Sebring Brother Stars At Magic Millions

GOLD COAST, Australia–Many people would be shaken at the prospect of spending a million dollars on a horse. And understandably so. But not much seems to faze Gai Waterhouse, who described the A$1.3-million she paid for Thursday's session-topping More Than Ready colt at Magic Millions as a “bargain.”

The full-brother to Waterhouse's G1 Golden Slipper winner Sebring (Aus) from Corumbene Stud fueled figures that continued to climb on day two. With the cumulative number catalogued up to 480 from 432, 383 yearlings have been sold for A$78,792,000, up from 344 sold for A$65,714,500 up to this point last year. The clearance rate remains the same at 88%. The average climbed 7.7% to a record A$205,723, while the median is up 6.7% at A$160,000. Three lots fetched seven figures on Thursday–the More Than Ready colt, a Snitzel colt and a Medaglia d'Oro colt–and thus far at the sale 24 horses have been bought at A$500,000 and above–that figure was 29 for the entire sale last year.

“Today was really strong,” summarized Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox. “Yesterday was good, but today was even better. To have three seven-figure lots is terrific, but there was plenty of competition at all levels of the market. It's a very strong, sound sale.”

The Slipper Fits…

Gai Waterhouse knows what it takes to win the Golden Slipper, having accomplished the feat six times. So when the full-brother to her 2008 Slipper winner Sebring (Aus) (More Than Ready) came up for sale at Magic Millions, it should have come as no surprise to see the champion trainer in the fray. When the hammer dropped at A$1.3-million for lot 339, Waterhouse signed the ticket on behalf of herself and co-trainer Adrian Bott, Aquis Farm, Blue Sky Bloodstock and agent Dermot Farrington. She also revealed John Singleton–for whom she trained champion mare More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready) and also that one's exciting unraced 2-year-old filly Woman (Aus) (Frankel {GB})–will be a part-owner in the colt, as will some of the owners of Waterhouse's 2015 Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Breeder George Altomonte from Corumbene Stud, who also bred and raced Waterhouse's 2013 Slipper winner Overreach (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), will stay in for a piece.

“Corumbene is the most exciting farm,” Waterhouse said. “I've had two Golden Slipper winners off that farm, so this could be the third Golden Slipper. I saw him in the paddock and I said to George, 'I'm not leaving the sale without him.' I said, 'he's your next Golden Slipper horse.'”

Waterhouse added, “He's a magical horse. He's very masculine, he moves so freely and he's got a sex appeal about him. Some affect me like that, and I should know. I bought Sebring, Vancouver and Pierro from this sale. This is the magical sale.”

Waterhouse insisted the bay, who is also a half to G2 Ajax S. winner Pureness (Aus) (Tale of the Cat), was a bargain despite being the sale's top lot so far.

“I suppose he's cheap when you look at it,” she said. “Look at his pedigree. Everyone's sort of looking at pedigree pages; he's got exactly that. And Sebring is one of the most exciting young stallions in Australia, standing at Widden Stud. Why wouldn't this horse be worth A$1.3-million? I think he's a bargain, I really do. I know people will say that's stupid and facetious, but I really do. My business is buying and selling horses and I think he was very well bought.”

The colt is the 10th produce of Purespeed (Aus) (Flying Spur {Aus}), who foaled a Sepoy filly last year and is back in foal to More Than Ready. Altomonte described the session topper as being ahead of his famous brother at this stage of his life.

“He's a lovely horse,” Altomonte said. “He's a full-brother to Sebring and I suppose if I had to compare them at the same age, this one's a bit better. He's very light on his feet, which is a good indication. He has a big step on him, which is a thing I look for, and he's got good conformation. But his temperament is so good and that's important, particularly for an entire. Purespeed is a lovely mare, but I'd say this is probably the best she's had.”

Altomonte has a broodmare band numbering about 40 on Corumbene Stud near Dunedoo Township in the Hunter Valley, which he founded in 1980. Altomonte does all his matings himself, and said he likes to use proven sires. He keeps two to four fillies per year and generally sells all the colts, “unless they don't meet the reserve,” he noted. “I put a fair reserve on them, I don't go silly, and if they don't make that I take them home and race them.”

One filly he retained to race is the Golden Slipper winner Overreach, who is now a broodmare at Corumbene. She sadly lost the Sepoy colt she foaled last year after it was bitten by a snake. She is back in foal to Snitzel (Aus).

Snitzel In Familiar Territory…

As the sire of half of last year's six seven-figure lots at this sale, it would have been a good bet that Snitzel (Aus) would register some fireworks before the week was out, and that happened late Thursday afternoon when lot 409, a colt from Arrowfield Stud, was hammered down to agent Guy Mulcaster and trainer Chris Waller for A$1.1-million. The bay is the second foal out of Sabanci (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), who is a half-sister to G1 KrisFlyer Sprint winner Green Birdie (Aus) (Catbird {Aus}) and who produced last year's Listed Breeders' Plate third Bowerman (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). That one was a A$525,000 purchase by the China Horse Club at this sale last year.

