By Ric Chapman
Magic Millions entered the yearling sales arena in little Tasmania in Australia over the weekend for the first time and came away with, on paper, a successful sale.
The sale, previously conducted by a group of breeders in Tassy, this year established a record when Aus$51,000 changed hands for a handsome Genuine -- Titleist colt purchased by visiting Victorian trainer David Chapman. The previous Tassy base at this sale was Aus$46,000. The biggest price ever for a Tassy-bred was the Aus$210,000 spent at a rival sale last year.
Genuine, a group I-winning son of Sunday Silence, has a plethora of stakes winners in his homeland Japan, and this big colt was got while he stood as a shuttler in Australia. Already he looks a prime candidate for the Magic Millions incentive race established for buyers from this sale. It is worth Aus$100,000 and will be run early next year in Tasmania.
But the final figures for the sale looked in jeopardy early on after the first 25 lots came through. Only 12 of them sold, and it was at about this time that Magic Millions part-owner John Singleton decided he'd step in and help out. Normally the buyer of million dollar yearling by lofty names like Danehill, Sunday Silence, Redoute's Choice, Dehere etc, Sing;eton ended up spending Aus$37,000 buying four youngsters, the most expensive a filly by the deceased group II-producing stallion Weasal Clause from Queen's Feast, making her a half-sister to stakes winner Danson D'or.
Offered at the auction by the Lindisfarne-based (in Tassy) Runnymede Stud Syndicate, the top-priced colt, however, was catalogued as lot number 61. The youngster, who is Super Vobis qualified, is the fourth foal of the dual winning Century mare Titleist, she a half-sister to stakes-winning juvenile Stitches. Titleist is from the Caulfield stakes-winning Arch Sculptor mare Fashion Fun. "He fetched more than we expected so we are happy," said Runnymeade part-owner Charlie Goggin.
In all, some 83 yearlings were sold from a catalogue of 115, -- a 77% clearance rate -- at a sale aggregate of Aus$849,500 and healthy average of Aus$10,235. The average was also a record for the auction.
"It was a great sale," Magic Millions managing director David Chester enthused. "To break records in our first year here is a great result. Magic Millions is delighted."
A number of interstate buyers were active at the auction including David Chapman, Star Thoroughbreds, Terry O'Sullivan, Bob Wood, Wadham Park, and John Singleton's Strawberry Hill Stud.
"The interstate buyers were delighted with the quality of yearlings on offer," Chester noted. "The quality of yearlings was very high and a lot of them wouldn't have been out of place at the leading yearling sales on the mainland."
SALE STATISTICS
Total Lots Sold: 83
Total Sale Aggregate: $849,500
Average Price: $10,235
Top Price: $51,000
Lots Withdrawn: 7
Lots Passed: 25
Lots Catalogued: 115
Sold %: 77%
TOP PRICES
$51,000 - Genuine-Titleist colt -- David Chapman (Vic)
$47,000 - Jugah-Donmatilla colt -- Terry O'Sullivan (Vic)
$32,000 - Genuine-Rotunda colt -- Mark Ganderton (Tas)
$27,000 - Tayasu Tsuyoshi-Calvados Charm colt -- Brett Cavanough (NSW)
$26,000 - Jugah-Stir Crazy colt -- Max Wood (Tas)
