Foote Gets Written By Colt Amid Rivals at Adelaide Sale

An AU$220,000 (US$146,626, AU$1=US$0.6664) colt (Lot 360) by Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) winner Written By had the honor of being the highest-priced horse sold in the second and final session of the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.

The second-crop colt by the Widden Stud stallion, who is by the same sire as group 3 winner The Novelist and the stakes-performed Gangitano and Scorsese, was only bettered by a son (Lot 152) of Harry Angel  who sold for AU$230,000 on Day 1. A Capitalist colt (Lot 87) also made AU$220,000 on Day 1.

In total, there were 17 six-figure horses sold across the two days of the Adelaide sale.

Overall, there were 339 horses sold for a gross of AU$16.8 million ($11,197,066), with the average sale price being AU$49,599 ($33,057) and the median AU$40,000 ($26,659). The clearance rate was 82%.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch was satisfied with the results at the sale, notwithstanding the fact that trade was down year-on-year, and he commended the industry's state body for its efforts in improving the local product.

"Take last year's sale out of the equation, which was an unbelievable sale and up some AU$5 million on the year before, this is as good a sale as we've had in Adelaide," Bowditch said. 

"The South Australian (vendors) who leave their best horses here in the state have been very well rewarded and it's fantastic to see.

"Racing SA is doing its best to improve the Racing Rewards incentive scheme and to get Adelaide racing humming and we're going to support them as well.

"So, I am just pleased this has gone off really smoothly."

Meanwhile, the buyer of Wednesday's highest-priced yearling, John Foote, had to wait until the second day to buy a colt for Hong Kong clients at the Adelaide sale, and he left it to Maree McEwan to handle the bidding.

The agent, who went straight from the Inglis Premier sale to Adelaide to undertake inspections, headed home to Queensland before turning his attention to next week's QTIS March Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.

"There were a lot of good judges on him and that bodes well in that he ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people," McEwan said. 

"He was a horse with good size and good substance, so we were happy to get him. We've bid a number of horses and this is the only one we've got so far, so we're happy to be on the buyers' sheet."

Consigned by South Australian nursery Kambula Stud for northern New South Wales client Ian Wunsch of Taj Farm, the colt is the third foal out of the stakes-placed mare Sudden Wealth, herself a half sister to the stakes-placed Madibagold  and Geblitzt.

The latter is the dam of Melbourne Cup (G1) winner Vow And Declare and another stakes-winning stayer Lycurgus.

"(Foote) is an amazing man, he's been around for a long time, and I thought I had the horse for John," Kambula's David Toole said. "I remember seeing John here a couple of days ago and he gave me a bit of a wink and I knew he was going to be on him, but to what level I didn't know and that's the hard thing."

A reserve of AU$120,000 was placed on the colt, but he zoomed past that figure.

"I thought we could get AU$160,000 to AU$180,000, so to get the AU$220,000 was just absolutely sensational," Toole said.

Kambula sold 11 yearlings for a gross of AU$703,000 at the Adelaide sale, but so far, Toole has retained a Blue Point  half brother (Lot 279) to the stakes-placed sprinter Yulong Command after was passed in Wednesday. 

The colt has a reserve of AU$250,000 placed on him.

"We had 13 x-ray hits and he's the nicest horse I've ever taken to a sale and yet there was no one home (on him)," Toole said.

"I have some good interest in him now and I am sure over the next month or so he'll change hands."

South Australian businessman Rob Chapman bought eight yearlings in conjunction with agent Suman Hedge and trainers Will Clarken, Travis Doudle, and Richard and Chantelle Jolly; delivering on his pledge to support the local racing industry.

Tartan Meadow Bloodstock's Paul Chow bought seven yearlings across the two days, as did Brentknoll's Tim Lillie, while Moorillah Pastoral's Tal Nolen, a trader in 2-year-olds, signed for six yearlings, and Ben Kwan's City Gold Bloodstock also took home six yearlings.

"I think the participation from a lot of buyers from Asia and Western Australia was great and most areas we marketed the sale to, have come and supported the sale," Bowditch said.

"It's always a great trade market sale and I think you'll see plenty of these horses at our Ready to Run Sale later in the year. Whether you're a vendor or a buyer, Adelaide is a fun place to come. It has a good fun vibe about it. It's an easy sale to work and anyone who comes here, comes back, and anyone who hasn't been, should be coming to Adelaide."

One region whose participation was down was Victoria, although that was not unexpected with the level of demand for horses from syndicators and owners declining year-on-year as the public deals with rising living costs and the impact of increasing interest rates.

Last year, Victorians bought 130 horses at the Adelaide sale while South Australians bought 116, but the cross-border buyers were not as active this year, purchasing 104 yearlings while locals also signed for 118.

Magic Millions will conduct the March Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast next Monday and Tuesday.