Although not being present at the complex, Taree breeder Ian Smith was an active buyer during the session. Purchasing under the name of his Edinburgh Park Stud, Smith spent Aust$160,000 on a Canny Lad half-sister to stakes winners The Kildare Kid and General Minolta. Smith is best known as the breeder of former champion sprinter Silent Witness and he still owns that horse's dam.Magic Millions managing director David Chester was pleased with the sale's second session."Again, the quality yearlings were well sought out by buyers," Chester said. "But across the board there was still plenty of value on offer."During the first two sessions, more than Aus$7.15 million has been traded for 290 yearlings at an increased average price of Aust$24,683. The clearance rate also increased on yesterday's first session.
If sale watchers thought there simply couldn't be any more cash left to buy yearlings, then they shook their heads as buyers spent up again Monday on day two of the Gold Coast Magic Millions national yearling sale in Australia.A filly by former glamour international sprinter Choisir (by Danehill Dancer) helped boost the statistics. The session toppe -- out of the Rory's Jester mare Classy Amber -- was purchased by Magic Millions, acting as agent for a Queensland client who is going to send the filly to Gold Coast trainer Maryann Thexton. The buyer spent Aust$250,000 for the filly. She is the first foal of an unraced half-sister to multiple group 1 winner Ravarda."She's a great looking filly," Thexton said upon hearing she had been offered the filly to train. "She is such an athletic style of a filly.""On type she has really thrown to Rory's Jester -- her broodmare sire," Thexton added. "And with Choisir and Rory's Jester on both sides of her pedigree, you'd expect to be her to be an early runner as both were champion juvenile sprinters."Thexton said if all goes well she would be aiming the filly at the feature juvenile events next year. "Hopefully we'll be running in races like the Magic Millions (2-year-old Classic) and the Golden Slipper."The session-topping filly was consigned by Velvet Stud.Leading Sydney trainer David Payne purchased two of the eight yearlings sold today for Aust$100,000 or more. He outbid his very good friend and leading bloodstock agent James Bester to secure a Galileo filly for Aust$160,000. The filly is from the five time winning Centro mare Vaux. Galileo stands on the doorstep of taking the Australian freshman title when the racing season down under ends July 31.Later in the day the free spending Payne went to Aust$120,000 to buy an O'Reilly half-brother to group I Caulfield Guineas winner Econsul.