Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
At A Glance
The sale closed on Tuesday night with 306 sold for $15,379,500 compared to last year’s 350 sold for $17,347,000. There were slightly fewer (452 to 468) lots catalogued this year.
The average was at $50,260 on Tuesday night, which is slightly up on last year’s $49,563 and the median of $40,000 was the same mark as 12 months ago.
The clearance rate was sitting at 79.07 per cent, with some sales still coming in. Last year produced a final clearance of 84 per cent.
The day’s top seller was $360,000 for Rushton Park’s Extreme Choice x Tiara Star (Congrats {USA}) colt, making it the second highest lot overall, leaving Monday’s I Am Invincible filly at the top of the sale for $400,000.
Four lots sold for $250,000 or higher after the highest price last year was $230,000.
The buying bench was evenly spread. Kennewell Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA)/Ridgeport Holdings topped the list with their lone purchase of the sale-topping filly. John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) was second after purchasing four lots for $365,000.
Rushton Park had two of the top three lots sold across the two days, helping them to the top of the vendors by average list. Rushton was second to only Baramul Stud for vendors by gross.
Justify (USA) was the leading sire by gross, with three sold for $700,000. His average of $233,333 was also first for a sire by average (2 or more sold). I Am Invincible and Extreme Choice provided the two top lots of the sale, with just one yearling catalogued each.
Bowditch praises vendors
As Day two of the 2024 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale drew to a close, officials heaped praise on vendors for meeting, while some recorded better than expected returns on some of their top lots.
The gross moved well past $15 million on Tuesday night as the clearance rate edged closer to the 80 per cent mark, with an average slightly higher than the figure recorded here 12 months ago.
“Overall, we’re very happy,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“I think we will be down a touch on last year, but given the market in recent times we always knew the lower to middle end was going to be difficult.
“Going into the sale we had a really good vibe here, we had a lot of people here, the quality of horse we had on offer was as good as it’s been here in recent years and that helped us provide a healthy market in most cases for our vendors.”
“Going into the sale we had a really good vibe here, we had a lot of people here, the quality of horse we had on offer was as good as it’s been here in recent years and that helped us provide a healthy market in most cases for our vendors.” - Barry Bowditch
Bowditch noted the return of buyers that hadn’t been seen for some time, or hadn’t been to Adelaide previously, was a sign of how results from this sale are resonating strongly.
“Laurel Oak, a few of the Hong Kong guys like Pierre Ng with Shane McGrath, Brad Widdup hasn’t spent a lot of time here, obviously Paul Moroney … it’s good to see those guys here and Bon Ho bought a colt for $150,000,” Bowditch said.
“It’s good to see buyers that we don’t always see on the list here in Adelaide. I think there’s good reason behind that due to the fact we had a stronger catalogue and good physicals here.”
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Like many sales this year, it was a slow burn early on Day 1, before buyers and vendors struck a happy medium and more horses started to move.
“I think the vendors have been seasoned this year to meet the market,” Bowditch said. “Kudos to them. To clear what will be close to 80 per cent by the time we close off is a strong result in the current times we’re in and definitely in line, if not fractionally better than the expectations we had going into it.
“Fair play to the vendors for getting in and meeting the market and doing their best to get their horses sold.”
Tuesday’s session was topped by an Extreme Choice colt offered by Rushton Park after Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s Louis Mihalyka returned to Adelaide on a successful fly-in fly-out mission.
Lot 262 - Extreme Choice x Tiara Star (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Mihalyka did not attend Monday’s opening session, but found a couple he “fancied” in the second session and landed the one he wanted most after flying into Adelaide on Monday night.
This colt is from the Congrats (USA) mare Tiara Star, a winner in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland of six races up to 1200 metres.
The colt will go to the Hayes brothers in Victoria after they had earlier indicated to Mihalyka their liking for the horse as well.
This colt was one of four horses to make $250,000 or more across the two days, comfortably bettering the top of the market from last year, where the highest price paid was $230,000 for a Harry Angel (Ire) colt.
Holiday time for the Johnsons
A session-topping colt and another $160,000 yearling capped an extremely successful farewell from the sale ring – in the short term at least – for Dave and Kayley Johnson under their Rushton Park banner.
Rushton finished the sale as clearly the leading vendor by average, selling nine at $111,889, including two of the three top lots and three of the top 12.
Their $1,007,000 gross was just shy of Baramul Stud (21 sold for $1,234,000) for leading vendor by gross.
