It was the Gai Waterhouse, James Harron and Fastnet Rock show at the Magic Millions sales complex today as the 2013 Gold Coast Yearling Sale made a solid start.

Waterhouse and Harron, last year’s leading buyers, were out in force again and secured today’s two session toppers for $500,000 and rounded out the day securing eight yearlings at a spend of $2.53 million.

The pair of yearlings sharing the top honours and headed to Waterhouse’s record breaking stables are by champion sire Fastnet Rock and sold through the draft of Coolmore Stud.

The first of the half million dollar sellers was the Fastnet Rock-Legally Bay filly, a full sister to Group One performer Jolie Bay.

“She is the best bred filly out of a top class mare,” Waterhouse exclaimed. “How can you go wrong?”

“She has a gorgeous demeanour,” she added.

After being originally passed in, the Fastnet Rock-Liberty Rose colt from Coolmore Stud will also be heading to Randwick after being purchased by Waterhouse and Harron for $500,000.

“It’s a great sale and I think there is some terrific value,” Waterhouse added. “I’ve had so much success buying from the sale and I love the Gold Coast.”

Waterhouse’s good friend, leading Sydney syndicator Denise Martin, buying under her Star Thoroughbred operation, snapped up nine yearlings to be the sale’s second leading buyer to date with a spend of $970,000.

First season sires were popular during the day and a colt by Victorian based sprinter Wanted topped the first season progeny sales list when he told for $460,000 late in the session.

The sale topper at last year’s National Weanling Sale, the colt was consigned by Newgate Farm and after a fierce bidding war it was Hong Kong’s George Moore who held the bid when the hammer fell.

“I knew he was going to be popular and we had to see off Gai Waterhouse to buy him,” Moore said.

“He wasn’t cheap, but he is a magnificent individual and we’ve also had some great success buying top yearlings by first season sires here in the past.”

All up over the session over $17.3 million was traded on 135 lots sold – the average price, like the gross, up on last year’s opening session.

The clearance rate today of 77 per cent was also up on the 75 per cent achieved for the corresponding session twelve months ago.

“It was a satisfactory day of selling,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox noted.

“The gross, average, median and clearance are all up a bit on last year’s opening session, but last year’s sale’s figures did rise and we’re hoping this can happen again this year.”

“We had a great spread of buyers and importantly we have some outstanding youngsters to go under the hammer over the coming few days,” Cox added.

The second session of the sale will commence at 11am (Qld time) tomorrow. Those unable to be at the complex can catch the action live via the Magic Millions website.

SESSION ONE STATISTICS
(2012 session one in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 190 (180)
Sale Gross: $17,372,500 ($14,750,000)
Average Price: $128,685 ($118,952)
Median Price: $105,000 ($100,000)
Top Price: $500,000 ($450,000)
Lots Sold: 135 (124)
Lots Withdrawn: 15 (14)
Lots Passed In: 40 (42)
Sold %: 77 (75)

SESSION ONE TOP SELLERS

$500,000 – Fastnet Rock-Legally Bay filly
Vendor: Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Gai Waterhouse & James Harron B’stock (NSW)

$500,000 – Fastnet Rock-Liberty Rose colt
Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Gai Waterhouse & James Harron B’stock (NSW)

$460,000 – Fastnet Rock-My Lady’s Chamber colt
Lomar Park Stud / Gai Waterhouse & James Harron B’stock (NSW)

$460,000 – Wanted-Regal Arena colt
Newgate Farm (As Agent) / George Moore Bloodstock (HK)

$400,000 – Snitzel-Miss Kournikova filly
Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / Dan Bougoure (Qld)

LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)

$2,530,000 – Gai Waterhouse & James Harron B’stock (NSW) – 8 lots
$970,000 – Star Thoroughbreds (NSW) – 9 lots
$780,000 – Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK) – 4 lots
$640,000 – Moody Racing (Vic) – 5 lots