Another Record Set During Magic Millions Sale

Another record was smashed during Saturday's day three of the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in Australia when Graeme Rogerson bought a massive, speed-looking colt by Red Ransom from Savannah Success for $1,550,000 from Magic Millions co-owner Gerry Harvey.

It was in part sentimentality and business savvy that brought Rogerson to the bidding table. He bought a scopy colt by Zabeel out of Savannah Success named Savabeel three years ago at the Magic Millions sale. Savabeel won over $2 million before being sold to New Zealand stud duties for $12 million. Noting that he had not shared in the ultimate success of Savabeel, Harvey said he would retain an ownership interest in the colt.

"So I am staying in this colt this time," said Harvey. "I'll keep a share because I do not want a repeat of what happened last time."

Rogerson has already sold the rest of the colt to studmasters in New Zealand who banded together to form a syndicate. Rogerson will train the colt. The underbidder was Victorian trainer Peter Moody, who ran out of cash at $1.5 million. "Didn't matter, I was prepared to go to $2 million for the horse," claimed Rogerson.

An evening session that has become the sale's most popular day, the third session attracted more than 5,000 people.

The million mark was topped again on day three when the seemingly forever cashed up South African trainer Charles Laird lashed out again, going to $1,025,000 for a good-looking Rock Of Gibraltar-Ruby Clipper colt. Laird trains and buys for one of the richest men in the world, Freedom Furniture owner Marcus Jooste. And the trainer probably was never going to miss this colt as Ruby Clipper (Rubiton-Miss Clipper) is an Australian-bred star who raced in South Africa while winning 10 races and the group I Fillies Championship.

Royal Academy was very popular, too, with his daughter from Snippets' Lass (Snippets-Snow Finch) reaching $775,000 - the highest price for a filly on day three.

And the long wait for the first Southern Hermisphere crop by Smarty Jones' sire, Elusive Quality  , was worth it as he had two sell in successive lots -- one for $500,000 and te other for $320,000.

Plans are already underway to expand the complex as the Magic Millions Sales Pavilion is bursting at the seams now.

Incidentally, John Singleton, whose filly Mirror Mirror won the rich $1 million Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic earlier in the day while beating his Danehill colt Churchill Downs into second spot, was not at the races due to a business meeting.