The Johnsons are now planning an extended caravanning vacation, having sold their Victorian farm last year.
Lot 327 - Star Turn x Aroha Cat (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The farm settles in April,” Dave Johnson explained. “We sold the business, the farm, the whole box and dice. The new people take over in April. So this is our last yearling sale as Rushton Park.
“We’ve bought a caravan and are going to go around Australia for a couple of years and have a good holiday, re-charge the batteries.
“Most people in the business know it’s all encompassing, seven days a week. We just need a bit of fire in the belly again. It’s a sabbatical. We’re keeping a few mares and will have a few horses spread around next year.”
“Most people in the business know it’s all encompassing, seven days a week. We just need a bit of fire in the belly again. It’s a sabbatical. We’re keeping a few mares and will have a few horses spread around next year.” - Dave Johnson
The Rushton name will be kept by the new owners and some existing clients will continue with their horses on the property.
“We wish them all the best. We’ve had the farm 17 years and we just want to step back,” Johnson said.
“We just want a holiday. Unfortunately when you’ve got 300 acres of country and all the headaches that go with it, it’s very hard to get away for any length of time.
“We’re certainly not lost to the industry, but it’s the seven day a week grind on the farm and we just want a little break from that for a while.”
Star Turn for final draft
The Johnsons step away on an absolute high after their top lots sold above expectations in Adelaide.
They prepared Tuesday’s session topping Extreme Choice colt, which followed Monday’s second highest priced lot, a colt by Justify (USA) to Anthony Freedman Racing and Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $300,000.
To put the success of that result into perspective, last year’s Adelaide sale did not have a single horse make $300,000 and Rushton sold two of the three to top that mark in 2024.
Lot 210 - Justify (USA) x Shop Til I Drop (NZ) (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
On Tuesday, Rushton also sold a Star Turn x Aroha Cat (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) colt to John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) for $160,000 to give the farm three of the top 12 lots across the two days.
“We’re absolutely over the moon,” Johnson said. “The nice horses made their money and then some and we’ve been able to find homes for pretty much everything else.
“The lower end was hard work, but the really nice horses were very well paid for.
“I thought the Justify could make $200,000 or a little bit more. To get $300,000 was a great result. The Extreme Choice, putting him on the truck on Thursday, we were thinking $250,000, so to get $360,000 is a great result.
“I thought the Justify could make $200,000 or a little bit more. To get $300,000 was a great result. The Extreme Choice, putting him on the truck on Thursday, we were thinking $250,000, so to get $360,000 is a great result.” - Dave Johnson
“The Star Turn, he had a $40,000 reserve on him. We thought he might make $60,000 to $80,000 and we got $160,000, so that’s one we hit right out of the park.”
Emerging cross excites buyer of Justify colt
There was joy on both sides of the sale ledger when Bowness Stud’s Justify (USA) x Full Of Beans (Smart Missile) colt was knocked down to Bennett Racing Pty Ltd and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $250,000 late on Tuesday.
The sale price made him the second highest priced lot of the day and fourth highest for the two day sale.
Bowness Stud’s James Daly said it was the highlight of a solid sale for the farm, which had nine sell at an average of $76,944, to leave them fourth on the overall vendor (by gross) list.
Lot 437 - Justify (USA) x Full of Beans (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’ve had a great sale. The nice horses have sold well and we’re very happy overall,” Daly said.
“We were very happy with the price (for the Justify colt). We thought it was a solid price for him.”
This colt’s dam Full Of Beans is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Spill The Beans (Snitzel) and to Maher’s dual Group 1 winner Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt).
“He’s a quality athlete. He had every attribute to say that he will be a nice colt in the future,” Bennett Racing’s Nathan Bennett said. “He’s still pretty raw and has a lot of scope about him so he fit the bill pretty well for us. Great attitude as well.
“He’s (Lot 437) a quality athlete. He had every attribute to say that he will be a nice colt in the future... he’s still pretty raw and has a lot of scope about him so he fit the bill pretty well for us. Great attitude as well.” - Nathan Bennett
“When he was in the pre-parade ring, he just presented himself so well and every time he came out he presented himself well.”
The colt is bred on the same Justify over Fastnet Rock line mare as Golden Slipper favourite Storm Boy, which Bennett noted was another attribute they warmed to.
“He’s bred on a good farm and obviously a fantastic cross with the Justify's over the Fastnet line through the roof.” he said.
Nathan Bennett | Image courtesy of Bennett Racing
“He ticked every box. We thought we might have to go a bit harder, we thought we got him at great value. We’re really excited about the colt.
