Cover image courtesy of Kitchwin Hills
Bloodstock agent Justin Bahen was early off the blocks on Day 1 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, jumping in for Lot 26, the first of the day’s Menari progeny, and Lot 76, a grey filly by The Autumn Sun. A short time later he went in for Lot 117, an Extreme Choice colt from Hollywood Heart (Lion Heart {USA}).
All up, the trio of yearlings were $350,000, $525,000 and $700,000 respectively, a tidy $1.575 million of bloodstock across Day 1.
Justin Bahen | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
In particular, Lot 26 proved a spectacular pinhook result off the back of Bahen’s buying at $350,000.
The Menari colt, consigned by Willow Park Stud, had previously sold for just $22,500 at the 2021 Inglis Digital June Sale, bought by Dean Watt (as Fengood) from Gooree Park Stud. On that fact, the colt returned over 15 times his original price on Tuesday.
Lot 26 was the second foal from the American-bred mare Fadetta (USA) (Rock Hard Ten {USA}). It isn’t an obvious pedigree in this part of the world, but Fadetta is a half-sister to the G1 Hollywood Derby winner Seek Again (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and international Group winner Treble Jig (USA) (Gone West {USA}). She is a daughter of the American Group 1 winner Light Jig (USA) (Danehill {USA}).
Lot 26 - Menari x Fadetta (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He was very well-liked by a lot of people, and that was obvious,” Bahen said of Lot 26. “I like Menari a lot, and I liked him an awful lot as a racehorse. I looked at a few of his progeny at the weanling sales and I liked what I saw, and Glenn Burrows (at Willow Park) made a good point of getting me to come back and look at this colt.”
Bahen said Lot 26 grew on him steadily. It was as much about his temperament as his physical composition.
“With everything he’s done at the Sale he was still alert and bright, and that’s not always easy up here,” Bahen said. “It’s really hot at this Sale so he was one of the ones standing tall for me, and he gave me good thoughts.”
“With everything he’s done at the Sale he (Lot 26) was still alert and bright, and that’s not always easy up here.” - Justin Bahen
The bloodstock agent said the colt would likely need to grow into himself before any racetrack ambitions.
“He’ll take a little bit of time but he’ll end up a lovely horse,” Bahen said. “I bought him for a good client of mine in Melbourne who races horses with Matt Laurie and Kris Lees.”
Of the windfall pinhook result, Bahen said it would surely rank as one of the best of the day.
Lot 26 - Menari x Fadetta (USA) as a weanling | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“Aren’t they lucky?” he said. “I love those stories. They were brave enough to buy him as a weanling, and good luck to them paying $22,500 because they were well-rewarded today.”
The colt was one of two Menari yearlings to hit the sale ring on Tuesday, and the first of nine total yearlings in the catalogue for the Newgate sire. Following Lot 26, a filly from the Ad Valorem (USA) mare Highly Geared (Lot 111) was passed in just shy of her reserve at $85,000.
Sun shines
Bahen’s second splash on Tuesday came with Lot 76, a grey filly from the first book of Arrowfield freshman The Autumn Sun. Lot 76, bought in partnership with Matt Laurie Racing from the draft of KBL Thoroughbreds, cost $525,000.
This filly is the fourth foal from the Commands mare Girl In Flight, who was a winner of the G3 SAJC Auraria S. in 2014. She was also multiple Group-placed through a useful career and this is the family of European Group 1 winner and now French sire Prince Gibraltar (Fr).
“This was a beautiful filly, a real Classic type,” Bahen said. “She had a very good presence about her, and once again she took the Sale in her stride. I think that matches up pretty well with her pedigree.”
“This (Lot 76) was a beautiful filly, a real Classic type. She had a very good presence about her, and once again she took the Sale in her stride.” - Justin Bahen
The broodmare Girl In Flight had two foals by I Am Invincible earlier in her stud career. One is an unraced 3-year-old and the other is Night Witches, who was a winner. Bahen said he hoped the mare would work better with The Autumn Sun.
“The Vinnie cross doesn’t work with everyone so hopefully she’ll do well with The Autumn Sun,” he said. “You’d have to be thinking this filly will be a 3-year-old, although she might go a fraction earlier than that. But I would think her time will be as a staying filly, and that would be my best guess.”
Day 1 saw plenty of spirited bidding for the first yearlings by The Autumn Sun.
Lot 76 - The Autumn Sun x Girl In Flight (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Lot 76 was second-best in proceedings at $525,000, with Lot 127 doing best so far at $550,000. The latter, a colt from the I Am Invincible mare I Am Zelady, made $550,000 from the draft of Mill Park Stud, sold to Tasman Bloodstock.
All up, The Autumn Sun had nine yearlings sell on Tuesday for an average of $310,000.
“The Autumn Suns did very well at the weanling sales, and they’ve done very well here today,” Bahen said. “I thought this one (Lot 76) was one of the nicer ones, and they’re going to take their time. But my clients are willing to wait. If they’re going to make good racehorses, no one will care about that.”
A good Choice
Whipping in his Day 1 efforts, Bahen went to $700,000 for Lot 117, a colt by Extreme Choice from the Lion Heart (USA) broodmare Hollywood Heart.
This mare is a half-sister to the G3 Ottawa S. winner Setsuna (Choisir) and Listed winner Miss Solis (Oratorio {Ire}), who in turn was the dam of G3 Kindergarten S. winner Paquirri (I Am Invincible).
Extreme Choice, who is the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Sire in Australia, has nine yearlings in the catalogue, four of which sold on Tuesday. While Bahen’s filly topped proceedings, the remaining three sold for $330,000 (Lot 105), $280,000 (Lot 144) and $230,000 (Lot 3).
Lot 117 - Extreme Choice x Hollywood Heart (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“This is a lovely colt,” Bahen said of Lot 117. “I thought he was the sharpest colt in the Sale. He would be the one that I would hope could end up in the 2-year-olds’ race back here next year, and he was bought for that reason.”
Bahen is unclear where the colt will head to in pursuit of next year’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, but it’s early days. What he was sure about was that Lot 117 was going to cost him a bit of money.
“In all honesty, I knew he’d be very popular and I knew that I’d have to pay a good amount of money for him,” Bahen said. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d ended up going for more and I didn’t get him.”
“In all honesty, I knew he (Lot 117) would be very popular and I knew that I’d have to pay a good amount of money for him.” - Justin Bahen
With three on the shopping list for Day 1, the Melbourne-based bloodstock agent, who was in Hong Kong pre-COVID, had strong expectations for the rest of the Sale.
“We’re optimistic for the week because it’s been strong enough on all levels,” Bahen said. “I don’t know what the figures are reading exactly at this point, but it has seemed very strong to me.”
