Magic Millions: Redoute's Choice Son Caps Record Book 1

An AU$900,000 Redoute's Choice colt capped a record-breaking Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Jan. 11, continuing a stunning period of growth for the Queensland-based auction house.

The Arrowfield Stud-bred and -sold colt by the farm's late, great stallion helped push the Book 1 sale to a new benchmark by aggregate, which surpassed AU$177 million (US$121 million) at an average of AU$250,221 ($171,857) and a median of AU$180,000 ($123,641). 

In total, there were 10 million-dollar yearlings sold, headed by a Deep Impact colt who fetched AU$1.9 million ($1,304,582) on Thursday.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch admitted he could not have predicted the intense appetite expressed by a global buying bench competing on the Gold Coast this week. 

"I've mentioned depth a lot this week, but there was depth, diversity, and strength at all levels of the market," he said. 

"The middle market, especially, to retain an almost 88% clearance, it's just a fantastic result. 

"For the first time ever to have a AU$250,000 average at this sale, given the sale has 888 lots in it, it's an awesome result."

While this week's sale set a new record, the auction also helped raise AU$1.1 million for the bushfire relief appeal, with breeders, owners, and vendors all stepping in.

Bowditch added: "The industry digs deep in times of need, and it's humbling to see the amount of money that has been raised this week. It's been a big week for Magic Millions, and that's one of the most pleasing parts of it."

Saturday night's sales-ring action was led by Aquis Farm, which bought the session's top lot at AU$900,000 after chiming in for the first time when bidding reached AU$775,000.

The colt is a brother to the promising stakes-placed Hawkes Racing-trained 3-year-old Spring Loaded and a three-quarter brother to listed winner Traces.

He is the fourth foal out of the unraced mare Traceability, herself a three-quarter sister to Assail and a half sister to group 1-winning sire Master Of Design and South African grade 1 winner Suntagonal. The family also features Australian Horse Of The Year Typhoon Tracy.

Traceability's third foal, a brother to Saturday night's session-stealer, was bought by Orbis Bloodstock for AU$1.3 million ($925,990). Named Contingency Plan, he was spelled after finishing third in a Rosehill barrier trial Dec. 30 for Hawkes Racing.

"We thought he was one of the picks of the sale, obviously, and he is by an elite sire who is also a sire of sires," Aquis Farm's Shane McGrath said. "There are not too many more opportunities to purchase a colt with his credentials.

"He is out of a Charge Forward mare who is out of a Last Tycoon mare, so he has got a huge family with a stallion's pedigree."

The colt will return to Aquis Farm's Canungra stud in the Gold Coast hinterland before a decision is made on who will train him.

The addition of the colt to Aquis' large racing team also topped a good day for the farm's founder, Tony Fung.

"Mr. Fung was delighted with how things went for us today, and, obviously, Mrs. Fung winning the Magic Millions (with Away Game) really topped the day off," McGrath said.

"Our new model goes a bit more to our own internal system and then working out where they need to go and who comes into them.

"We love racing horses with partners, and he is one that we will put some into once we get home and assess where we are at with him."

McGrath would have been prepared to keep bidding if required to land the colt.

"When we were going through the catalog, I always thought yesterday was the strongest day, and I felt personally that it played out that way," he said. "But when they are making that sort of money, you just need one other person to take you on, and they can race through to a million and a half.

"I thought on today's market, even though it is a massive price to pay for any animal, he was fair value on the market."

Tai Tai Tess Hits Sales Ring Target Again With 'Vinnie' Colt

The second-highest-priced lot sold at Saturday night's session, which was put back 30 minutes to allow for the last race of the Magic Millions race day to be run in fading light across the road, will join his 2-year-old brother in the stable of Chris Waller.

Waller's agent, Guy Mulcaster, went to AU$825,000 ($569,215) for the Yarraman Park Stud-consigned I Am Invincible colt out of the listed winner Tai Tai Tess. The grand-producing mare has now had four yearlings sell at auction for a combined AU$4.31 million.

"The mare Tai Tai Tess has been very good to us," Yarraman Park Stud's Arthur Mitchell said. 

"She's been remarkable. She's got a filly by I Am Invincible on the ground. She just constantly delivers. This colt was very nice, so he was deserving of that price tag." 

Hawkes Team Leads Buying Bench

Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes signaled their intent to remain as a big player at the top end of the industry after coming away as the leading buyer by aggregate on the Gold Coast, purchasing 17 yearlings for a total of AU$7,465,000.

Rival training partnership Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott led the way by numbers, purchasing 25 yearlings for AU$6,605,000, and Arrowfield Stud and Yarraman Park Stud led the vendors' table.

Arrowfield Stud sold 54 lots for AU$15.96 million at an average of AU$295,463. Yarraman Park Stud averaged AU$491,429. 

Mitchell could not fault the sale, with the Hunter Valley-based stud selling all 28 yearlings offered in Book 1.

"This sale has been outstanding across the board," he said. "It's been a great sale."

"There were four or five big buyers missing, but it's amazing how quickly the cracks fill. 

"Coolmore stepped up a bit and so did the Hawkes, as well as Marie Yoshida. Magics got everyone that they could have got, and I don't think anyone could whinge. 

"If you had a nice horse, it sold well. There shouldn't be many complaints from vendors." 

On the sire front, I Am Invincible was favored most by buyers, with 42 yearlings selling for an average of AU$482,024. He was followed by reigning champion sire Snitzel. 

Capitalist was the leading first-season sire by aggregate with 33 yearlings changing hands for AU$7.85 million. U.S. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  averaged AU$350,000.