“Ciaron knows the family well, they had Kenedna and a fair bit of success there. He’s got the pedigree he’s got the looks and he’s also got the attitude as well.”
Bennett Racing previously had success buying out of Adelaide, with Group 3 winner She Shao Fly (Epaulette) being a $67,500 buy there.
We had our first stakes winner out of Adelaide. Hopefully this is our second stakes winner out of Adelaide,” Bennett said.
Discreet family a strong Force for Stokes
Phillip Stokes Racing and Connolly Bloodstock combined to secure Lot 290, a Cosmic Force x Why Be Discreet (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) filly from the draft of The Chase for $190,000.
The filly is from the prolific “Discreet” family, which Stokes has had so much success with previously.
She is from the second crop of Newgate Farm sire Cosmic Force, who this week five years ago was sent out favourite in the G1 Golden Slipper.
Lot 290 - Cosmic Force x Why Be Discreet (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
One of Cosmic Force’s most promising runners to this point is the Stokes-trained Stay Focused.
Rick Connolly said he and Stokes made a deliberate play for this filly on that basis and their interest was only heightened after inspecting her on the sale grounds.
“We identified her straight away as really sensible and she was bomb proof,” Connolly said.
“She (Lot 290) walked with purpose, had a good eye, had a lovely walk, good demeanour and presence about her.
“She walked with purpose, had a good eye, had a lovely walk, good demeanour and presence about her.” - Rick Connolly
“Phillip has trained a lot of that family and being by Cosmic Force with the Stay Focused link, it was the perfect type for us.”
Stokes trained this filly’s dam in the early part of her career, but the most notable family member he put the polish on was the Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Maybe Discreet (Shamardal {USA}). Stokes also trained the Group 2 Manifold Stakes winner Serenely Discreet (Exceed And Excel).
This filly’s second dam is the Group 3 winner She’s Discreet (Euclase) and the family also includes other stakes winners like Be Discreet (Snitzel), Gilded Angel (Made Of Gold {USA}), Forever Discreet (Bernardini {USA}), Very Discreet (Exceed And Excel) and I’m Discreet (Elusive Quality {USA}).
Rick Connolly with Antony Thompson
Connolly noted he and Stokes had been underbidder on the sale topping I Am Invincible filly from Day 1, but their main focus had been to secure this one by Cosmic Force, who has been bought for stable supporters Neil and Sue Dunn.
Colt is worth a little Xtra
Newhaven Park’s Tommy Kelly and client Brad Smith were celebrating on Tuesday after their Xtravagant (NZ) colt sold for four times their original expectations at $170,000.
The colt, from the Written Tycoon mare Written With Ease (Written Tycoon), was knocked down to Williams Racing WA and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA).
Newhaven Park’s Tommy Kelly said when they left the farm last week to head down to Adelaide, the expectations for this colt - owned in partnership between Smith and Newhaven - were nothing like the price he ended up making.
Lot 299 - Xtravagant (NZ) x Written With Ease (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“It was a massive thrill to sell a horse like that, especially our resident stallion Xtravagant, who has done a great job,” Kelly said.
“To do that for a client, everyone gets a great thrill out of it, so it’s very exciting.”
Kelly said he wasn’t with Smith at the time the hammer fell as he was at the back of the auctioneer’s box, but he was greeted by a very happy breeder when they did re-unite in the minutes after the hammer fell.
“I don’t think he could say anything – the mouth was open but nothing could come out!” he said.
“I don’t think he (Brad Smith) could say anything – the mouth was open but nothing could come out!” - Tommy Kelly
“When we left home we were hopeful he would make between $40,000 and $50,000. When we got here he was very well inspected and were hopeful he would make more than that, but we didn’t think anything like that.”
Grant and Alana Williams have previously had success with Xtravagant’s (NZ) six-times winning son Pompey, who has been dual stakes placed over in the west. The Williamses also trained Devoted in the early part of his career.
“He will go to WA and we’re so excited. Grant has had success with some Xtravagants and we’re so pleased he’s going to such a good trainer over there,” Kelly said.
Grant and Alana Williams | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Newhaven also had another of their draft make $170,000 on Monday, when the Toronado (Ire) x She Chose Me (Foxwedge) colt was knocked down to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA).
“That was for another client and they were very happy with that,” Kelly said. “It’s been a great sale. It was a little bit tough early, but we’ve pretty much sold everything and we’ve got one to go.”
