Fastnet Rock Colt Tops Day 1 of Magic Millions

A Queensland-bred colt by Fastnet Rock (AUS) sold for AU$1 million (US$782,100) to top the Jan. 10 opening day of the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale.

Presented by the Hutchins family's Element Hill late in the day, the colt out of stakes winner Risk Aversion (AUS) attracted strong interest from prospective buyers before selling to Tom Magnier in partnership with trainer John O'Shea.

"It's all about the type," O'Shea said. "This colt is a real athlete and that's why I was drawn to him. For me he is a great horse by a champion sire in Fastnet and it's exciting to have him.

"It's outstanding to have a horse in partnership with Coolmore, and congratulations to the Hutchins family for breeding him. It's great for a group of my clients who have taken a share in the horse."

Cataloged as Lot 239 the bay or brown colt is the second foal of the Encosta de Lago (AUS) mare Risk Aversion, a winner of five races including the listed Akalan Projects Juanmo Stakes in Brisbane.

Earlier in the day Lot 52, Arrowfield Stud's Snitzel (AUS)—Madame Andree (AUS) colt starred when he sold to Sydney-based bloodstock agent James Harron for AU$900,000 ($704,250).

"First and foremost he's just a super type," Harron said. "He has a really great way about him. He walks super, has a lovely shape, great hip, and a lovely girth. He's a really beautiful athlete.

"He has a great head on his shoulders and has handled the sale really well. He ticked a lot of boxes."

The colt is the the third foal for the unraced War Emblem mare Madame Andree. The colt's second dam is by Sunday Silence and hails from a strong international family.

First season sires starred during the day, and the top seller among this group was a Deep Field (AUS) colt out of Reggae (IRE) (Lot 231), who was offered by Kia Ora Stud and purchased by Justin Bahen for Orbis Bloodstock.

"It's a lot of money," Bahen said of the AU$675,000 ($528,188) purchase. "But we had him highly marked from day one when we saw him. He took our eye and we went back to see him again and again.

"We've bought some really nice colts at the sale so far, but he's our favourite. He's got a huge hindquarter—plenty of power about him, a fluent walk—everything you want to see from a horse who will hopefully be back here for the (Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic) next year," Bahen added.

Deep Field wasn't the only freshman sire to impress Wednesday. Former Gold Coast yearling sale graduate Dissident (AUS) rounded out the day as leading first season sire by average, with 13 sold for an average of AU$258,846 ($202,547).

During the first session, a total of 182 Lots were sold for a gross of AU$39.17 million ($30.7 million) and average price of AU$215,220 ($168,799)—a record opening-day average in the history of the Gold Coast yearling sale.

The clearance rate improved during the afternoon and rounded out at 81% for the day.

"It's been a very good start," Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said. "We're very happy with where we're sitting now.

"The momentum picked up—particularly late in the day. We look forward to day two with some outstanding prospects to go through the ring."