Two weeks of selling on Australia's Gold Coast begins Sunday with the two-day Magic Millions National Weanling sale kicking off the sales company's National Sale Series, which continues with the National Broodmare Sale May 27 to 31; Yearling Sale June 2 to 4 and Racehorse Sale June 5. This year's sale includes dispersals from Wood Nook Farm (18 broodmares, seven race fillies and 12 weanlings) and Heinrich Bloodstock (53 broodmares and 40 weanlings).
The Magic Millions National Weanling sale has developed a firm reputation as a source of future top-class racehorses, its recent graduates including Group 1 winners Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) (A$115,000 in 2010), Peggy Jean (Aus)(Myboycharlie {Ire}) (A$25,000 in 2012) and Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) (A$85,000 in 2011).
Pinhookers buying at last year's weanling sale enjoyed particularly strong results at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with the average increase in sale price for pinhooks from the National Weanling Sale coming in at 40%, with 43% of pinhooks making between A$50,000 and A$200,000 more than their weanling price. Champion and 2-year-old Triple Crown winner Pierro was himself a A$230,000 pinhook at the Gold Coast sale in 2011, while Peggy Jean was turned around for A$46,000 as a yearling at the Inglis Classic sale. Zoustar, a dual Group 1 winner as a 3-year-old, was pinhooked for A$140,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
This year's 411 catalogued weanlings include the siblings to seven Group 1 winners, including lot 4, a colt from the first crop of Pierro who is a half-brother to the G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (Aus) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); lot 196, a Big Brown half-brother to dual Group 1-winning juvenile Hasna (Aus) (Snippets {Aus}), who has herself produced Hades (Aus), the dam of last year's Gold Coast Yearling sale topper; lot 78, a Fastnet Rock (Aus) half-brother to Hong Kong champion Liberator (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) who is also from the immediate family of the talented Echo Gal (Aus) (Stratum {Aus}) and Queen's Plate winner Mike Fox (Giant's Causeway); and lot 278, a half-brother to this year's G1 Australian Derby winner Mongolian Khan (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and G1 Wellington Cup scorer Young Centaur (Aus) (Jeune) by Magnus (Aus), himself a close relative to Black Caviar (Aus).
Pierro is the second-most represented sire in the weanling catalogue with 18 set to go under the hammer, and he heads an exciting first-season sire cast that also includes Your Song (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (16 catalogued); four-time Group 1 winner and half-brother to Black Caviar, All Too Hard (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) (11 catalogued); Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) (three catalogued); and Frankel's half-brother Bullet Train (GB) (Sadler's Wells) (10 catalogued).
Something Sweet in the Broodmare Catalogue…
The National Broodmare sale has drawn a stellar catalogue that includes over 100 stakes winners, headlined by this year's G1 Galaxy S. winner Sweet Idea (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) (lot 1356) and New Zealand Group 1 winner Ruud Awakening (Aus) (Bernardini), who are both offered as maiden mares off the track. They are late entries as part of the supplementary catalogue and join six other Group 1 winners catalogued, including the maiden mare Diademe (NZ)(Savabeel {Aus}) (lot 612); and the G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Rostova (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}), offered by Newgate Farm carrying her fourth foal, by Frankel (GB) (lot 882). Also catalogued are Hy Fuji (Aus) (Fuji Kiskei {Jpn}), the stakes-winning dam of recent G1 Doncaster H. winner Kermadec (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 670); Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed n Villa Verde (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) (lot 575) as a maiden mare; Leone Chiara (Aus) (Lion Huner {Aus}) (lot 726), the regally bred dam of dual Group 1 winner Star Witness (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}) and Group 3 winner Nostradamus (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) who was purchased for A$800,000 here last year and is offered again in foal to Sebring; and a pair of half-sisters to this year's G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}): the G2 BTC Cup-winning Varenna Miss (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) (lot 966), carrying her third foal, by Pierro; and the four-time winner Our Pride and Joy (Aus) (Canny Lad {Aus}) (lot 826), carrying her third foal, by Redoute's Choice (Aus).
The Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, whose graduates include G1 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success (Aus) and Singapore champion Rocket Man (Aus), takes over proceedings June 2 to 4 with a catalogue highlighted by siblings to Group 1 winners Shocking (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) (lot 1599) and Whobegotyou (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) (lot 1842) and close relatives to Samaready (Aus) (More Than Ready) and Snitzel (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).
The Magic Millions National Racehorse Sale will wrap up proceedings June 5 with a 173-strong catalogue that includes drafts from the Heinrich dispersal and Darley.
For catalogues, results and live streaming, visit www.magicmillions.com.au.
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