Newhaven sold eight of the nine yearlings they offered for a total of $596,000.
Top buyers
| Kennewell Racing/Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA)/ Ridgeport Holdings | 1 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 4 | $91,250 | $160,000 | $365,000 |
| Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA) | 1 | $360,000 | $360,000 | $360,000 |
| Shane McGrath | 3 | $113,333 | $225,000 | $340,000 |
| John O'Neill/Punt Road Racing/Michael Hickmott | 2 | $165,000 | $180,000 | $330,000 |
| Williams Racing WA/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) | 5 | $64,900 | $170,000 | $324,500 |
| Anthony Freedman Racing Pty Ltd/Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | 1 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| Macdonald Gluyas Racing | 3 | $98,667 | $130,000 | $296,000 |
| Clarken Bloodstock/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Rob Chapman | 4 | $71,250 | $90,000 | $285,000 |
| Strike Thoroughbreds | 4 | $66,250 | $100,000 | $265,000 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Baramul Stud, Widden Valley, NSW | 21 | $58,762 | $400,000 | $1,234,000 |
| Rushton Park, Tatura, Vic | 9 | $111,889 | $360,000 | $1,007,000 |
| Mill Park Stud, Meningie, SA | 14 | $71,393 | $180,000 | $999,500 |
| Bowness Stud, Young, NSW | 9 | $76,944 | $250,000 | $692,500 |
| Caithness Breeding, Crowther, NSW | 10 | $66,500 | $150,000 | $665,000 |
| Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds, Meroo Meadow, NSW | 10 | $66,500 | $110,000 | $665,000 |
| Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | 19 | $34,789 | $100,000 | $661,000 |
| Cornerstone Stud, Angaston, SA | 15 | $43,033 | $200,000 | $645,500 |
| Newhaven Park, Boorowa, NSW | 8 | $74,500 | $170,000 | $596,000 |
| Rathmore Lodge, Rockleigh, SA | 14 | $41,714 | $85,000 | $584,000 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Rushton Park, Tatura, Vic | 9 | $111,889 | $360,000 | $1,007,000 |
| Balcrest Stud, Balhannah, SA | 3 | $84,000 | $225,000 | $252,000 |
| The Chase, Sutton Forest, NSW | 7 | $78,571 | $190,000 | $550,000 |
| Bowness Stud, Young, NSW | 9 | $76,944 | $250,000 | $692,500 |
| Newhaven Park, Boorowa, NSW | 8 | $74,500 | $170,000 | $596,000 |
| Mill Park Stud, Meningie, SA | 14 | $71,393 | $180,000 | $999,500 |
| Armidale Stud, Carrick, Tas | 4 | $71,250 | $120,000 | $285,000 |
| Caithness Breeding, Crowther, NSW | 10 | $66,500 | $150,000 | $665,000 |
| Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds, Meroo Meadow, NSW | 10 | $66,500 | $110,000 | $665,000 |
| JJJ Thoroughbreds, Cloyna, Qld | 3 | $65,667 | $150,000 | $197,000 |
Sires by aggregate
| Justify | 3 | $233,333 | $300,000 | $700,000 |
| Alabama Express | 15 | $46,067 | $100,000 | $691,000 |
| Toronado | 5 | $115,000 | $225,000 | $575,000 |
| Star Turn | 8 | $64,125 | $160,000 | $513,000 |
| Russian Camelot | 5 | $86,000 | $180,000 | $430,000 |
| Cosmic Force | 6 | $71,500 | $190,000 | $429,000 |
| Hanseatic | 9 | $46,444 | $110,000 | $418,000 |
| Shamus Award | 9 | $45,389 | $62,500 | $408,500 |
| I Am Invincible | 1 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 1 | $360,000 | $360,000 | $360,000 |
Sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Justify | 3 | $233,333 | $300,000 | $700,000 |
| Toronado | 5 | $115,000 | $225,000 | $575,000 |
| The Autumn Sun | 3 | $101,667 | $200,000 | $305,000 |
| Russian Camelot | 5 | $86,000 | $180,000 | $430,000 |
| Xtravagant | 3 | $83,333 | $170,000 | $250,000 |
| Tassort | 4 | $77,500 | $110,000 | $310,000 |
| Churchill | 3 | $75,000 | $130,000 | $225,000 |
| Cosmic Force | 6 | $71,500 | $190,000 | $429,000 |
| Farnan | 5 | $71,000 | $120,000 | $355,000 |
| Yes Yes Yes | 3 | $66,667 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
