At A Glance
>> 'An extraordinary action' attracted Segenhoe's Peter O'Brien to Lot 879, the Zoustar colt from Rothwell Park, who is set to be pinhooked through next year's yearling sales
>> James Bester combined with Lime Country to spend $240,000 on a Written Tycoon filly (Lot 868) from the family of successful Coolmore and Rosemont stallion Starspangledbanner
>> The $200,000 paid for a Dundeel (NZ) colt by Newgate's Jim Carey was a strong result for Phoenix Broodmare Farm
>> The average was $57,581 and median $36,000, compared to $59,926 and $30,000 on Day 1 in 2019
>> The clearance rate was 71.2 per cent, compared to 75 per cent last year
>> In a short opening session, 62 weanlings were sold, and 26 passed in
Zoustar colt lives up the hype
The confidence of Rothwell Park's Scott Irwin in his Zoustar colt, catalogued as Lot 879, was well-placed as Segenhoe Stud won the day, paying $410,000 for a horse Peter O'Brien feels might make a million-dollar yearling in 2021.
Irwin knew who the star of Rothwell Park's big draft was and given the interest pre-Sale believed he would make a considerable impression.
"I sent a text to Barry and Clint from Magics 10 days ago and said don’t be surprised if he tops the Sale, you heard it here first. It was a bit of tongue-in-cheek but it's nice to see that they are still earmarking quality and are prepared to pay in what looks a relatively soft market," he said.
Lot 879 - Zoustar x Miss Husson (colt)
The colt boasted a strong page, being out of stakes-placed mare Miss Husson (Husson {Arg}), who sold to Yulong for $360,000 earlier in the week in foal to The Autumn Sun, from the extended family of Group 1-winning half-brothers Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge {USA}) and Outback Prince (Desert Prince {Ire}).
But it was his walk that had Segenhoe General Manager Peter O'Brien interested in him from a long way out.
"I saw him at Rothwell about six weeks ago when I did a tour around the farms. He was an absolute standout and when I saw him at the Sale, he had just gone on," O'Brien said, "He's a very mature horse, has a load of quality and great balance, but the main thing was, he has an extraordinary action.
"I love the stallion and the mare. Yulong have the Sebring foal and then bought the mare at the Sale and so must have an opinion of that foal. The reality was that he was the absolute standout horse of the Sale."
Peter O'Brien
Irwin admitted that he knew that the good judges would be attracted to the colt by the way he moved.
"He is so fluent with his movement, as was the mare we presented a couple of days before. Those genetics come through. It was a lovely package, with the Zoustar influence in there and it’s paid dividends," he said.
"He was very, very busy and he never put a foot wrong. Considering we got up here on the 10th and he's been here 19 days and hasn't had the chance to go out and express himself in the yard, he's done a great job. The whole draft has handled it well and it's a credit to my staff the way the horses have been educated, it really is."
"He was very, very busy and he never put a foot wrong." - Scott Irwin
Rothwell Park ended the day's leading vendor on both average and aggregate, with nine foals sold for a total of $984,500 and an average of $109,389.
O'Brien, who paid over what he expected for the son of Zoustar, expects to be back on the Gold Coast with the colt in less than six months' time.
"He made more than we thought but he's the type of horse that could make seven figures as a yearling," he said.
"We’ve had more luck pin-hooking expensive weanlings than the cheaper ones and that's just common sense because they are nice horses. We’ll take him home, and then we’ll let him settle in and then make a decision as to what sale he goes to in another two months. It's likely he will be back here in January."
Bester and Lime Country combine for filly
James Bester would have loved to buy Lot 868, the filly by Written Tycoon from Matildare (Rothesay) a half-sister to Gold Anthem (Made Of Gold {USA}), the dam of Group 1-winning international sprinter Starspangledbanner, for his own interests, but was in the role of agent as Lime Country secured her from Aquis Farm for the day's second top price of $230,000.
Lot 868 - Written Tycoon x Matildare (filly)
"She was an outstanding athletic filly with a very good action. She was one of the best movers in the Sale. She had good size and scope and strength and had a fabulous hindquarter, really strong and wide," he said.
"That was the physical reason, but she is out of a half-sister to Starspangledbanner as well as the dam of Amicus, so the pedigree was very strong.
"She is one of those fillies that will hold her value, irrespective of what she does on the racetrack. She will also have that residual value."
Bester said the filly would likely be re-offered as a yearling, but there was considerable upside should that not eventuate for any reason.
