Top Lot Goes for $625,000 at Magic Millions Saturday

The excitement of seeing two magnificent racing fillies win the two $1 million races at the Magic Millions race day on the Gold Coast Jan. 13  stole much of the excitement out of the crowd.

Gold Edition staked her claim as the best 3-year-old in the land and certainly Mimi Lebrock now heads the juvenile division following their gutsy wins. The crowd en masse left the track and headed across the road to the yearling sale but as day three -- actually it's an evening session -- wound down, the best sold was a $625,000 colt purchased by Katsumi Yoshida from Japan. It was a great looking son of Redoute's Choice from the Bellotto mare Aphrodite.

The female family has worked at Black Type level in Japan and this colt will head there.

Yoshida sent his son to do the bidding along with the farm's personal vet. Both were happy with the colt and bid to win. Aphrodite was a city winner of two and the family includes Japanese grade I performing stars Tiger Cafe and Fusaichi Junk.

And speaking of Fusaichi, Yoshida's purchase just beat out one for a muscular and fiesty colt by Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Fusaichi Pegasus   from the grade I producing mare Bespoken (by Vain). She gave the world the great former champion Australian 2-year-old of his era, multiple grade I winner Bel Esprit (Royal Academy), who is now an emerging sire in his own right.

There was fierce bidding for this potential stallion hope who had that look of eagles about him as he tossed his head, and strutted his stuff on stage. Rob McAnulty, a renowned good judge paid (Aus)$600,000 for him. "Couldn't fault him on any level," he said.

Gai Waterhouse, fresh from her record $2 million buy yesterday, was again active, spending $400,000 on a filly, while Darley continued to invest heavily into Aussie racing stock by buying yet another cracking type, this time a colt by their own sire Exceed And Excel from the Bluebird mare Biscay Bird.

The dam is a half-sister to a grade I derby winner in Blevic, but more importantly, has produced a multiple grade I winner in Universal Prince and his full-sister in Universal Queen, a multiple grade III winner. If this colt can sprint, he has stallion written all over him. Darley, with Ollie Tait doing the bidding, snared him for $460,000.

The 2005 Golden Slipper (Aus-I) winner Stratum (by Redoute's Choice) is the three-quarter older brother to one that sold for $300,000 and is by Choisir.

Day 4 continues on Sunday with the session reverting back to a day time slot. The average for the sale is hovering at just under (Aus)$200,000.