this stage he will be staying in Australia and we will see how he goes before we decide what the future holds.”

The colt is out of Demanding Queen (Commands), a half-sister to the dam of the New Zealand Horse of the Year Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}). She retired with three Group 1 titles on her record.

A $55,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for Hong Kong’s Upper Bloodstock, the Dissident colt’s pedigree page also features the Group 1 winning siblings Champagne (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and St Reims (NZ).

Family trait

A family with a history of setting auction rings alight on both sides of the Tasman made its mark when a son of I Am Invincible sold for $300,000 to Krit Chittaseni.

The sought-after I Am Invincible youngster, who breezed up in 10.74 was presented by Kenmore Lodge as Lot 130 and had cost Kingsbarn Bloodstock $120,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

The colt is out of Sorel Point (Encosta de Lago) and she is a half-sister to Offenbach (Danehill {USA}), who made NZ$1,000,000 when offered at Karaka in 2004. Unfortunately, he was unable to live up to his price tag, but did win eight races including the G3 Hobart Cup.

The headline act in the pedigree is his close relative Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire), the son of Danehill (USA) who won seven consecutive Group 1 races to earn European Horse of the Year honours before retiring to stud.

Chittaseni also partnered with New Zealand bloodstock agent Bevan Smith to sign at $160,000 for Lot 148, a Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) colt from Symphony Lodge’s draft.

A $90,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale buy, he breezed up in 10.84s and is out of Take Heart (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), a mare from the family of the dual Group 1 winner Danendri (Danehill {USA}).

Star appeal

A son of Zoustar, Lot 214, also presented by Nolen Racing was the subject of spirited bidding that opened at $100,000 and he was eventually secured by Nicholas Moore, son of Sydney conditioner Gary, and Jason Tam for $250,000.

Sourced by the vendor for $100,000 at the Classic Sale, he breezed stylishly to stop the clock at 10.18s and is out of Cardinal Court (Valixir {Ire}), who is an unraced half-sister to the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Regal Cheer (Arena).

She is the dam of the multiple black type winner and three-time Group 1 placegetter Knoydart (More Than Ready {USA}).

Brisk trade

Two back-to-back sales of $220,000 kept the pace up with Lot 243, Kenmore Lodge’s Foxwedge colt, and the following son of Hinchinbrook presented by JCS Thoroughbreds went to Michel Clements and New Zealand agent Bevan Smith and the pairing of Dennis Yip and Pinhook Bloodstock respectively.

The Foxwedge, who breezed in 10.34s and failed to meet his $40,000 reserve earlier this year, is out of a three-quarter sister to the G2 Lee Steere S. winner Idyllic Prince (Scenic) while the son of Hinchinbrook, who clocked 10.38, is out of a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner and sire Turffontein. He was purchased for $17,000 by Moorillah at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

A colt, Lot 147, out of three-quarter sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge {USA}) caught the eye of trainer Stuart Kendrick and he duly took him home for $220,000.

The son of Choisir was from the draft of Baystone Lodge, who paid $102,000 for him at the Classic Sale, and had breezed up in 10.93s.

He is a brother to the G3 Gunsynd Classic winner Worthy Cause and half-brother to the stakes performer Octane Flyer (Statue Of Liberty {USA}).

A son of young sire Deep Field caught the attention of Ricardo Le Grange and Rodney Too, who went to $200,000 to secure him out of Wishbone Farm’s consignment. That represented a smart piece of selling business as he had been a $30,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate.

As Lot 151 he had breezed in 10.60s and is a half-brother to Epic (Stratum), who won 10 races and was Group 3 placed, and the family of the four-time Group 2 winner Ateates (Zeditave).

Satisfying clearance rate

"We are so excited to have such a high clearance rate, 80 per cent is fantastic for a breeze up style auction,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.

"There were some huge results for vendors who came here with well-presented horses. The pinhooking success from a number of our sales between January and June has been remarkable.

"We couldn't be happier for Tal Nolen who has been selling here at this sale for many years. It's our vendors who do the hard work, getting to the sales, finding the horses and educating them properly - the buyers come here with confidence."

"I really must thank the vendors and buyers for their support - we had such a large buying bench from around Australia and so many from abroad.

"David Chester and the Magic Millions team have put a lot of effort into the sale and getting clients here. It's a very rewarding result for Magic Millions."

Piracy to Sears

In the racehorse division of the sale, Godolphin’s Piracy (Exceed And Excel) was the top-seller when he went to the $65,000 bid of trainer Tony Sears.

The 5-year-old has won five of his 22 outings for James Cummings, including his last start over 1000 metres at Warwick Farm, and was runner-up in the Listed Brian Crowley S.

His dam Plagiarize (Stravinsky {USA}) won the G2 Silver Slipper S. and is a half-sister to the G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Tapildo (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}).

The tried horse sale was dominated by Godolphin entries and 3-year-old Landtrasse (Sepoy), a winner once from seven attempts, was the second top lot when he sold to trainer Greg McFarlane for $45,000. He is out of the G3 Jansz S. winner Viennese (Redoute’s Choice), a sister to champion stallion Snitzel.

Table: Magic Millions 2YO In Training Sale top lots

Table: Magic Millions 2YO In Training Sale top buyers

Table: Magic Millions 2YO In Training Sale top vendors (by average, 3 or more lots)