At A Glance
>> The clearance rate was a touch under 73 per cent, which was down on last year’s 82.64 per cent, but under the current circumstances a more than respectable outcome
>> The average was $28,671 compared to $33,187 in 2019 while the median dropped $4000 to $20,000. The gross was down from $9,956,100 12 months ago to $7,712,500
>> Eureka Stud was the leading vendor on aggregate with 37 lots sold for $1,151,000 and River Junction sold four lots at an average of $73,750 to top the table on that score
>> Better Than Ready was the leading sire by aggregate with 34 lots sold for $1,503,000
>> Ontrack Thoroughbreds struck a winning blow early in the session when going to $170,000 for Lot 208, a half-sister by Pride Of Dubai to a stakes performer
>> Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan didn’t hesitate to go to $115,000 for Lot 272, a Better Than Ready filly who is a sister to his last-start QTIS Jewel winner Kisukano
Bowditch satisfied
This year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Sale outcome compared favourably to 2019, given the pre-auction uncertainty due to the coronavirus outbreak and Bowditch had no complaints with the results achieved.
Barry Bowditch
“From the Magic Millions staff to the vendors to the buyers, we were able to adapt to the circumstances put in front of us and to conduct a sale in such smooth running was an outstanding result in itself,” he said.
“Obviously the clearance rate (71.93 per cent) was hard to gloat about, but under the circumstances it was more than satisfactory and we were pleased to be able to give the vendors the chance to sell these horses.
"Under the circumstances it was more than satisfactory and we were pleased to be able to give the vendors the chance to sell these horses. " - Barry Bowditch
“They were motivated to sell them and the buyers got behind the local product and bid up and in many cases horses sold very, very well.
“With the factors dealt to us, you couldn’t predict where we would end up and what would happen. If you had have given these result at the start of the sale I would have taken them.”
Early fireworks
The highlight of two days of selling at the Gold Coast came early in the closing session when the second offering, Lot 208, came into the ring. Pride Of Dubai's daughter from the draft of River Junction was secured by Grant Morgan, of Ontrack Thoroughbreds, for a sale-topping $170,000.
For Joe Heather, part-owner and manager of River Junction, the sale represented a royal outcome under obviously unique and testing conditions due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“It’s a really good result and she is a lovely filly. We were constantly readjusting expectations with everything that is going on at the moment,” he said.
“Expectations were changing daily and sometimes hourly as things progressed, but we always knew that she had a lot of quality and she presented well.
“She was the right product and we had confidence that we would be able to achieve a result and it's definitely gone above what we were hoping for.
“It’s probably a good sign that there is still confidence in the market with everything else that’s going on. Magics have done a great job to get the sale conducted in these conditions and made sure the buyers were here.
“Magics have done a great job to get the sale conducted in these conditions and made sure the buyers were here.” – Joe Heather
“I know there were a couple of guys on the phone to agents on her when she was going through the ring so it’s all worked out really well.”
The filly is a daughter of Fiery Dee (Fraar {USA}), who has produced four winners including Looks Like The Cat (Husson {Arg}) who was runner-up in the G2 Danehill S. and the G2 BRC Champagne Classic.
The dam is a half-sister to the G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce S. winner Silent Surround (Face Value) and also the family of the G1 WATC Derby winner Mr Sandgroper (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and G2 Carlyon Cup winner Station Hand (Rancher).
Lot 208 - Pride Of Dubai x Fiery Dee (filly)
“Unfortunately, the mare passed away last breeding season so this is the last foal out of the mare and the last filly out of the family,” Heather said.
“She’s going to a good home with Ontrack buying her and she’s going to be placed with David Vandyke.”
“She’s going to a good home with Ontrack buying her and she’s going to be placed with David Vandyke.” – Joe Heather
Morgan said he expected to have to test the budget to get the Pride Of Dubai filly, particularly with the future rewards on offer.
“You have always got to pay a lot of money for the best QTIS fillies. We knew that from when we bought Savanna Amour a few years ago from the first crop of Love Conquers All and Baroda by Epaulette.
“You have to dig a bit deeper for these QTIS fillies because they can win nearly $80,000 on a Saturday which is just fantastic prizemoney. The good ones like her don’t come cheaply, so we went a bit further than what we thought she’d be worth but for a good QTIS filly, we’re happy to have her.
