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Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - Vendor In Focus
Who are your pick of the colts and why?
Lot 61 - American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) out of Listed winner Ashley’s Kitty (Tale Of The Cat). He is a flawless type with a huge action, he is just the sort of colt that you just love bringing to sales, the perfect example of what we aim to breed here at Kia Ora, a readymade racehorse that anyone would love to have run in their colours.
I have to also mention Lot 934 - I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) out of Group 2 scorer Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt). He is a standout type and out of a very quick Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare in Villa Verde. I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of I Am Invincible’s in my time and this one is right up there with the best of them. He is the sort of colt that you don’t write notes in your catalogue about, you just remember.
Who are your pick of the fillies and why?
We have a really stellar bunch of fillies this year, athletic types with great residual pages but it’s hard to go past Lot 500, the I Am Invincible out of Maastricht (Mastercraftsman), making her a sister to full to dual Group 1 winner Loving Gaby, I could write an essay about her but let's just say she is the real deal, physique, pedigree and temperament - A Queen.
Who do you feel has improved most over the prep?
A filly that is just thriving in prep and loves her work is Lot 559, a daughter of Sebring (More Than Ready) out of Modern Wonder (Snitzel). By a Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and her dam a stakes winning sister to last year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Away Game. She definitely has the pedigree and her attitude makes me feel whoever buys her will have a big smile on their face when their breaker gives them a call to say how she is going.
How do you feel the 2021 sale will measure compared to previous renewals?
From what I’m hearing, trainers and agents have good orders to fill and I don’t feel sales will take too much of a hit. International interest may be a little less than previous years but racing has stayed strong in Australia throughout the pandemic and with prize-money still remaining the best in the world I think people are seeing racehorse ownership in Australia as an external outlet in what has been a very hard year and something that can still be enjoyed, especially with all the new formats like MiRunners and syndicators offering micro-ownership which allows people to be part of the bigger picture with premium horses in top stables for a fraction of the cost. This along with a lot better coverage on free to air tv and other media outlets racing has really been brought into a lot more Aussie homes in the past year and hopefully this will translate in the sales ring.
How do you think the current COVID pandemic will affect the sale?
As mentioned we will most likely see a decrease in International buyers due to travel restrictions but agents all around the world have been working very well together and providing support at sales to potential buyers who cannot get to these sales. This was evident at the European sales in November / December and I’m sure Australian agents will step up to the mark and continue this effort.
What do you think are the positives to the pandemic on the way that sales are conducted?
The pandemic has really shown us even in the toughest of times the show will go on. Online buying has really turned the corner in the last year. This has been aided by much better content in regards to photos, videos, independent vet checks and so many other components that make buying horses as safe and as transparent as possible. It really is the way of the future and something that will continue to improve over time but as we all know, nothing beats a live sale.
What is the thing you like most about the Gold Coast Sale?
Gold Coast January is the first sale of the year and with that brings a lot of excitement and atmosphere. Gerry and Katie have done a tremendous job over the last few years highlighting this week as not only a premier sale but also an amazing experience with the combination of the race day, polo, barrier draw on the beach to mention but a few, it’s a must attend event for everyone in the industry and a great way to start the year off and catch up with familiar faces.
