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Bought by David Vandyke on first day of Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
With the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus causing havoc around the globe, the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale went ahead on Monday as planned, albeit with restrictions in place namely no public were allowed on the complex, and managing director Barry Bowditch was pleased with the results on the first day given the very difficult circumstances.
Almost $3.6 million was traded today on 124 lots at an average price of $29,024. The clearance rate currently sits at 68 per cent.
"Under the circumstances and current climate the sale held up reasonably well," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
"Vendors have not only presented their horses in good fashion but they have tried to meet the market as best as possible.
"The buyers that have done the hard work are shopping very well and with the prize-money these horses are eligible to race for value is being found at all levels.
"We are expecting more of the same tomorrow," Bowditch added. "Anyone that isn't here and is looking to play in the market should get in touch with our team."
The top-priced lot of the day was a filly by Widden Stud's late sire Sebring (More Than Ready), who was purchased outside the ring by David Vandyke for $150,000 - one of five to make six figures on the first day - and the trainer said he was pleased to be leaving the sale with the yearling.
"I was waiting for the filly to hit the reserve and she never got there, so I went and saw the owners (and bought her privately)," said Vandyke.
"The possibilities for the return on a Magic Millions QTIS filly is greater than almost any other sale because QTIS is an amazing scheme and the potential for a return is significant, especially for a filly. On top of that we have got the Magic MIllions races (that she is eligible for)."
The trainer, who announced on Monday that his stable star Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) would now be sent for a break following his All-Star Mile (1600m) flop on Saturday, said he thought the filly was well-bought at that price and would have made a lot more should she have been offered in January.
"If she went through a January sale she would have brought a lot more. She's a quality filly and you have got to love the Sebrings. She is a beautiful filly out of a stakes-performed mare and I think she's good buying at that price.
"I haven't syndicated her yet, so there's shares available."
Offered part of the Bahrinna draft and catalogued as Lot 63, the filly is the first foal out of the 2016 Nudgee Handicap (Listed, 1200m) winner Tina Melina (Jet Spur). Tina Melenia is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Sexy Eyes (Written Tycoon) and Innishbeg (Lonhro) - the dam of Group 3 scorer Aspect (Pluck) and Listed winner Brown Ben (Big Brown).
Of the five lots to make $100,000 or more, Eureka Stud were responsible for selling two of them as two colts by their resident stallion Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) were purchased for $130,000 and $120,000 respectively.
The $130,000 colt was purchased by Spirit Of Boom's trainer Tony Gollan, who signed for the yearling with John Foote and the pair finished up the day's trade as the leading buyers - purchasing four yearlings for $252,500.
Catalogued as Lot 199, the colt is out of Eureka Moment (General Nediym), whose two foals to race have both been winners.
Eureka Moment herself is out of Group 2 winner Kapsdan (Kaapstad), making her a half-sister to Lordsea (Fusaichi Pegasus). Further afield this is the family of Listed-winning trio Eccentricity (Noalcoholic), Wyndam Glory (Rory's Jester) and Nowyousee (O'Reilly).
Meanwhile, Kelly Schweida parted with $120,000 for the other colt by the son of Sequalo (Rustic Amber) and said the link to Gem Of Scotland (Rothesay) spurred him on to target the youngster.
"I really like Spirit Of Boom as a stallion and I liked that he is a half-brother to a Listed-placed filly, who I think is a very good horse," said Schweida.
"He is just a lovely horse, very athletic and I thought that was about the right price for him. But the big factor for me was the fact that he is a half-brother to Gem Of Scotland.
"It's been a struggle today, given the circumstances - there was no public allowed and it is the weirdest sale I have ever been to."
Catalogued as Lot 39, the colt is out of the unraced General Nediym (Nediym) mare Star Of Kristale, whose four foals to race have all been winners, including stakes-placed Gem Of Scotland (Rothesay).
Meanwhile, the colt's fourth dam is six-time winner Miss Entertainer (Vain) - the dam of four-time winner Party Miss (Kenmare) - the dam of Group 2 winner and now Woodside Park-based sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia).
Miss Entertainer also foaled Loyal Lyric (Sovereign Red), herself the dam of dual Group 1 winner Anthems (Palace Music) and Listed winner Vocalist (Bluebird), with the latter herself producing Group 1 scorer Yell (Anabaa) and stakes winner Sung (Anabaa) - the dam of 2019 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Microphone (Exceed And Excel), while she also produced the dam of Group 1 winner and now Darley-based sire Holler (Commands).
The colt is bred on the same cross as Listed winner Outback Barbie.
Harry McAlpine, who runs stallion nominations at his family's Eureka Stud, said he was pleased with the way the two top lots sold, but admitted the sale was tough going for many of the vendors.
We were really pleased with the way the two colts who made six figures sold," said McAlpine. "I think the Gem Of Scotland factor certainly helped as she looks quite a handy horse and he was a lovely colt and there was plenty of competition on him. All the buyers homed in on them."
Spirit Of Boom had 18 yearlings sell for $639,000 at an average of $35,500 and McAlpine said the better horses had sold well, while some of the horses had struggled in the tricky market.
"I think the stallion had ones that sold well for his best horses here, there was plenty of money for them and some from the older pedigrees were a bit tough, but I think that was probably the theme of the sale," said McAlpine.
On the sale, McAlpine continued: "There were buyers here, obviously they were restricted with how many people they could have on the complex, but everyone I spoke to wanted to buy because it was good buying. However, at the same time they were a bit apprehensive about the economics of selling them on to other people."
