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The first foal of former outstanding racemare Madam Rouge topped Day Four of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The sale's leading buyers Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Bruce Slade's Kestrel Thoroughbreds teamed up with Jes Sikura, Hill 'n' Dale Farm and Will Johnson to purchase the prized filly for $1.7 million.
Offered by Widden Stud and one of five lots to sell for over $1 million, the filly is from Madam Rouge, a Group winner who was purchased by Widden carrying the day's topper for $2.4 million at the 2022 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
"We really didn't have too much intention to get involved in anything when we came over here but I have to give complete credit to Will Johnson," Kentucky based Jes Sikura said.
"He's always at the top of his game, he finds the nicest horses in every sale and it wouldn't have happened without him, especially without Gai and Adrian putting together such a good group."
"Being by I Am Invincible out of a Graded Stakes-winning mare by Zoustar, she really ticked all the boxes and we thought if there was some point to get involved she was the one to do it with."
"We're beyond excited for the future to come."
"It was a pretty big thrill. We knew we were going to have to pay something, we weren't sure of the exact number."
"They (auctioneer) were definitely fighting for the $1.8 million up there and we were shaking a little bit, so we were happy to get it at $1.7 million. She was worthy of every dollar and we’re excited for the future."
Will Johnson was equally as excited to be involved with the day's top seller.
"Everything about her was special. She paraded herself beautifully all week, she's got the size and strength of those good fillies."
"She’s in the mould of her mother, you think of a Sunlight or a Loving Gaby, she really fills the frame."
"John Sikura, Jes' dad said, 'if there's something really special let me know'. I quickly texted Jes earlier in the week and said just look at (Lot) 900 and we'll see what Gai thinks."
"Adrian and Gai have put together a great partnership with some of the stable clients to come in alongside Hill 'n' Dale and hopefully she can grace the turf of the Gold Coast over the next couple of seasons and hopefully go onto bigger things at G1 level."
"With that residual value she's going to have beautiful progeny, so she’s the complete package," Johnson added.
The second top seller on the day was the Snitzel filly from In Times of War - the half sister to this season's Breeders' Plate winner Espionage.
The Baramul Stud offering was knocked down to TFI and Peter Moody for $1.4 million.
"It was too much money but we hope she can run and justify it," her future trainer said.
"The medium-sized Snitzel which are generally the runners, a half to a Breeders' Plate winner and this filly has the attributes that we'd like to think she'll be going around in those early two-year-old races as well in the hope that we might have her back up here next year."
"She has handled the day very well. She paraded terrific out the back. It got a bit warm out there and it's great to see their attitude when they're presented to a foreign environment and she coped with it really well."
"She is a lovely family and Gerry and the team at Baramul have done a great job and we're hoping Katherine and I and the team can have a bit of luck with her at Pakenham."
"TFI will race the filly in syndicate and I would suggest they will be the bigger part of the ownership."
"We’ve had a bit of luck with them over the years and this season with Eneeza who is a similar type of filly who might get up and run early for us."
"It is always nice to get a couple in the yard by proven stallions and we’ve bought a smashing Exceed and Excel filly earlier today and a smashing Snitzel filly."
Another of the day's stars was the Justify filly from Invincible Star - she sold to Waterhouse, Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $1.3 million.
Bred by Morning Rise Stud she was offered through the Coolmore Stud draft.
"We know mum very well and we're starting to get to know a little bit about the progeny of dad as well with Storm Boy obviously going into the Magic Millions (2YO Classic)," Adrian Bott said.
"This colt seemed the profile that we were looking to going for into the sale."
"Invincible Star was such a sharp horse, we had her and she won first time out of asking up the straight at Flemington – she was so quick – and we had her lined up for an Everest at one point and she just went down a nose in the Coolmore."
"She was the fastest filly of her generation and we’ve seen what Justify is starting to do down here, so it seemed a nice mix and he was a nice physical."
"We're going to give him the chance (to run early). We're always looking for horses that can potentially get us back here next year with the ultimate aim being looking for Golden Slipper winners with colts out of this sale."
"She had an incredible race record, he's off a great farm and the fact we're enjoying some success with the stallion, it just gives you a lot more confidence to go into those type of horses."
"Justify is doing a phenomenal job worldwide, in America, Europe, and we’re starting to see that success down here in Australia."
"It helps you be confident and go in strong on those horses," Bott added.
Plenty of records have been broken at this year's Gold Coast Yearling Sale and one of those was the sale record for leading WA breeder Amelia Park.
Their Zoustar colt from Lady Cosmology was sold to James Harron's Colt Partnership for $1.3 million. He was yet another seven figure seller in the Segenhoe Stud draft.
"She (Lady Cosmology) was a super-fast mare, she had great form around the likes of Arcadia Queen - a household name in the west and he was a cracking colt; a beautifully-balanced horse who handled the sale very well and we were very keen to get him."
