Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
At A Glance
After the second and final day of selling, the aggregate (as at 7pm AEDT) stood at $10,058,500 for 279 lots sold, down on $12.5 million at the same point last year, whilst 2021 yielded $14.5 million.
The average of $36,052 is down on last year’s corresponding figure of $39,460 and that of 2021 ($47,156).
The clearance rate shot up dramatically on Day 2, reaching 80.17 per cent by the end of the day’s trade. Last year’s comparable figure was 83.1 per cent whilst it was 85.2 per cent in 2021.
The median price of $26,000 is below last’s year figure of $30,000, and well below the 2021 figure of $35,000.
Aquis Farm’s first-season sire Dubious marched his way to the top of the sale’s leaderboard on Day 2, with Lot 295, a colt consigned by Waylon J Stud, selling to Gollan Racing and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) for $170,000.
The highest-priced filly to sell on Day 2 also secured joint-second-top honours overall. That was Lot 250, by Love Conquers All, which sold from Lucas Bloodstock to Ontrack Thoroughbreds and Vandyke Bloodstock for $140,000.
Eight yearlings - five colts and three fillies - sold for six figures on Day 2 of the sale, three more than on the first day.
Spending roughly the same as on the first day, Gollan Racing and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) remained the sale's leading buyers, forking out a total of $664,000 on eight yearlings, at an average of $83,000 apiece.
Lyndhurst Stud Farm ended the sale marginally ahead of Eureka Stud on gross receipts, selling 32 for a total of $1,461,500. Eureka won the battle of the averages ($48,167) for their 30 youngsters to sell.
Lyndhurst Stud were also responsible for the sale’s leading sire by aggregate, with their star Better Than Ready grossing $1,951,500 from 36 yearlings, which sold for an average of $54,208. Whilst local rival Spirit Of Boom finished ahead of him on averages ($72,971), the overall winner emerging by that metric was Widden Stud’s Written By, whose four to sell did so at an average of $80,000.
Bowditch upbeat
In-keeping with the theme of yearling sales this season, the key metrics emerging from the sale were down on the previous two editions, but the pull was far from dramatic.
Given that context, Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch told TDN AusNZ that he was pleased with the results of the sale.
“It was a good sale,” Bowditch said. “It’s over 80 per cent and over $10 million, which is good. From our perspective, going in, it’s met our expectations, if not exceeded them.
“It was a good sale. It’s over 80 per cent and over $10 million, which is good. From our perspective, going in, it’s met our expectations, if not exceeded them.” - Barry Bowditch
“A horse that was well-admired physically, out of a pedigree that worked, sold accordingly.”
Bowditch also credited QTIS, which he called “an amazing scheme,” for helping to drive the market throughout the two days of selling.
New kid on the block Dubious proving popular
Aquis Farm’s first-season sire Dubious had eight yearlings sell on Tuesday which moved him into third position on the sires' table by aggregate. They were led by Lot 295, a powerful colt which caught the attention of Queensland’s leading trainer Tony Gollan and agent John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), who went to $170,000 to secure him from local vendor Waylon J Stud.
Describing him as “just a quality animal,” Tony Gollan told TDN AusNZ: “John and I felt he was the nicest colt here at the sale, he’s a really good type of horse.”
“John (Foote) and I felt he (Lot 295) was the nicest colt here at the sale, he’s a really good type of horse.” - Tony Gollan
The colt is the second foal from the unraced Rubick mare Care To Elaborate. She is a half-sister to the early running Voilier (Beneteau). A winner as a 2-year-old over 1100 metres, he was placed in the G2 Silver Slipper S. It’s also the family of Miss Zoe (Zoffany {USA}), whose nine victories include a pair of Group 2s, and she was also placed in the G1 Australian Oaks and G1 Flight S.
With 17 of his yearlings selling for an average of $40,529, Dubious recorded an aggregate of $689,000 at the close of trade on Tuesday.
Dubious | Standing at Aquis
QTIS king: Better Than Ready
Local sire Better Than Ready turned the table on close competitor Spirit Of Boom when he became leading sire by aggregate at the the 2023 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale after losing out to Spirit Of Boom at this sale last year.