James Bester
"Lime Country will take her home and present her at the yearling sales. But she is one of those that you could keep and race and breed from in time," he said.
"Written Tycoon is a major stallion and she's in-bred to Vain and she looks like a very fast filly. Starspangledbanner was one of the fastest horses in the world. I think she is the real deal and I would have loved to have bought her as an end user myself. But she'll go back through, you always have to make the profit!"
It was a strong result for Aquis, who sold eight weanlings on the day, yielding a total of $522,000, for an average of $65,250.
A great Dundeel for Phoenix
Three lots earlier, it was a Dundeel colt offered by Phoenix Thoroughbred Farm which had reached what was then the highest price for the day when Newgate's Jim Carey paid $200,000.
The colt is out of winning Testa Rossa mare Marquise Da Rossa, the three-quarter sister to stakes-placed Elmore (Testa Rossa) from the family of Group 1 winner Marauding (NZ) as well as stakes-winners Springsteen (Danehill {USA}) and Distant Melody (Distant Music {USA}).
Lot 865 - Dundeel (NZ) x Marquise De Rossa (colt)
While Phoenix Thoroughbred Farm's Damian Gleeson had an inkling of the level of interest in the colt, he was stunned by the price.
"We didn’t expect him to make that, it was a great result. He was a lovely horse. All the good judges were on him, bought by Newgate with Coolmore the underbidder, the stars aligned," the Victorian-based vendor said.
"He's been popular right from the start. There was a bit of a chat about him around the Sale. He had plenty of x-ray hits and when you have got that, you are pretty confident something is going to happen. I didn’t expect him to make the 200. It was a nice surprise for us."
Selective buyers target top-end
The feedback from buyers and vendors was pretty consistent in that the bench was selective, but that the demand for the top-quality foals was consistent.
"I thought it was really strong at the top," Bester said. "The Zoustar colt made $410,000 and that's a good price for any weanling at any weanling sale.
"Some of the better horses made a strong price, but it was patchy. It was hard for vendors with horses that weren't identified as stars."
O'Brien agreed that the weanling market was particularly susceptible to the current broader economic uncertainty.
"Like any weanling sale, everybody is on the same ones overall, and that's just a constant. I thought the really nice horses made really nice money. I thought the mares market was really strong, I thought it was extraordinary considering everything that is going on," he said.
"Like any weanling sale, everybody is on the same ones overall, and that's just a constant." - Peter O'Brien
"Hats off to Barry Bowditch at Magic Millions. It must have been a nightmare, for the organisation to put the Sale on, but they have done an incredible job."
Bowditch said the market had held up well, albeit with a strong focus by buyers on the top end offering.
"There's plenty of money here for the right animal. There's obviously an incredible appetite for good quality weanlings and that was evident in the results of today," he said.
Barry Bowditch
"The market is selective, but vendors that are very realistic and are putting their horses on the market are getting them sold. When they have got a good horse, they are getting plenty of bids on it.
"For some of those great supporters of the Sale, whether it be Rothwell, Aquis, Phoenix or Sledmere, looking at their results, they bought quality lots and they have hit it out of the park with those horses."
The Sale continues with over 200 weanlings catalogued to go through the ring on Friday, and Bowditch is confident that with clear indication is where the market sits, vendors are ready to meet the market.
"We have got a lot of nice horses going through. Given the results of today, I think there is plenty of money to be spent. And it won't take much to lift that clearance rate, as long as vendors continue to try and meet the market. I think we can have a solid day's trade," he said.