"She's just getting going, a young mare and it’s very exciting. I’m pleased to get him, he was born and raised at Segenhoe and we’ve had a lot of luck off that particular farm."
"Zoustar is going great. He just keeps going from strength to strength. I quite like this colt on the dam side and he was a nice, medium size, well balanced and lot of quality, so hopefully he’s fast."
Meanwhile, the run of success for first season sires on the Gold Coast continued with the Farnan colt from I Am Excited selling earlier in the day for $1.2 million.
The Bell River Thoroughbreds colt set a farm sales record when he was snapped up by Kia Ora and the Farnan Partnership in conjunction with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
"He's the best horse by the stallion here and he made his money," Kia Ora's Luke Wilkinson noted.
"There were a lot of syndicates on him – I reckon we beat Henry (Field, Newgate) in the bidding – and I know a lot of other stud farms liked him."
"We're happy to support our stallions and we're thrilled to have such a nice prospect going forward."
"We're all trying to get our Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper winners, so he will be put on that target. Gai Waterhouse will train and she knows how to win a Golden Slipper."
After four days of selling the sale gross has surpassed $205 million for 727 lots selling at an average price of $282,298 and impressive clearance rate of 86 per cent.
"I was pleased with today," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "It went 'steady as she goes' as expected. It can be sticky out there at times."
"We saw a few pass in but on the whole we seem to be still getting those done outside of the ring which is pleasing."
"An average of $282,000, a clearance rate of 86%, and a gross of $205 million which is only $2 million off last year at the same stage."
"A fantastic result and a result that we would have been thrilled to take five days ago."
Bowditch said he was pleased to see the involvement of the Sikura family in purchasing the day's top seller.
"Jes Sikura has become a great friend of Magic Millions and I consider his father one of the best breeders in the world."
"For them to want to spend money here is, what I consider, a great honour."
"It isn't all about million-dollar lots, though, all but 14% of the lots have been cleared," Bowditch summed up.
To view the results of the sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
Attention now switches across the road to Aquis Park for the $14.25 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday with an outstanding 11 race card.
Following the action packed day on the track all eyes will cross back to the Magic Millions Sales Complex with Day Five of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale commencing at 6pm (Qld time).
SALE STATISTICS
(Day 1-4 2023 in brackets)
- Lots Catalogued: 930 (890)
- Lots Sold: 727 (699)
- Lots Passed In: 122 (94)
- Lots Withdrawn: 81 (96)
- Top Price: $2,100,000 ($2,700,000)
- Sale Gross: $205,230,500 ($207,784,000)
- Average Price: $282,298 ($297,259)
- Median Price: $210,000 ($220,000)
- Sold %: 86 (88)
DAY FOUR TOP SELLERS
$1,700,000 - I am Invincible-Madam Rouge filly (Lot 900)
Vendor: Widden Stud (As Agent) / Buyer: Jes Sikura/Hill 'n' Dale Farm/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/William Johnson B'stock/Kestrel T'breds (NSW)
$1,400,000 - Snitzel-In Times of War filly (Lot 786)
Baramul Stud / TFI/Moody Racing (VIC)
$1,300,000 - Justify-Invincible Star colt (Lot 795)
Coolmore Stud (As Agent for Morning Rise Stud) / Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel T'breds (NSW)
$1,300,000 - Zoustar-Lady Cosmology colt (Lot 838)
Segenhoe Stud (As Agent) / James Harron B'stock Colt Partnership (NSW)
$1,200,000 - Farnan-I Am Excited colt (Lot 768)
Bell River T'breds / Waterhouse & Bott/Kia Ora/Farnan P'ship (NSW)
LEADING BUYERS
(ranked by total spend)
$8,370,000 - Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Boss/Kestrel T'breds - 22 lots
$6,965,000 - DC Ellis CNZM - 10 lots
$6,870,000 - Ciaron Maher B'stock - 20 lots
$6,185,000 - James Harron B'stock Colt Partnership - 7 lots
$6,120,000 - China Horse Club/Newgate/Go B'stock/Trilogy - 11 lots
LEADING SIRES
(ranked by average - 3 or more sold)
$825,000 - Frankel - 4 sold
$709,500 - Extreme Choice - 10 sold
$674,138 - I Am Invincible - 29 sold
$544,667 - Snitzel - 30 sold
$500,714 - Justify - 7 sold
LEADING VENDORS
(ranked by gross)
$16,075,000 - Segenhoe Stud - 28 sold
$15,515,000 - Newgate Farm - 44 sold
$12,650,000 - Coolmore Stud - 38 sold
$12,110,000 - Widden Stud - 31 sold
$12,015,000 - Yarraman Park Stud - 31 sold
LEADING VENDORS
(ranked by average - 3 or more sold)
$578,333 - Grenville Stud - 3 sold
$576,667 - Milburn Creek - 9 sold
$574,107 - Segenhoe Stud - 28 sold
$446,667 - Rosemont Stud - 6 sold
$414,444 - Baramul Stud - 18 sold
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