With Private Eye (Al Maher) continuing to fly the banner and a host of promising gallopers emerging in Hong Kong, the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale continues to live up to its reputation of being a happy hunting ground for astute buyers at a value price.
Just last Monday, Excelleration (Excelebration {Ire}) and The Map (Alpine Eagle) ran 1-2 in the G2 Adelaide Cup. They were purchased for $6000 and $35,000 respectively out of this sale.
A day earlier, Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) ran second to California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400 metres at Sha Tin. His record is now five wins and two placings in nine starts for earnings of HK$8,448,700 (AU$1.644 million). He cost just $50,000 from the Summerset Park Stud draft.
Magic Millions’ South Australian Bloodstock Consultant Adrian Hancock said Galaxy Patch is just one of a long line of very good horses sought for what turns out to be very cheap prices.
“Another one over there at the moment is Wunderbar (Rich Enuff). He’s won four out of five and J-Mac (James McDonald) has ridden him to his last three wins,” he said.
“Then there’s Gorgeous Win (Press Statement), who has won three from five and he cost just $13,000. Son Pak Fu (Fighting Sun) was a $5000 buy in Adelaide and just ran fourth in the Centenary Cup. He’s won more than HK$8.3 million (AU$1.6 million). Back here, Sghirripa (Lonhro) was a $70,000 buy and he’s had a great campaign.
“Throw in Private Eye ($62,500) and the Adelaide Cup quinella and all of them have been purchased for $140,000 or less."
In an announcement last week, prizemoney has also had a current boost with each of the four Group 1 races to be run at Morphettville doubling their winning returns to $1 million.
A partnership between Sportsbet, Racing SA and the South Australian Jockey Club (SAJC) brought about the uplifts with the 2024 editions to be the first of a seven-year partnership.
Proud history in Adelaide
A total of 452 lots have been catalogued in this year's Magic Millions Adelaide Sale, down slightly on the 468 from last year.
The 2023 sale grossed $17,347,000 at an average of $49,563 and a median of $40,000 with an 84 per cent clearance rate. Three colts sold for $200,000 or more, with a Harry Angel (Ire) colt topping the sale at $230,000.
Those figures were down on the huge spike in 2022 (gross $20.9 million at a $58,110 average) but a slight gain on the 2021 sale, which averaged $47,770 off a smaller catalogue.
Yearlings parading at the Morphettville sales complex | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Magic Millions have switched the date of this sale with the Gold Coast March Yearling Sale and in doing so, provided a little more breathing space between Adelaide and the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Hancock is a proud advocate for Adelaide, having been involved with the sale long before Magic Millions became involved. He says it stacks up every single year.
Hancock managed ABCOS, which ran this sale, before going out on his own as a bloodstock agent when Magic Millions took over the sale. He was coaxed back to the fold by former Managing Director Vin Cox and is thrilled with the progression it has made in recent times.
Adrian Hancock | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“It was struggling along a bit, but with Magic Millions’ energy and input we’ve got it back it to being what I think is a very respectable and respected sale,” he said.
“I love (being back). I’m a great believer in South Australia and what it does and I’m very passionate about this sale.
“I’m a great believer in South Australia and what it does and I’m very passionate about this (Adelaide Yearling) sale.” - Adrian Hancock
“People love coming here. The amenities are first class, they were built by the breeders. This is the 45th yearling sale (at this complex). It just works.
“The auditorium is first class, it’s 15 minutes to the beach, 15 minutes to the airport. It’s a user friendly sale that gets results. We call it ‘affordable Adelaide.’
“It’s (Adelaide Yearling Sale) a user friendly sale that gets results. We call it ‘affordable Adelaide.’” - Adrian Hancock
“We just try to get types. We don’t have the opportunity to get the big pedigrees, so we have to get the types who will be racehorses. That’s what you strive for. You want to see people get results.”
Stallion strength
Hancock suggests this is the strongest stallion strength the Magic Millions Adelaide catalogue has had for a long time. Every active Australian-based stallion in the Top 17 of the Australian General Sires’ Premiership is represented at this sale.
There’s also progeny of 22 first season stallions.
“The catalogue looks much better on paper. That’s just the evolution of the industry. If you don’t have pedigrees that are current you don’t get the support of the buying bench,” Hancock said.
Gallery: Some of the popular stallions represented in the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale catalogue
“They need something fresh, new and active. We have a far better catalogue. You get a feel for that because it seems every day we get the updates, there’s something happening in the pedigrees.
“There’s upside to our market. The local breeders support us with their nice horses and there’s a lot more interstate participation now too. We have yearlings from every state of Australia except Western Australia.
“We could have catalogued 500 if we wanted to, easily, but we drew the line in this market to keep the numbers at a manageable level. We’re happy with where we’re at.”
Optimism on the local front
Previous sales this year have shown the market is slowing and Magic Millions are well aware of the current climate, particularly with horses at the lower end of the price spectrum, but they’re cautiously optimistic given the faces they have seen at inspections this week.
“People like Paul Maroney, who said he hasn’t been here for 25 years and Paul O’Sullivan, here for the first time ever and looking at every horse,” Hancock noted.
“There’s a lot of pinhookers here from New Zealand and around Australia. They know they can buy a horse for around the average and get a really good result out of it.
Paul Moroney inspecting yearlings at the Morphettville sales complex | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“I also have to give a shout out to the locals here. The locals are great for this sale. They really stump up.
“They spend in the vicinity of $4 million to $4.5 million out of our $15-20 million yearling sale.
“Prizemoney here is improving and things are happening, but for the money we are racing for, they really have a crack. I admire them for it, but they also get success out of it.
“Racing Rewards have been increased by 10 per cent and hopefully there will be more announcements this week. Things are positive here – the Racing SA board is really doing a good job and getting the maximum out of prizemoney we can and making it viable to race here.”
