A stunning colt by Redoute’s Choice has topped the third session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The first foal of Group One winner Apercu, the colt attracted just two bids, but that was enough to see the prized lot from Newgate Farm sell for a cool $800,000.
Leading Sydney trainer John O’Shea was the successful bidder and he was delighted with the latest addition to his stable.
“He’s the best Redoute’s Choice (yearling) I have seen in a long time,” O’Shea said. “The best since Fast ‘n’ Famous.”
“He is a very nice colt,” he added.
After missing out on yesterday’s top selling colt, bloodstock agent James Harron secured the Lonhro-Cirque du Soleil filly from Evergreen Stud.
Harron, bidding on behalf of long time client Dr Edmund Bateman, went to $675,000 to buy the prized filly.
“She is a magnificent filly and very, very athletic,” Harron said. “She has a fantastic pedigree to go with it.”
“We rated her as the best filly of the sale. I loved her and to have the pedigree to go with her looks is a bonus,” he added.
Another highlight of the day was when James Bester secured the Redoute’s Choice-Daralara colt from the draft of Arrowfield Stud for $575,000.
“He is as nice a Redoute’s Choice colt as I’ve seen,” Bester said. “He has a wonderful action and extends beautifully in front.”
“He has the class to be a Guineas and Derby horse from a great Aga Khan family.”
Bester said David Hayes would train the colt.
With a strong day’s trade the sale gross grew to $55,782,500 up almost $4 million on the first three sessions last year.
The average price sits at $133,771 and the clearance rate has improved to 81 per cent.
“The sale is going well,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox reported this evening.
“There’s strong demand for quality yearlings and we’ve still got plenty more of those to sell tomorrow night.”
“We’d love to see the clearance rate continue to grow – at the end of session four last year it was 84 per cent and we’d love to get near that again.”
“We’re really looking forward to tomorrow’s Magic Millions raceday with quality fields and world class racing set for the Gold Coast,” Cox added.
The fourth session of the auction will follow the races from 6pm (Qld time).
To view the current results for the sale and to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
SALE STATISTICS
(S1-3 from 2012 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 570 (540)
Sale Gross: $55,782,500 ($51,967,500)
Average Price: $133,771 ($127,684)
Median Price: $105,000 ($100,000)
Top Price: $1,350,000 ($960,000)
Lots Sold: 417 (407)
Lots Withdrawn: 53 (55)
Lots Passed In: 100 (78)
Sold %: 81 (84)
SESSION THREE TOP SELLERS
$800,000 – Redoute’s Choice-Apercu colt
Vendor: Newgate Farm (As Agent) / Buyer: John O’Shea Racing (NSW)
See video
$675,000 – Lonhro-Cirque du Soleil filly
Evergreen Stud Farm (As Agent) / James Harron Bloodstock (NSW)
See video
$575,000 – Redoute’s Choice-Daralara colt
Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / James Bester Bloodstock (NSW)
$575,000 – Fastnet Rock-Awesome Planet colt
Newgate Farm (As Agent) / Spicer Thoroughbreds (Vic)
$400,000 – Fastnet Rock-Elite Circle colt
Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK)
LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)
$5,540,000 – Gai Waterhouse & James Harron B’stock (NSW) – 23 lots
$2,100,000 – Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK) – 8 lots
$1,930,000 – Star Thoroughbreds (NSW) – 18 lots
$1,530,000 – John O’Shea Racing (NSW) – 4 lots
$1,400,000 – Ingordo Bloodstock (USA) – 10 lots
$1,165,000 – Mark Kavanagh (Vic) – 5 lots
$1,070,000 – Peter Moody Racing (Vic) – 10 lots
