Rock of Gibraltar Colt, Filly Share Top Honors at Magic Millions National Sale

Excitement continued to build Tuesday in Australia as day three of the massive Magic Millions national sale on the Gold Coast concluded. Some of Australia's biggest named buyers are now on hand as the weanlings prepare to be paraded. But before they stepped into the auction ring, the last day of the yearling sale unfolded with Gai Waterhouse and Anthony Cummings spending big.

Former champion Rock of Gibraltar, who has had two winners in Europe from his first two runners (one of them a stakes winner no less), continued to make a name for himself as a sire. The son of Danehill had two yearlings -- a colt and a filly -- that shared top-priced honors for the session the top honours they each reached Aust$260,000.

They beat the previous top price of the sale during day two's session -- that of $250,000 for Choisir's daughter.
The first of the Rock of Gibraltar yearlings to sell for the big dollars was a three-quarter sister to proven group winner and grade I performer Aqua D'Amore. Sydney horsewoman Gai Waterhouse secured the filly for what she described as "a great value price."

"I thought she was very immature when I saw her in January," Waterhouse said. "But since then she has really done well."
"Aqua D'Amore also ran a close second in the group I BMW and is a multiple group winner. So, taking all of that into account, I thought she was great value."

The dust hadn't long settled on Waterhouse's sale topping purchase when another of Sydney's powerful trainers paid Aust$260,000 for a colt by Rock of Gibraltar.

Anthony Cummings, son of the legendary trainer Bart Cummings, also felt his purchase presented great value. The colt is a half-brother to the group I winner Baraka, who who like this colt is a graduate of the Gold Coast ring.

"He's a very good type," Cummings reported. "He's very strong and has great depth to the shoulder and he's got a good pedigree. I was keen all year to buy a Rock (of Gibraltar) and he's been the best value I have seen all year. He's easily the best in the (Coolmore Stud) draft."
The colt will be raced in similar interests as star stable performer, the group I winner Hotel Grand.

YEARLING SALE STATISTICS
(2005 in brackets)
Lots Sold: 433 (262)
Sale Aggregate: Aus$12,193,200 ($7,245,250)
Average Price: $28,160 ($27,654)
Top Price: $260,000 ($480,000)
Lots Withdrawn: 121 (49)
Lots Passed: 155 (71)
Lots Catalogued: 709 (382)
Sold %: 73.64 (79)