Mulcaster, who is best known as the man who picked out the Waller-trained Winx (Aus) as a yearling, said, “He's a lovely colt. We made our list and went around and had a look at them and Chris and I really liked him and we got him for a number of stable clients.”

Useful sires Onemorenomore (Aus) and Casino Prince (Aus) appear under the third dam. Lot 409 undoubtedly boasts stallion potential himself, but Mulcaster said he was taking one step at a time. “We'll let him be a racehorse first and we'll worry about the rest after,” he said.

Mulcaster also signed for a pair of lots with David Redvers for Qatar Racing. Sheikh Fahad is in attendance at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale for the first time, and his list of purchases include lot 398, a Zoustar (Aus) colt for A$510,000; and lot 417, a Snitzel filly for A$500,000. Qatar Racing is a part owner of Zoustar, who has thus far enjoyed a productive sale, his 20 yearlings to sell averaging A$265,250, tops among first-season sires.

WinStar, CHC Quench Their Thirst…

Snitzel was responsible for another of the day's top sellers earlier in the session in the form of lot 348, Newgate Farm's son of Quench The Thirst (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). The bay was hammered down to the partnership of China Horse Club and WinStar Farm for A$750,000.

Lot 348 is the third foal out of Quench The Thirst, a stakes-placed daughter of the well-related Monsoon Wedding (Aus) (Danehill). That makes her a full-sister to Group 3 winner Precious Lorraine (Aus) and listed winner Lucky Raquie (Aus). Monsoon Wedding is a full-sister to Australia's three-time champion sire Redoute's Choice (Aus) and G1 Spring Champion S. winner Platinum Scisscors. She is a half-sister to G1 Sires' Produce S. winner and sire Manhattan Rain (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) and Group 3 winner Sliding Cube (Aus) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of young Coolmore sire Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). Newgate bought Quench The Thirst for A$1.5-million from the Teeley dispersal at the Magic Millions National Sale in 2014, and this is her first foal to see a sales ring since.

Medaglia Colt Golden For Hung…

This time a year ago, Little Kwok Hing Hung would have been a lesser known name at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He bought a handful of colts at the sale 12 months ago and in the year that ensued the Hong Kong native embarked on a global Thoroughbred spending spree that took him to Japan, Ireland and back to Australia. He has returned to Magic Millions this week and has ensured his name won't be forgotten after spending A$2.33-million for four yearlings over the first two days through agent Justin Bahen, including a A$1-million son of Medaglia d'Oro (lot 419) on Thursday.

“He has been very active over the last 18 months,” said Bahen of Hung, a Hong Kong Jockey Club employee of over 30 years. Hung has also been a jockey and is currently an assistant trainer with aspirations of one day training on his own in Hong Kong. “We were at the sale here last year and bought five or six colts,” Bahen continued. “We bought 12 or 13 within Australasia. We ventured over to Japan in July and bought three colts there. The next leg of the exercise was going over to Ireland. We bought three more there and we're back here now.”

“His investment in racing is global,” Bahen added. “We've got some lovely 2-year-olds in training last year, so fingers crossed we get a fast one. I think we deserve one.”

Lot 419 from Aquis Farm is the second living foal out of Sangfroid (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}); her first is the winning Restraint (Aus) (Bernardini). Sangfroid is a daughter of the G1 Sires' Produce S. winner Preserve (Aus) (Canny Lad {Aus}), herself a half-sister to G1 Golden Rose S. winner Denman (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}).

“He was as admired as any colt here this week,” Bahen said. “We knew it was going to be a strong battle all the way to the line. The mum's had no luck, this was only her second living foal, and he's a standout for us. We saw him on the complex and Mr. Hung said he'd be taking him home.”

“The intentions are that he'll race in Australia,” Bahen added. “One day he might end up in Hong Kong but at this stage he'll stay in Australia.”

Hong Kong interests were busy again a short time later when agent George Moore signed for lot 436, Segenhoe Stud's son of Sebring (Aus), for A$730,000. That chestnut is out of the Group 1-placed Sensibility (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}). His third dam is G2 La Canada S. winner Fleet Lady (Avenue Of Flags), the dam of U.S. champion 2-year-old Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister), the dam of triple Grade I winner Frosted (Tapit).

Gold Strikes Early…

Shadwell agent Angus Gold got the second session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale off to a strong start on Thursday when, three lots into the day, he made a final bid of A$725,000 for lot 243, a son of Not A Single Doubt (Aus) from Attunga Stud. Not A Single Doubt enjoyed a banner year in 2016, his stakes winners including G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Moir S. winner Extreme Choice (Aus) as well as G1 Railway S. winner Scales Of Justice (Aus). Gold admitted Shadwell hasn't yet had much experience with the sire, but said the operation has a few young horses by the Arrowfield resident waiting in the wings.

“We had a filly a few years ago who won a couple of races,” Gold said. “We have a couple of homebred 2-year-olds by him who haven't run yet this year. We have a nice filly we bought here last year who hasn't run yet but looks a nice filly, and we have high hopes for her. It's all in the sky at the moment, but he's done incredibly well.”

