3 minute read
Aquis and Phoenix continue to spend big at Magic Millions.
It was somewhat of a deja vu for the two powerhouses, having purchased another son of Not A Single Doubt for $550,000 in the same ring two years in the shape of Farnan, who would go on to land the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) a year later and Aquis Farm CEO Shane McGrath said that he was hoping lightning can strike twice.
"We're obviously unabashed fans of the sire – we were fortunate enough to have secured Farnan from the same ring here two years ago and he went on to win the (Golden) Slipper – and at the end of the day that's the dream, to get them back for these big races," McGrath told Racing.com.
"He's a lovely straight forward colt, we liked everything about him and every time we looked at him he never turned a hair. He's got a great action, he looks like he'll be early (runner) and hopefully lightning can strike twice for us."
Catalogued as Lot 221, the colt is the first foal out of high-class racemare Denmagic (Denman), who was unlucky not to win at stakes level, finishing second in both the Queensland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) and Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m), while she also finished third at Group 1 level in the Myer Classic (Gr 1, 1600m).
The also comes from the same family as Group 2 winner Go The Knuckle (Elvstroem) as well as Group 2 winner and successful sire Magic Albert (Zeditave).
The purchase signalled a great result for Torryburn Stud, who purchased the mare for $350,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and stud manager Melissa Copelin told Racing & Sports Bloodstock she had a feeling he would realise seven figures.
"I had a feeling when we got to the sale he would make a $1 million, but you just never know," said Copelin. "We had a massive amount of inspections and all the top stallion syndicates were on him. He had 27 individual vet inspections and we have had a few million $1 million horses sell before and it was kind of the same interest, but you just never know when you get up there.
"His reserve was $400,000, which he obviously flew through. We are always here to sell and that is just what we have done for the last couple of years, we have sold three $1 million horses in the last four years and they have all had $400,000 reserves, we just think that is a fair and reasonable price and we don't turn a lot of people off and they know they can get it.
"We hand selected the mare from Magic Millions. We liked her because she was a Group 1 performer and a well conformed mare. She went straight in foal to Not A Single Doubt and from day one he was just the perfect foal and I always knew he would be a Magic Millions horse.
"He is very similar to the likes of Farnan and Dubious and has so much quality, but also he has a stallion's profile.
"Denmagic has got a filly by The Autumn Sun at foot and she is an absolute stunner - she really is beautiful. She is a second foal so she is a bit more substantial and the mare is now in foal to Exceed And Excel and the question is where we go next year!"
After spending $550,000 on a colt by Arrowfield Stud's four-time champion sire Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) on the first day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Aquis and Phoenix Thoroughbreds added a second colt by the stallion to their portfolio on Wednesday when they secured a Vinery Stud-consigned youngster for $600,000.
The colt was offered as Lot 314, and is out of winning More Than Ready (Southern Halo) mare Fit And Ready, making him a three-quarter brother to Group 3 winner Very Tempting (Redoute's Choice) and Outrageous (All Too Hard), who landed the Festival Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m) last November.
Fit And Ready herself is out of Listed winner and Group 1-placed Fitting (Marscay) - the dam of 1999 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Catbird (Danehill) as well Group 2 scorer Danbird (Danehill).
