Four lots sold for over $1 million during a red hot opening day at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with an I Am Invincible colt from Palace Talk the top lot at $1.3million, while $45.9 million was traded on 163 lots sold at an average price of $281,767 with an outstanding clearance rate of 85 per cent.
"We were very confident in our first 30 lots and to start with a very healthy clearance rate, and then the two million-dollar horses set the tone of the day," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch reported.
"Having a median of $210,000, a record day one average and a clearance rate of 85%, it was a solid day.
“We had two exceptional fillies go through the ring today and sell accordingly.
“Vendors are bringing that high end filly to the sale, and they have the looks. It improves the quality of the sale."
Day Two of the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale will commence at 10am (QLD time) tomorrow (Wednesday).
"I believe there is quality and value," Bowditch added. "There will be ones who slip through the cracks but if we can find that median where the lower to middle end can raise it, it will be another good outcome."
A beautifully related I Am Invincible colt from the top producing Street Cry mare Palace Talk was the day's top seller when realising a sale price of $1.3 million.
Offered by Yarraman Park Stud, the colt is a brother to Group Two winner Shuffle Dancer and group performer Forbidden City and also half brother to the five time group placed Never Talk.
Te Akau Racing's David Ellis teamed up with Coolmore's Tom Magnier to secure the colt who was offered as Lot 19.
"We thought he was a beautiful colt and we bought him for Coolmore Stud and we're just delighted that we can train these sort of horses at our Cranbourne stable for them," Ellis said.
"It's very exciting for us to be able to buy a colt of his quality and have him to train for Coolmore Stud."
"I think he (John Magnier) has been impressed with the results Te Akau Racing has had and wants to be involved in supporting us at Cranbourne."
"Tom and MV and their father have been supportive for a long time and they want to take that to the next level now that we're in Australia full time."
"We thought that he'd make a Christmas, autumn two-year-old and train on and be a very good three-year-old."
"He's from Yarraman Park and you can't get better than that," Ellis added.
The top selling filly of the day was the Snitzel youngster from Serena Bay who was offered as part of the Newgate Farm draft.
After what seemed a marathon bidding battle it was Sheamus Mills who came out on top with a $1.25 million bid.
"That was like death by 1000 paper cuts," Mills said. "I never thought that was going to end to be honest."
“But you’ve got to be staunch with the good ones, don’t you? They stand out and everyone seems to want them."
“I got a little bit of extra incentive when I realised that Gai (Waterhouse) was on it. I think she’s got the last two (out of Serena Bay), including the one that trialled this morning (Alinea), so she’s got to think something of them if she’s punching us along this far."
“Thanks to Gai for that last little bit of incentive," Mills added.
The third top seller of the day was the first foal of former glamour sprinting mare Outback Barbie, a filly by I Am Invincible, who sold to connections familiar with the dam, trainer Tony Gollan and owner Jennifer Acton.
Offered as Lot 16 she was knocked down for $1.2 million.
"Very similar to her mother as a yearling and a really nice first foal," Gollan described the quality filly. "When we saw her we were happy to buy her."
"She has been popular. She was popular from the minute they saw her down at the farm. I've seen her videos as a foal and all the way through and she has always been a prospect to come to the sales."
"It is great that the (Outback Barbie) family are still happy to be involved. A nice filly like this at a Queensland stable, we're very privileged."
"She looks like those athletic I Am Invincible fillies and was well mated. She moves well like her mother did as a yearling and with buying first foals, why wouldn't you when they look like that."
The other seven figure seller was the Zoustar colt from Ready to Soar (Lot 84) who was offered by Segenhoe Stud and purchased by David Ellis
From the family of Queensland Derby winner and Hong Kong star Eagle Way, the colt was sold for $1.1 million.
"We’ve been very impressed with the quality that is here and we want to train these horses so if we want to train them we’ve got to come here and buy them."
"(The Ready to Soar colt) has a great attitude, great pedigree and a very, very athletic colt that I think can run and I think we could be back here for the Magic Millions this time next year. That is what we are hoping."
"He’ll go into our stallion syndicate and we’ve got a lot of investors already but there are still a couple of shares left."
To view the results of the sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
SALE STATISTICS
(2023 Day 1 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 210 (185)
Lots Sold: 163 (134)
Lots Passed In: 29 (28)
Lots Withdrawn: 16 (23)
Sale Gross: $45,928,000 ($36,360,000)
Top Price: $1,300,000 ($1,650,000)
Average Price: $281,767 ($271,343)
Median Price: $210,000 ($210,000)
Sold %: 85 (83)
DAY ONE TOP SELLERS
$1,300,000 - I Am Invincible-Palace Talk colt (Lot 19)
Vendor: Yarraman Park Stud (As Agent) / Buyer: DC Ellis CNZM/Tom Magnier (NZ)
$1,250,000 - Snitzel-Serena Bay filly (Lot 163)
Newgate Farm (As Agent) / Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (Vic)
$1,200,000 - I Am Invincible-Outback Barbie filly (Lot 16)
Yarraman Park Stud (As Agent) / Gollan Racing/Jennifer Acton (Qld)
$1,100,000 - Zoustar-Ready to Soar colt (Lot 84)
Segenhoe Stud (As Agent) / DC Ellis CNZM (NZ)
$800,000 - Written Tycoon-Piping Hot filly (Lot 47)
Milburn Creek (As Agent) / Highclere Australia (UK)
LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)
$2,670,000 - China Horse Club/Newgate/Go B'stock/Trilogy - 5 lots
$2,290,000 - DC Ellis CNZM - 4 lots
$1,625,000 - Ciaron Maher B'stock - 3 lots
$1,455,000 - Waller Racing/Mulcaster B'stock - 6 lots
$1,300,000 - DC Ellis CNZM/Tom Magnier - 1 lot
