The three Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling sale graduates set to run in the inaugural All Star Mile – Amphitrite (Sebring), Mr Money Bags (Written Tycoon) and Balf's Choice (Written Tycoon) – are prime examples of what the middle-market sale is all about.
The trio cost a combined $95,000 but have already amassed a combined $1.4million in prizemoney with 19 race wins between them and they will race for $5million in the world's richest mile race at Flemington next Saturday.
"They are the quintessential Adelaide Magic Millions types." - Bloodstock consultant, Adrian Hancock
"They are the quintessential Adelaide Magic Millions types," Magic Millions Adelaide's bloodstock consultant Adrian Hancock told TDN AusNZ. "It's all about return on investment here, it's a cracking sale for those buying in the $50,000 to $100,000 bracket and it's a sale that always gets a stack of winners."
Magic Millions Adelaide is all about return on investment
Last year's sale averaged $36,168 across books 1 and 2 and Hancock proudly boasts that it "has already produced eight 2-year-old winners."
"That is incredible for a sale of its size, with 349 yearlings sold, to have that level of success already," he said.
Those 2-year-old winners include $30,000 buy Free Of Debt (Unencumbered), a two-time city winner already, and Yulong Savings (Helmet), another $30,000 purchase and debut winner that was an unlucky second at stakes level last start at Flemington.
Return on investment
The typical price point at Adelaide – last year's book 1 averaged $43,763 – attracts a broad range of buyers, including those wanting to race, syndicate or trade.
"It's a great sale to trade out off, there's a lot of flexibility there, you aren't tied into a big target to chase and there is always upside," Hancock said. "It's all about the return on investment."
That isn't to say that top-end quality can't be found at the South Australian sale with Dubai-bound speed machine Viddora (I Am Invincible) bought for just $40,000 at the 2014 sale.
G1 winner Viddora was a $40,000 Adelaide purchase
"It's a good sale for a broad section of buyers," Hancock said. "We had a $300,000 top lot last year, but generally Book 1 is around $40,000 and overall around $35,000."
Variety and local drive
Book 1 starts on Tuesday after a public holiday Monday of local racing at Morphettville that includes the Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO and G2 Adelaide Cup.
The catalogue features an incredibly broad range of horses, with 225 lots BOBS eligible, 157 Super VOBIS nominated and 164 SABOIS Breeder Paid.
An Adelaide record of 139 individual sires are represented, including progeny from 24 first season stallions.
Hancock said i t is the local breeders that provide a vital push for the sale as they look to showcase their wares.
"We have the normal turnout of local bred horses," Hancock said. "It's beautiful country for rearing horses, it's just great agricultural land. We have the Barossa Valley area and the Limestone Coast area. It is great land."
Sellers' market
"South Australian breeders see the sale as a pinnacle and it is a sellers' market," Hancock said. "It provides an important service in the industry in that it gives the smaller breeder an opportunity to showcase their best horses. If you bring a nice yearling to this sale you will get a return."
"It gives the smaller breeder an opportunity to showcase their best horses." - Adrian Hancock
That "here to sell" attitude from vendors transfers to an incredible sale for buyers, Hancock said.
"The vendors are here to sell and it is a popular sale for return buyers, you see the same buyers coming back and reinvesting year after year because they always get a result," he said. "This year looks very consistent with other years. This is the type of standard, great middle market sale you come to expect from Adelaide."