“David Vandyke is going to train her for us. We’ve got a good list of clients who were keen to get some yearlings with David through this sale, so we’ve hit the ground running with some nice yearlings for David and she certainly fits that bill.”
Solid under circumstances
Morgan said the sale had held up well, given all the factors beyond anybody’s control.
“I think the nice horses have still made reasonable money. If you had a good type, by a good stallion with a reasonable page, they are still making reasonable money and that’s the end of the market that we’ve been hunting.
Grant Morgan
“We haven’t found it easy because I think a lot of the agents, syndicators and trainers have got similar short lists at the end of the day.
“I know in the case of the Pride Of Dubai filly, we had to beat Tony Gollan, Rob Heathcote, First Light Racing and Greg Eurell. They were all on that filly and that’s why you had to pay that bit more for the nicer horses.
“I don’t think it’s been as bad as what everyone expected. It’s probably been tougher at the lower end of the market, but the nicer horses have still made reasonable money.”
Pierro popular
A Pierro filly, Lot 367, from Lyndhurst Stud’s draft drew an opening bid of $50,000 before she was eventually knocked down to Edmonds Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $120,000.
A half-sister to multiple winner and stakes performer Boomstress (Spirit Of Boom), she is out of Pegasus Miss (More Than Ready {USA}), who was successful on two occasions.
Lot 367 - Pierro x Pegasus Miss (filly)
The dam is a half-sister to the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality H. winner Metallic Crown (Northern Meteor) and the two-time Listed winner Snitzpeg (Snitzel).
Further back in the pedigree is the former champion New Zealand 3-year-old, multiple Group 1 winner and sire McGinty (NZ) (One Pound Sterling {GB}).
Staying in family
Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan knew exactly what he was getting himself into when he went to $115,000 for Lot 272, a daughter of Better Than Ready from the draft of Alexia Fraser Bloodstock.
Nolan produced the filly’s sister Kisukano to win last Saturday’s $500,000 QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast and, in the process inflicted a first defeat on Rothfire (Rothesay).
Lot 272 - Better Than Ready x Kiss For Gran (filly)
“She was my pick at the sale and we’ve got the sister so we wanted to keep that going,” he said. “I thought $100,000 might have pulled her up and it kept going in dribs and drabs so we went a couple more.
“Being a filly, she’s got the residual value as well and she’s a really good type as the price reflected. We’ll syndicate her and try and get a good group together to race her.”
The filly is a daughter of Kiss For Gran (Show A Heart), who is a half-sister to the Listed Silk Stocking winner Princess Margaret (Spectrum {Ire}) and the pedigree page also features the G2 Stan Fox S. and G3 Sweet Embrace S. winner Dynamic Love (Brave Warrior).
Cathars tops tried division
In the Autumn Racehorses’ Sale, Cathars (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) topped the bill when he sold for $77,500 to A List Stud Pty Ltd. The 3-year-old, Lot 425, was bought out of the Godolphin draft which, dominated proceedings with 17 of the 21 offerings.
Cathars has raced six times and broke his maiden at his most recent appearance at Hawkesbury earlier this month.
Watch: Cathars break his maiden
The gelding is a son of the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. winner Montsegur (New Approach {Ire}), whose other foal to race Ariege (Exceed And Excel) is a dual winner. The headline act on the pedigree page is the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Merchant Navy.
Trainer Kurt Goldman paid the second top price of $55,000 for Lot 429, the Godolphin presented Intuition (Street Cry {Ire}). A Listed winner, he is from the family of the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Alverta (Flying Spur).