Lyndhurst Stud’s star stallion provided local vendor Tipuana Farms with a fantastic result. Lot 208 a brown/black colt by the sire attracted a $130,000 final bid from local trainer Bevan Laming. The powerfully built colt was an August 18 foal and the first from the So You Think (NZ) mare Takotsubo. She won five races and is a daughter of the dual-Listed winner Dual Chamber (Show A Heart).
Meanwhile, the combination of Chris Anderson Racing, Steve Morley Bloodstock, David Giesemann, Bill Davison and Geoff Maynard went to $115,000 to purchase Lot 270. Bred by More Than Ready’s home farm of Lyndhurst Stud, the colt is the first foal from the Top Echelon mare Ardoyne Road. She was a dual-winner and hails from the family of Belle Du Jour (Dehere {USA}), who won the G1 Golden Slipper.
Gallery: Some of Better Than Ready's top-selling yearlings, images courtesy of Magic Millions
Ten lots later Lyndhurst Stud also offered Lot 280 who was knocked down for $100,0000 to the familiar pair of Tony Gollan and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA). The athletic filly is the 11th foal from the stakes-producing mare Bashaayer (High Yield {USA}) and is closely related to Group winners Warrior (SAf) (Futura {SAf}) and Pretty Young Thing (SAf) (Jackson {SAf}).
At the close of trade on Tuesday, Better Than Ready finished with an aggregate of $1,951,500, for 36 lots sold at an average of $54,208. Better than his $45,378 average at last year’s sale, the result saw him leapfrog Spirit Of Boom, whose 16 yearlings sold for an average of $72,531 for total receipts of $1,160,500.
Sires by aggregate
| Better Than Ready | 36 | $1,951,500 | $54,208 | $130,000 |
| Spirit Of Boom | 17 | $1,240,500 | $72,971 | $140,000 |
| Dubious | 17 | $689,000 | $40,529 | $170,000 |
| Encryption | 23 | $629,500 | $27,370 | $90,000 |
| Rothesay | 22 | $437,500 | $19,886 | $75,000 |
| Heroic Valour | 16 | $389,000 | $24,313 | $65,000 |
| Written By | 4 | $320,000 | $80,000 | $120,000 |
| Jungle Cat | 15 | $316,500 | $21,100 | $64,000 |
| Love Conquers All | 6 | $315,500 | $52,583 | $140,000 |
| Dracarys | 7 | $221,000 | $31,571 | $50,000 |
Sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Written By | 4 | $80,000 | $120,000 | $320,000 |
| Spirit Of Boom | 17 | $72,971 | $140,000 | $1,240,500 |
| Capitalist | 3 | $68,333 | $90,000 | $205,000 |
| Better Than Ready | 36 | $54,208 | $130,000 | $1,951,500 |
| Love Conquers All | 6 | $52,583 | $140,000 | $315,500 |
| Headwater | 5 | $42,400 | $100,000 | $212,000 |
| Dubious | 17 | $40,529 | $170,000 | $689,000 |
| Tassort | 3 | $40,333 | $90,000 | $121,000 |
| Impending | 3 | $37,833 | $57,500 | $113,500 |
| Territories | 3 | $34,333 | $70,000 | $103,000 |
Lot 250 - Love Conquers All x Zekeza, filly - $140,000
Consigned by Lucas Bloodstock, this filly was purchased by Ontrack Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd in conjunction with David Vandyke. Ontrack Thoroughbreds has had success with daughters of the now Clear Mountain Fairview-based stallion Love Conquers All, including Savanna Amour which Ontrack principal Grant Morgan selected and raced, a Group 2 winner and multiple-Group 3 winner.
Lot 250 - Love Conquers All x Zekeza (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
David Vandyke told TDN AusNZ : “She’s a strong, well-balanced filly. Looking at her we felt she is a good chance of getting into some of the better races with plenty of QTIS money during her career.
“I am very happy to have secured her with Grant Morgan and Ontrack Thoroughbreds.”