Top lots
| 879 | Zoustar | Miss Husson | Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford, NSW (As Agent) | Segenhoe Stud | NSW | $410,000 |
| 868 | Written Tycoon | Matildare | Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi, NSW (As Agent) | Lime Country Thoroughbreds/James Bester Bloodstock | NSW | $230,000 |
| 865 | Dundeel (NZ) | Marquise Da Rossa | Phoenix Broodmare Farm, Euroa, Vic (As Agent) | James Carey | NSW | $200,000 |
| 908 | Hellbent | Queen Of Kandy | Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW (As Agent) | D R Pinhook | NSW | $160,000 |
| 841 | Lonhro | La Parisienne | Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW (As Agent) | Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Grant Bloodstock | VIC | $150,000 |
| 901 | So You Think (NZ) | Placement (NZ) | Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW (As Agent) | James Bester Bloodstock | NSW | $130,000 |
| 884 | Zoustar | My Dinah Lee (USA) | Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford, NSW (As Agent) | Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) | VIC | $120,000 |
| 899 | Deep Field | Personable | Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi, NSW (As Agent) | Simple Bloodstock Services | HONG KONG | $120,000 |
| 846 | Dundeel (NZ) | Lead Husson | Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford, NSW (As Agent) | Jazcom Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd | NSW | $100,000 |
| 861 | Zoustar | Mamwaazel | Yulong, Nagambie, Vic (As Agent) | Carlaw Park Ltd | NEW ZEALAND | $100,000 |
| 919 | Deep Field | River Tay | Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | Fernrigg Farm | NSW | $100,000 |
Top buyers
| Segenhoe Stud | 1 | $410,000 | $410,000 | $410,000 |
| James Bester Bloodstock | 3 | $267,500 | $89,167 | $130,000 |
| Lime Country Thoroughbreds/James Bester Bloodstock | 2 | $265,000 | $132,500 | $230,000 |
| BBT Breeding & Racing Pty Ltd/Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) | 5 | $256,000 | $51,200 | $75,000 |
| James Carey | 1 | $200,000 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| D R Pinhook | 2 | $186,000 | $93,000 | $160,000 |
| Simple Bloodstock Services | 2 | $170,000 | $85,000 | $120,000 |
| Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Grant Bloodstock | 1 | $150,000 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) | 1 | $120,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 |
| Carlaw Park Ltd | 1 | $100,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
Top vendors by aggregate
| Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford, NSW | 9 | $984,500 | $109,389 | $410,000 |
| Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW | 5 | $550,000 | $110,000 | $160,000 |
| Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi, NSW | 8 | $522,000 | $65,250 | $230,000 |
| Phoenix Broodmare Farm, Euroa, Vic | 5 | $267,000 | $53,400 | $200,000 |
| Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | 3 | $190,000 | $63,333 | $100,000 |
| Newgate Consignment, Aberdeen, NSW | 2 | $132,000 | $66,000 | $80,000 |
| Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | 5 | $128,000 | $25,600 | $70,000 |
| Bhima Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW | 3 | $127,500 | $42,500 | $60,000 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 2 | $109,000 | $54,500 | $100,000 |
| Rosari Farm, Warwick, Qld | 1 | $75,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
Top vendors by average (2 or more sold)
| Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW | 5 | $110,000 | $160,000 | $550,000 |
| Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds, Blandford, NSW | 9 | $109,389 | $410,000 | $984,500 |
| Newgate Consignment, Aberdeen, NSW | 2 | $66,000 | $80,000 | $132,000 |
| Aquis Farm Operations, Murrurundi, NSW | 8 | $65,250 | $230,000 | $522,000 |
| Yulong, Nagambie, Vic | 3 | $63,333 | $100,000 | $190,000 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 2 | $54,500 | $100,000 | $109,000 |
| Phoenix Broodmare Farm, Euroa, Vic | 5 | $53,400 | $200,000 | $267,000 |
| Bhima Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW | 3 | $42,500 | $60,000 | $127,500 |
| Rheinwood Pastoral Co, Mittagong, NSW | 2 | $32,000 | $60,000 | $64,000 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone, NSW | 2 | $28,000 | $30,000 | $56,000 |
Top sires by aggregate
| Zoustar | 3 | $630,000 | $210,000 | $410,000 |
| Dundeel (NZ) | 4 | $367,000 | $91,750 | $200,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 2 | $300,000 | $150,000 | $230,000 |
| Capitalist | 5 | $291,000 | $58,200 | $80,000 |
| Deep Field | 3 | $272,000 | $90,667 | $120,000 |
| Hellbent | 1 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| Lonhro | 1 | $150,000 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Merchant Navy | 2 | $135,000 | $67,500 | $75,000 |
| So You Think (NZ) | 1 | $130,000 | $130,000 | $130,000 |
| Impending | 2 | $82,000 | $41,000 | $80,000 |
Top sires by average (2 or more sold)
| Zoustar | 3 | $210,000 | $410,000 | $630,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 2 | $150,000 | $230,000 | $300,000 |
| Dundeel (NZ) | 4 | $91,750 | $200,000 | $367,000 |
| Deep Field | 3 | $90,667 | $120,000 | $272,000 |
| Merchant Navy | 2 | $67,500 | $75,000 | $135,000 |
| Capitalist | 5 | $58,200 | $80,000 | $291,000 |
| Impending | 2 | $41,000 | $80,000 | $82,000 |
| Pariah | 2 | $30,500 | $31,000 | $61,000 |
| Spieth (NZ) | 4 | $18,000 | $50,000 | $72,000 |
| Defcon | 2 | $9000 | $11,000 | $18,000 |
