Demand Continues on Record-Breaking Day in Perth

A colt by Playing God  put a late West Australian stamp on Book 1 of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale as the nation's rampant yearling boom continued unabated Feb. 22, snatching top billing as the fifth-last lot of the day for a record AU$330,000 (US$237,650).

In a session otherwise dominated by eastern-state sires—a Russian Revolution filly and a So You Think  colt long-held the peak price at AU$320,000 ($230,449)—Willaview Park's Lot 174 fell after a spirited bidding duel to bloodstock agent John Chalmers, who declined to reveal his successful client.

Shortly after, Perth trainer Adam Durrant ensured four youngsters reached the AU$300,000 ($216,046) threshold when he went to that figure for the second time in the session, buying the day's penultimate lot—a colt by another Hunter Valley stallion in Deep Field.

Only one yearling surpassed AU$220,000 at the corresponding sale last year, an AU$325,000 Russian Revolution colt who held the WA sales record until Tuesday's red-hot trading session.

Following similar dizzying jumps in eastern sales this year, the average price leapt by almost a third on last year's figure, rising from AU$68,546 to AU$90,777 ($65,373). The median sprung from AU$51,250 to AU$70,000 ($50,410), with 141 lots grossing AU$12.8 million ($9,217,950)—up from AU$8.9 million last year—albeit at a slightly lower clearance rate of 85.5%, compared with 86.6%.

Magic Millions' Perth manager David Houston described it as "a super day."

"It was unbelievable really. The locals really stumped up today and bought some lovely horses. It's great for Western Australia that's for sure," he told ANZ Bloodstock News, adding locals had more than held their own amid a diverse buying bench.

"We did have some competition from the east but they got blown away by the locals, which is sensational for us really. To have the average up by AU$23,000, in a little place like this, it's amazing."

Playing God, Darling View Stud's AU$16,500 stallion who won Ascot's Kingston Town Classic (G1) in 2010 and 2011 and was placed in four Melbourne group 1s, had a previous top lot of AU$200,000 for a filly sold at this sale 12 months ago. 

That personal best for the sire—best known for another Kingston Town Classic winner in his daughter Kay Cee—was smashed Tuesday when his impressive brown son out of Burswood Entertainment Complex Western Australia Oaks (G3) winner Moodometer struck a day-one blow for local stallions, with Chalmers winning a tense bidding battle.

"I didn't think he would make that much," Chalmers said. "My client, who I had on the phone, put a limit on him, and we finished up extending that limit, but he's the horse he wanted and I'm sure he'll be happy with it.

"He's a big, long, scopey, staying-type colt. His mother won an Oaks, so there's every chance this horse is going to get ground, and he's got a full sister who's already got black type (listed-placed Mood Goddess), so we know the cross is working."

Willaview Park's Clare Williamson said the colt had shattered the farm's expectations, emerging as a star lot on arrival at Swan Valley.

"To be honest he was not the pick of the draft until we came up here. But you bring him out of the box and he's just got a presence about him," Williamson said. 

"You could see people were wowed by him. He's had people come back four or five times. We knew he'd make in excess of AU$100,000 but nowhere near AU$330,000."

Durrant was the day's top buyer with 12 lots at a gross of AU$1.52 million ($1,094,630), ahead of rival trainer Simon Miller, who took home 12 lots for AU$1.22 million ($878,586).

Western Breeders Alliance was top vendor with 13 lots sold for AU$1.22 million at an average of AU$93,846 ($67,583), slightly ahead of Yarradale Stud (12 lots for AU$1.14 million/$820,974) and Amelia Park (six lots for AU$1.12 million/$806,571).

So You Think topped the sires' averages for more than three lots sold, with four yearlings selling for an average of AU$175,000 ($126,027). Magnus  averaged AU$155,000 ($111,624) through three lots, Toronado  AU$126,250 ($90,919) through four, while Playing God averaged AU$118,846 ($85,587) through 13.