“She’s (Lot 250) a strong, well-balanced filly. Looking at her we felt she is a good chance of getting into some of the better races with plenty of QTIS money during her career.” - David Vandyke
The filly is the fourth foal from the Civic Hope mare Zekeza, a six-time winner. The filly is a sister to Defence Missile who was placed in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas, whilst her half-sister Grey Defence (Instinction) also placed in the same race and both are five-time winners.
Lot 305 - Written By x Chroma, colt - $120,000
Lucas Bloodstock offered Lot 305, an athletic brown colt by Widden Stud’s Written By, who was knocked down to Livistona Grazing Company for $120,000. He is the third foal from the unraced Lonhro mare Chroma. She hails from a family that includes Champion 2-Year-Old Pierro, who retired to Coolmore Stud a victor of five Group 1 races.
“To be honest, the sale was pretty tough but Magic Millions make a pretty solid effort to make sure buyers were here,” Ben Lucas of Lucas Bloodstock told TDN AusNZ.
Lot 305 - Written By x Chroma (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The good ones did go well, and I’d definitely put him in that category. He’s a horse that met a lot of criteria; he could be bought and raced, he could have been bought and taken to a ready-to-run sale or he could have been taken overseas.
“That really opens the door for multiple buyers to consider.”
Lot 380 - Spirit Of Boom x Goodlookin Gambler, filly - $120,000
Chris Anderson Racing, Steve Morley Bloodstock, David Giesemann, Bill Davison and Geoff Maynard teamed up again to purchase Lot 380, a Spirit Of Boom filly for $120,000 from Eureka Stud.
Leading the charge, Steve Morley explained that the same group enjoyed success with one the stallion’s progeny bought at the same sale last year. He was subsequently named Booming Lad and his single race start as a 2-year-old this season saw him finish behind Mishani Royale (Kobayashi), who won the $500,000 2YO QTIS Jewel last weekend.
Lot 380 - Spirit Of Boom x Goodlookin Gambler (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The form is very strong… and we were very keen to target a couple of Spirit Of Booms if we could find the ones we really liked,” Morley told TDN AusNZ.
“This particular filly had great length and a really strong hindquarter, a lovely action and is a very feminine-looking filly.
“Chris Anderson and his clients have gone out and targeted this sale with great success in the past, so we were always keen to come back and pick out the best we could find on the sales ground.”
“This particular filly (Lot 380) had great length and a really strong hindquarter, a lovely action and is a very feminine-looking filly.” - Steve Morley
Lot 380 is the ninth foal from the Johannesburg (USA) mare Goodlookin Gambler, a winner over 1000 metres and a sister to Perudo (Spirit Of Boom), a dual-winning juvenile and winner of the Listed Bill Carter S. The same group of purchasers also teamed to secure another Spirit Of Boom yearling on Tuesday, going to $85,000 for Lot 341, a colt out of the Listed-placed Elitist (Stratum) from Lydnhurst Farm.
Lot 203 - So You Think (NZ) x Surprise Party, colt - $100,000
Local vendor Rosari Farm was rewarded when they offered Lot 203 a bay/brown colt by Coolmore’s So You Think (NZ). John Gray and trainers Peter and Will Hulbert went to $100,000 to take him home.
Peter Hulbert told TDN AusNZ: “We thought he was the benchmark colt of the day. I am wrapt to be taking him home.”
Lot 203 - So You Think (NZ) x Surprise Party (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The colt is the third foal from the Commands mare Surprise Party. She was a three-time winner at 1000 metres and is herself out of the six-time winning Encosta De Lago mare Secret Gift, who was placed in the Listed Dane Ripper H. She from the same family of the speedy Sweet Dolly (Real Saga), a winner of four in succession including the Listed Calaway Gal S.
