Five individual lots sold for AU$1 million or more during a stunning day's selling on Day 3 of the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale Jan. 12.
For the second straight day it was a colt by leading Yarraman Park-based sire I Am Invincible that was on top of the leaderboard.
This time it was Segenhoe Stud Australia's colt from Electric Dreams that was the day's top seller, when he was purchased by James Harron for AU$1.9 million (US$1,499,290). The colt hails from the family of group 1 winners Grand Armee, Drum, Dealer Principal, and Anamato, and is a half brother to the group-winning juvenile Broadband.
"He's a very, very special colt," Harron said. "He has lots of quality. He's as good an I Am Invincible colt as I've seen, in my opinion. He's very precocious and an incredible look. He has an intelligent head, and he handled the sale brilliantly well."
"He suits what we're trying to do, and I think he will fit in nicely to our model," Harron added.
After buying yesterday's top-selling colt (I Am Invincible—Tai Tai Tess) for AU$2 million ($1,568,400), the partnership of Reg Inglis, Jon Kelly, and Paul Frampton stepped in to snare the top-priced filly so far for the auction when they purchased Sweet Idea's sister for AU$1.8 million ($1,420,380).
The filly, consigned as Lot 733, was presented by Arrowfield Stud and is also a full sister to this season's Johnnie Walker Bill Stutt Moonee Valley Stakes (G2) winner Showtime and a half sister to crack Asian galloper Rush.
"She has terrific residual value as a broodmare," Kelly said. "She is potentially a blue hen—that's as good as you can get. I didn't think (the price) was going to be that high, but stuff has changed here today—the prices have gone up and the clearance rate has gone up."
"It's a good sale," Kelly added.
Earlier in the afternoon Jadeskye Racing's Damion Flower went to AU$1.45 million ($1,144,195) to secure the first foal of Schweppes Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Commanding Jewel. Flower purchased the colt in conjunction with B K Racing and Breeding and trainer Brad Widdup. The colt is by I Am Invincible and the quality individual was offered by Vinery Stud on behalf of breeder Greg Perry.
"I Am Invincible is in the top few sires. You've got Snitzel, Fastnet Rock and I Am Invincible—they're making big money, we saw the other one make $2 million (yesterday)," Flower said. "His athleticism and the way he was, he was a stand out for us."
"He's out of a really good Commands mare. Obviously he's very well related, and he was the one for us," Flower added.
Commanding Jewel, who like her outstanding half sister Atlantic Jewel, was a graduate of the Gold Coast yearling sale—purchased by Spicer Thoroughbreds before winning at the group 1 level and ultimately retiring to stud.
Harron also secured a Pierro—Dance Card colt from Bhima Thoroughbreds for AU$1.05 million ($828,555), while James Moore stepped in to buy the Redoute's Choice—Cat by the Tale colt for AU$1 million ($789,100) from Arrowfield Stud.
Almost AU$47 million ($36,850,970) was traded Jan. 12, helping push the overall sale gross to over AU$137 million ($119,865,000)—already surpassing last year's four day total of AU$134.3 million. The clearance rate has continued to grow over the sale and now sits at an outstanding 88%.
The current sale average price is AU$229,753 ($208,824), well up from last year's comparison of AU$208,824.
"Five millionaires in one day," Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said. "What a day it's been for Magic Millions. It was quite spectacular. We thought we might have got one or two, but five is just a massive result for us. The depth of the sale is fantastic as evidenced by the figures."
Day 4 of the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale will commence Jan. 13, following the running of the nine-race, AU$10 million Magic Millions Raceday at the Gold Coast Turf Club.