Of lot 243, a son of G2 Western Australian Guineas winner Moccasin Bend (Aus) (Eternity Range {Aus}), Gold said, “He looks a sharp 2-year-old type so he might be the right type for the [A$2-million Magic Millions 2YO Classic] if he can run. He's just a very solid horse, a great-going horse. He seems to have a good mind on him.”

Gold later in the day signed for a daughter of I Am Invincible (lot 429) from Widden Stud for A$600,000.

Another Tycoon For Capitalist Group…

Agent James Harron made a rather nondescript transaction at this sale two years ago when he signed for a son of Written Tycoon–upwardly mobile but not yet a breakthrough sire–for A$165,000. The colt was a part of the first group of purchases for an investment group Harron had put together to target future stallion prospects, and the result could hardly have worked out better: later named Capitalist (Aus), the chestnut was named a 'TDN Rising Star' when winning the Listed Breeders' Plate on debut, returned to the Gold Coast to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and capped a dream season with a win in the G1 Golden Slipper. He will stand his first season at Newgate Farm this year.

Capitalist's success was part of a breakthrough season for Written Tycoon, who was also represented by the likes of G1 Doomben 10,000 winner Music Magnate (Aus), G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S. winner Luna Rossa (NZ), and Group 2 winner Winning Rupert (Aus), favourite for Saturday's Magic Millions 3YO Guineas. It should hardly have been a surprise, therefore, to see Harron strike for another son of Written Tycoon, Widden Stud's lot 303, for A$650,000 at Magic Millions on Thursday.

“We're very excited to get him, he's a horse we've had our eye on all week,” Harron said. “He's a super-moving colt, very professional in what he does, which seems to be a great trait of the Written Tycoons. He was very popular here and he handled it really well, just kept putting his head down and marching on.”

The chestnut is the second foal of the unraced Pearl Goddess (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).

“Written Tycoon does stamp them pretty well,” Harron noted. “He gets that great chestnut which is common with his good horses, and he gets a horse that really gets in underneath themselves and uses every muscle they have, which this guy did really well.”

Harron added of the investment group, “In the second and now going into the third year it's been a group of private investors,” he explained. “We have no stud farms involved in the horses and it's been a similar overall group. There have been a few additions and we're really lucky to have a super group of people who really understand their racing and have given me great rein and leeway to come here and do the work on the sales grounds. We're all partners in the way we discuss everything and go through it all together. We come through it all at the end together, too. We've got some fast ones but they can't all be fast, and these guys are super understanding.”

The transaction marked an big return for the group that purchased the colt as a weanling for A$140,000 at last year's Magic Millions National Weanling Sale. That was Redwall Bloodstock and includes Widden Stud yearling manager Rae-Louise Farmer as well as David Redvers. Farmer explained that Redvers approached her just before the colt went through the ring last June and asked if she liked him.

“I said yes so he ended up coming in on him,” she explained. Redwall Bloodstock started with a Sepoy filly that returned A$135,000 on a A$75,000 investment, and is in its third year. Farmer said the group would reinvest again this June.

“I just said to David I wished we could fast-track to the sale in June,” Farmer laughed.

Stonestreet, Aquis Back In Action…

Stonestreet Farm partnered with Aquis Farm to purchase a daughter of I Am Invincible (Aus) for A$500,000 during Wednesday's opening session, and that pair teamed again on Thursday, spending A$650,000 on lot 336, a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) out of GI Hollywood Starlet S. winner Pure Fun (Pure Prize) from Kia-Ora Stud. Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke, who had arrived on the Gold Coast about an hour before the colt went through the ring, said, “He looks very athletic to me and I liked the fact that he was very light on his feet; he has a tremendous walk. The sky's the limit, and we'll see where we can go with him. I love Fastnet Rock and he looks like a beautiful Fastnet Rock, very athletic.”

The partnership of Stonestreet and Aquis Farm began with a Kitten's Joy colt purchased at Keeneland September last year, and Banke noted that one would likely begin its career in Europe this year. Stonestreet campaigned last year's European 2-year-old champion filly Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) along with George Bolton and Peter Leidel.

Casse, Waterhouse Team For Colt…

U.S.-based agent Justin Casse made his first visit to Magic Millions a productive one when he signed for lot 153 in partnership with champion trainer Gai Waterhouse for A$500,000 on Wednesday. The colt from Baramul Stud is by Medaglia d'Oro, the sire Waterhouse's 2015 G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus), out of three-time group winner Lady Lynette (Aus) (Ladoni {Aus}).

“I met Gai in Newmarket during the July sale so we had dinner here the other night before the sale,” Casse explained. “We sat down yesterday and went through our lists together and this was one of two horses we both liked and obviously she's a good judge of Medaglia d'Oros.”

“Everything just came together,” he added. “She put her clients in and I put one of my clients in and I bought a bit of the horse myself. It'll stay down here with her. The funny thing is I thought to myself if this horse was in Keeneland, this was a horse I'd be bidding against my brother on, being by Medaglia d'Oro.”

Casse paid credit to Waterhouse, saying, “Gai's body of work speaks volumes and it's just an honour to do business with her.”