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Yearling purchased by Upper Bloodstock for $180,000

A colt by Darley's stalwart stallion Lonhro (Octagonal) was the headline act of Book 2 of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on Tuesday after Upper Bloodstock parted with $180,000 for the youngster, who was offered by Goodwood Farm on behalf of Jazcom Thoroughbreds. 

Colin Branthwaite of Jazcom Thoroughbreds said the colt should have been catalogued for Book 1 and was in Book 2 by mistake. Branthwaite said it had happened in 2019 when they topped Book 2 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when Ontrack Thoroughbreds paid $230,000 for filly by Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), who would have been more at home in Book 1. 

"It was a bit of a mistake, but in all honesty, we had the same thing happen in 2019 when we topped Book 2 at Magics in January when our Brazen Beau filly was in Book 2," said Branthwaite. 

"We were all down and out about it, but I just find when Book 2 horses are able to be viewed as Book 1 horses, if you've got the right product they find their way.

"That Brazen Beau filly two years ago made her way to be one of the best (by the sire) in the sale even though she was in Book 2 and she brought $230,000.

"This horse he made himself and the buyers don't miss the nice horses."

Branthwaite said he had tried to get the colt into another sale, but he wasn't accepted so he took his chance with the Magic Millions National Sale and said that if they hadn't got the money they wanted for him he would have raced him.

"Put it this way, he didn't get accepted into the sale I wanted him to go into in NSW and the horse has just furnished," said Branthwaite. "My idea was to put my price on him. I thought I'd put him at Magics and at least put a reserve on him and then if he didn't make reserve then at least he was qualified for the Magics races and race him with my mate."

Branthwaite said the colt was a mirror image of his sire and proved popular during the inspections.

"The horse had good x-rays and, most importantly for a Lonhro, he got 14 or 15 hits on x-ray but even if you have 50, if they aren't good x-rays they are going to sell," said Branthwaite. "Everyone who saw his x-rays would have seen that they were good and his video scope was good.

"The horse has ended up as the closest looking horse to his sire as I've seen. He was a Lonhro colt who looked like Lonhro."

Catalogued as Lot 1625, the colt is the second foal out of dual-winning mare Repected (Street Cry).

Respected herself is a half-sister to South Pacific Classic (Listed, 1400m) winner Federal (Medaglia d'Oro). The colt's third dam is dual Group 3 winner Blue Storm (Bluebird), who in turn produced Group 3 winner Steflara (Zabeel), who is herself a grandam of Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Flit (Medaglia d'Oro).

Branthwaite said pinhookers are an important aspect of their business, so it is important to keep the reserves as fair as possible.

"It's the investors (who are pinhooking) who are under pressure to make money and they end up putting their reserves high and their expectations high," said Branthwaite.

"We keep our reserves low and our expectations low, basically double the purchase price."

Jazcom Thoroughbreds were active at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale last week, buying five lots for an aggregate of $340,000 at an average of $68,000.