Top lots
| 295 | Dubious | Care To Elaborate | C | Waylon J Stud | Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | $170,000 |
| 250 | Love Conquers All | Zekeza | F | Lucas Bloodstock | Ontrack Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd/Vandyke Bloodstock | $140,000 |
| 208 | Better Than Ready | Takotsubo | C | Tipuana Farms | S B Laming Racing | $130,000 |
| 305 | Written By | Chroma | C | Lucas Bloodstock | Livistona Grazing Company | $120,000 |
| 380 | Spirit Of Boom | Goodlooking Gambler | F | Eureka Stud | Chris Anderson Racing/Steve Morley Bloodstock/David Giesemann/Bill Davison/Geoff Maynard | $120,000 |
| 270 | Better Than Ready | Ardoyne Road | C | Lyndhurst Stud Farm | Chris Anderson Racing/Steve Morley Bloodstock/David Giesemann/Bill Davison/Geoff Maynard | $115,000 |
| 203 | So You Think | Surprise Party | C | Rosari Farm | John Gray/Hulbert Racing | $100,000 |
| 280 | Better Than Ready | Bashaayer | F | Lyndhurst Stud Farm | Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | $100,000 |
| 310 | Better Than Ready | Coogee Coozifa | F | Lyndhurst Stud Farm | Kelly Schweida Racing | $90,000 |
| 326 | Tassort | De Lago Bloom | C | Warrandale Stud | Mark Currie | $90,000 |
Top buyers
| Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) | 8 | $664,000 | $83,000 | $170,000 |
| Sears Racing/Catheryne Bruggeman/Paul Moroney Bloodstock | 7 | $343,000 | $49,000 | $140,000 |
| Chris Anderson Racing/Steve Morley Bloodstock/David Giesemann/Bill Davison/ Geoff Maynard | 3 | $320,000 | $106,667 | $120,000 |
| Group 1 Pty Ltd | 6 | $298,000 | $49,667 | $90,000 |
| Vandyke Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 5 | $234,000 | $46,800 | $70,000 |
| Green Racing | 5 | $193,000 | $38,600 | $90,000 |
| Livistona Grazing Company | 2 | $190,000 | $95,000 | $120,000 |
| Michael Nolan | 3 | $172,500 | $57,500 | $75,000 |
| Munce Racing | 4 | $158,500 | $39,625 | $50,000 |
| Desleigh Forster | 3 | $155,000 | $51,667 | $65,000 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Warwick, Qld | 32 | $1,461,500 | $45,672 | $115,000 |
| Eureka Stud, Cambooya, Qld | 30 | $1,445,000 | $48,167 | $140,000 |
| Kenmore Lodge, Wyreema, Qld | 30 | $1,019,500 | $33,983 | $90,000 |
| Lucas Bloodstock, Croftby, Qld | 10 | $686,000 | $68,600 | $140,000 |
| Raheen Stud, Warwick, Qld | 19 | $598,500 | $31,500 | $75,000 |
| Tullyard, Boodua, Qld | 11 | $385,000 | $35,000 | $90,000 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 9 | $369,500 | $41,056 | $90,000 |
| Telemon Thoroughbreds, Innisplain, Qld | 15 | $362,500 | $24,167 | $110,000 |
| Tipuana Farms, Boonah, Qld | 5 | $315,500 | $63,100 | $130,000 |
| Noble Bend Farm, Greenmount, Qld | 10 | $312,500 | $31,250 | $65,000 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Lucas Bloodstock, Croftby, Qld | 10 | $68,600 | $140,000 | $686,000 |
| Tipuana Farms, Boonah, Qld | 5 | $63,100 | $130,000 | $315,500 |
| Clear Mountain Fairview Pty Ltd, Greenmount, Qld | 5 | $49,400 | $110,000 | $247,000 |
| Warrandale Stud, Biddadabba, Qld | 6 | $48,917 | $90,000 | $293,500 |
| Eureka Stud, Cambooya, Qld | 30 | $48,167 | $140,000 | $1,445,000 |
| Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Warwick, Qld | 32 | $45,672 | $115,000 | $1,461,500 |
| Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld | 9 | $41,056 | $90,000 | $369,500 |
| Taormina Lodge, Rifle Range, Qld | 3 | $38,000 | $70,000 | $114,000 |
| Glenlogan Park, Innisplain, Qld | 5 | $36,900 | $57,500 | $184,500 |
| Tullyard, Boodua, Qld | 11 | $35,000 | $90,000 | $385,000 |
