A Fastnet Rock colt sold for Aust$180,000 ($161,752 in U.S. funds) Jan. 28 to top the second session of the Magic Millions Perth yearling auction in Australia. The gross and average price for the first two days of the sale combined were up 21.4% and 5.7%, respectively, from a year ago.
Denise Martin and trainer Gai Waterhouse, in the name of Star Thoroughbreds, purchased the bay colt from Kambula Stud, agent for Woodside Park Stud.
“I love the Fastnet Rocks,” Martin said. “He’s such a young, hot sire and until now it’s been difficult to secure a nice one. Gai and Greg (Nash, a veterinarian) thought he was one of the top picks of the sale. He has everything pointing toward him being a runner.”
The colt is the third reported foal out of the unraced Snippets mare Munchie. His second dam, the winning Petorius mare Eichtercua, was a group III winner in Ireland in 1993. She also was a winner in the United States, and she finished second in the 1994 Dr. A.B. Leggio Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds.
Martin and Waterhouse were participating in the Perth sale for the first time.
“Neither Denise nor I have been to this sale,” Waterhouse said, “but we’ll be back. The horses are well-prepared. I’ve really enjoyed the trip, and I’m already looking forward to next year.
“Denise was delighted to be able to get the Fastnet Rock colt tonight,” the trainer continued. “He will return to Sydney and be syndicated by Star Thoroughbreds.”
The results for the first and second sessions combined included a gross of Aust$8,351,000 ($7,504,380) for the 201 horses that sold. The average was Aust$41,547 ($37,335), and the clearance rate was 78.2%. Last year, when 175 horses were sold, the gross was Aust$6,876,500 and the average was Aust$39,294. The clearance rate was 69.7%.