The day's equal-second price was found early in Lot 29, with AU$320,000 reached for the Russian Revolution filly offered by WA powerhouse Amelia Park, bought by Mark Pilkington in conjunction with his Seymour Bloodstock partner Darren Thomas. The eastbound filly is the first foal of Breast Cancer Care W.A. Champion Fillies Stakes (G3) winner and Ascend Sales Trophies Sunline Stakes (G2) placed mare Samovare (AUS).

"She was well recommended by many at the sale as a scopey filly that should love a mile at three," Pilkington told ANZ Bloodstock News. 

"She's from a high-class race mare we tried to buy prior to her winning the Champion Fillies Stakes at three. And Russian Revolution has sired a couple of high-class fillies in recent times. He looks the goods."

Pilkington said a trainer would be found once the ownership group was settled.

"She's a BOBS filly, which probably explains the number of Sydney-based trainers who have rung to put their hat into the ring," Pilkington said.

Amelia Park manager Sarah Brown said the farm was delighted with the price.

"We're stoked, especially considering it's hard to sell big-priced lots in the Perth market and there's not eastern states traffic over here," she said.

Adam Durrant matched that price by buying Lot 86, Lynward Park Stud's So You Think colt out of Black In Time , a multiple city-winner up to 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) and a sister to WA stakes winners Impact Rating and Full Reign.

The colorful Durrant revealed "the best colt in the sale" was bought for a syndicate involving some enthusiastic newcomers.

"There are some new guys involved and they weren't really going to let him go," he said. 

"If I was buying him on spec I probably would've pulled out a bit earlier. But the boys were pretty keen to get him. Lucky he was about Lot 100, they'd had a few beers, and they weren't pulling up.

"He's a great cut of an animal. Even though he's a So You Think, I don't think he's going to run far. I think 1,400 meters will see him out possibly. He'll be on the sprinting side like his mum."

Durrant also struck late by buying Lot 177, a colt by Deep Field out of Melbourne city-winning Lonhro mare Ms Mazetti, the dam of three winners from three runners.

"He was a standout. Worth every bit of it," Durrant said. "He's an athlete, a proper horse, and fingers crossed he's got a heart inside."

Dan Love's Mega Holdings paid the fifth-highest price of AU$270,000 ($194,441) for the only lot by first-season sire Trapeze Artist, a colt (Lot 154) offered by Dorrington Farm's Rob Crabtree through the Willow Dale Farm draft. He is the first foal out of the grade 3-winning Perth sprinter Kiss Bang Love.

Simon Miller paid AU$250,000 ($180,038) for a filly (Lot 76) by Nicconi  out of Amelia's Love, herself the daughter of Blue Diamond Prelude (G3) heroine Card Queen, and said he'd been fortunate to follow the yearling's progress through his frequent visits to Amelia Park for spelling and pre-training purposes.

"When she was a weanling I loved her, and I've just watched her evolve along the way and she's furnished into what I thought she'd be," Miller said. 

"She's probably more of a 3-year-old, a lot of stretch and scope, but she's got all the right things Nicconi does. They're strong and they're athletic."

Trainer Vern Brockman went to AU$230,000 ($165,635) to secure Amelia Park's filly (Lot 125) by surging sire Toronado out of the stakes-placed three-time winner Europa Point, who is from the same family as Fangirl and Special Harmony.

That figure was matched by a Magnus filly (Lot 135) out of city winner Fromm, the dam of dual Perth group 3 winner Battle Hero, who was bought by Bavcon PL from the Scenic Lodge draft. 

West Australian Hall of Fame trainer Neville Parnham kicked the sale off with a bang, going to AU$200,000 ($144,031) to snare Lot 2, a daughter of So You Think offered by Yarradale Stud. She is the second foal of Nordic Gem, whose dam Rose of Dane  was a stakes winner in Melbourne as well as being group 1-placed in Perth.