Leaderboards
Top Lots
| 208 | Pride Of Dubai | Fiery Dee | Filly | River Junction | Ontrack Thoroughbreds | $170,000 |
| 63 | Sebring | Tina Melina | Filly | Bahrinna | Vandyke Racing | $150,000 |
| 199 | Spirit Of Boom | Eureka Moment | Colt | Eureka Stud | Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock | $130,000 |
| 39 | Spirit Of Boom | Star Of Kristle | Colt | Eureka Stud | Kelly Schweida Racing | $120,000 |
| 367 | Pierro | Pegasus Miss | Filly | Lyndhurst Stud | Edmonds Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds | $120,000 |
| 272 | Better Than Ready | Kiss For Gran | Filly | Alexia Fraser Bloodstock | Michael Nolan | $115,000 |
| 186 | Epaulette | Dolphus | Colt | Kenmore Lodge | A List Stud | $100,000 |
| 75 | Rothesay | Ultimate Rush | Colt | Lyndhurst Stud | Desleigh Forster | $100,000 |
| 37 | Better Than Ready | Spritely Girl | Filly | Aquis Farm | Ontrack Thoroughbreds | $85,000 |
| 86 | Better Than Ready | Vis A Tergo | Filly | Tipuana Farms | Chris Anderson Racing/Steve Morley Bloodstock | $85,000 |
Top Buyers
| Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock | 6 | $59,583 | $130,000 | $357,500 |
| Group 1 Pty Ltd | 7 | $50,000 | $65,000 | $350,000 |
| Ontrack Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | 4 | $87,000 | $170,000 | $348,000 |
| Edmonds Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 5 | $54,800 | $120,000 | $274,000 |
| Chris Anderson Racing/Steve Morley Bloodstock | 4 | $61,875 | $85,000 | $247,500 |
| Vandyke Racing | 2 | $110,000 | $150,000 | $220,000 |
| Tony Sears Racing | 4 | $52,375 | $70,000 | $209,500 |
| Robert Heathcote/Steve Morley Bloodstock | 8 | $25,938 | $42,500 | $207,500 |
| A List Stud Pty Ltd | 4 | $49,375 | $100,000 | $197,500 |
| Munce Racing | 4 | $48,750 | $80,000 | $195,000 |
Top Vendors (by aggregate)
| Eureka Stud, Cambooya, Qld | 37 | $1,151,500 | $31,122 | $130,000 |
| Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Warwick, Qld | 26 | $1,063,000 | $40,885 | $120,000 |
| Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi, NSW | 26 | $600,500 | $23,096 | $85,000 |
| KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld | 20 | $553,000 | $27,650 | $70,000 |
| Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | 17 | $534,500 | $31,441 | $100,000 |
| Alexia Fraser Bloodstock, Warwick, Qld | 12 | $322,000 | $26,833 | $115,000 |
| Raheen Stud, Darling Downs, Qld | 14 | $319,000 | $22,786 | $80,000 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 9 | $310,500 | $34,500 | $70,000 |
| River Junction, Kybong, Qld | 4 | $295,000 | $73,750 | $170,000 |
| Oaklands Stud, Darling Downs, Qld | 11 | $254,500 | $23,136 | $60,000 |
Top Vendors (3 or more)
| River Junction, Kybong, Qld | 4 | $73,750 | $170,000 | $295,000 |
| Bahrinna, Beaudesert, Qld | 4 | $61,750 | $150,000 | $247,000 |
| DeeJay Bloodstock, Maroon, Qld | 3 | $45,333 | $67,500 | $136,000 |
| Tipuana Farms, Boonah, Qld | 5 | $42,800 | $85,000 | $214,000 |
| Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Warwick, Qld | 26 | $40,885 | $120,000 | $1,063,000 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 9 | $34,500 | $70,000 | $310,500 |
| Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | 17 | $31,441 | $100,000 | $534,500 |
| Eureka Stud, Cambooya, Qld | 37 | $31,122 | $130,000 | $1,151,500 |
| Clear Mountain Fairview Pty Ltd, Greenmount, Qld | 7 | $30,714 | $80,000 | $215,000 |
| KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld | 20 | $27,650 | $70,000 | $553,000 |
Top Sires (by aggregate)
| Better Than Ready | 34 | $1,503,000 | $44,206 | $115,000 |
| Spirit Of Boom | 38 | $1,141,000 | $30,026 | $130,000 |
| Spill The Beans | 23 | $414,500 | $18,022 | $65,000 |
| Nicconi | 5 | $207,500 | $41,500 | $70,000 |
| Sooboog | 6 | $201,000 | $33,500 | $55,000 |
| Pride Of Dubai | 2 | $200,000 | $100,000 | $170,000 |
| Defcon | 10 | $189,000 | $18,900 | $40,000 |
| Under The Louvre | 8 | $165,000 | $20,625 | $30,000 |
| Husson (Arg) | 7 | $161,500 | $23,071 | $52,500 |
| Bel Esprit | 6 | $158,000 | $26,333 | $60,000 |
