Sunlight's sister smashes Gold Coast Yearling record

By Magic Millions Media

The full sister to former superstar sprinter Sunlight sold for $2.6 million late yesterday and in doing so smashed the all-time record in the rich history of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Offered up by Widden Stud, the Zoustar filly from Group-winning and top producing mare Solar Charged was snapped up by Yu Long Investments after an enthralling bidding battle.

The filly broke the previous all time Gold Coast Yearling Sale record price of $2.2 million that was set by two sons of Redoute's Choice in 2008.

"It's fantastic," Yu Long Investment's Sam Fairgray said moments after the gavel fell.

"Obviously she has a great physique and with a fantastic page.

"We're delighted that she'll be racing with the Yulong colours and eventually she's got a great future as a broodmare also.

"To have access to a filly like that, it doesn’t come along very often and it's great to be able to secure her.

"Mr Zhang is delighted. We’ve bought some really nice pedigree mares and to be able to get a really nice yearling like this is exciting."

At this stage it is undecided who will be given the honour to train the record-breaking filly.

"Not yet," Fairgray said when asked about a trainer.

"We'll get her home and broken in and then see where we'll progress from there.

"With her residual value she was going to be worth a lot of money and with the prize money in Australia and the way she walked and her physique, hopefully we are here this time next year and, obviously, races like the Golden Slipper.

"Mr Zhang wants to keep building the quality so it is exciting times for Yulong and the industry with the investment in it.

"Quality, you can't beat and she had all of that and whatever she does on the track will be a bonus with the residual she's got there and with her sisters breeding.

"The family doesn't need to prove anything."

Antony Thompson from Widden Stud was delighted with the sale result.

"Obviously very excited and relieved," Thompson said.

"It has been an enormous build-up and a lot of media coverage - a lot of pressure but it really exceeded our expectations.

"We have a great team. It's been a really busy week as she's had over 300 parades.

"We thought from where we were that she’s probably one of the best fillies we’ve ever bred and I said possibly I don’t think we’ve ever seen a better filly go through an auction ring in Australia this year or maybe even for a long time."

Meanwhile, the third last offering of the day, the I Am Invincible colt from Group 1 winner Spright proved the day's second top seller at $1.6 million.

Coolmore's Tom Magnier was able to secure the colt from the draft of Cressfield.

"He’s a lovely colt and thanks to the team at Cressfield. They had this horse looking great," Magnier said.

"They're great supporters of the farm as well, as for us we're looking for the next Home Affairs.

"I Am Invincible is an unbelievable stallion. It's a real stallions pedigree and the whole team thought he was a stand out on the grounds and we're delighted to secure this colt for our syndicate.

"Hopefully we’ll find the next Home Affairs - that’s the big thing."

With two days of the sale now completed, the sale gross has ticked over $94 million with 320 lots sold at an impressive average price of $293,781.

The clearance rate currently sits at 87 per cent.

"I am super pleased," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.

"I knew the average would move in the right direction but it's gone ahead hugely, I think we’re up $7,000 to the same stage last year.

"The gross is fractionally down on last year but that clearance rate is really starting to move.

"It's up to 87 per cent and I think it can continue to move.

"That middle market, from the sale average through to $750,000-$800,000 is very, very deep.

"You look at the buyers sheet, there's no one getting in and dominating, there's a good spread of buyers to this point, which I am delighted about."

Click here to view the results of the sale so far or to make an offer on a passed in lot.

Day three of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale commences at 10am local time Thursday.

SALE STATISTICS (2022 days one and two in brackets)

• Lots catalogued: 420 (400)
• Lots sold: 320 (338)
• Lots withdrawn: 52 (41)
• Lots passed in: 48 (20)
• Sale gross: $94,010,000 ($97,007,500)
• Top price: $2,600,000 ($1,700,000)
• Average price: $293,781 ($287,004)
• Median price: $230,000 ($227,500)
• Sold %: 87 (94)

DAY TWO TOP SELLERS

• $2,600,000 - Zoustar-Solar Charged filly (Lot 399) Vendor: Widden Stud (as agent) / Buyer: Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd;
• $1,600,000 - I Am Invincible-Spright colt (Lot 417) Cressfield / Tom Magnier;
• $850,000 - Zoustar-Ravenous Lass colt (Lot 279) Lime Country T'breds (as agent) / James Harron B'stock Colt Partnership;
• $800,000 - Exceed and Excel-Nothin But a Dream colt (Lot 190) Edinburgh Park / Kia Ora Stud/TFI/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
• $800,000 - Zoustar-Personalised filly (Lot 229) Musk Creek Farm (as agent) / Boomer Bloodstock; and
• $800,000 - I Am Invincible-Rose of Choice colt (Lot 308) Yarraman Park Stud (as agent) / China Horse Club/Newgate/Go B'stk/Trilogy Racing.

LEADING BUYERS (ranked by total spend)

• $4,875,000 - China Horse Club/Newgate/Go B'stk/Trilogy - eight lots;
• $4,270,000 - Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd - six lots;
• $3,320,000 - Curran Bloodstock - seven lots;
• $2,945,000 - Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel T'breds - eight lots; and
• $2,630,000 - Ciaron Maher B'stock - seven lots.

LEADING SIRES (ranked by average - three or more sold)

• $660,625 - Zoustar - 16 sold;
• $587,727 - I Am Invincible - 22 sold;
• $508,222 - Fastnet Rock - three sold;
• $499,000 - Exceed and Excel - five sold; and
• $479,615 - Snitzel - 13 sold.

LEADING VENDORS (ranked by gross)

• $6,905,000 - Newgate Farm - 18 sold;
• $6,770,000 - Widden Stud - 18 sold;
• $5,825,000 - Arrowfield Stud - 21 sold;
• $4,205,000 - Coolmore Stud - 17 sold; and
• $4,190,000 - Baramul Stud - 10 sold.

LEADING VENDORS (ranked by average - three or more sold)

• $680,000 - Cressfield - three sold;
• $591,667 - Milburn Creek - three sold;
• $565,000 - Emirates Park - four sold;
• $449,375 - Segenhoe Stud - eight sold; and
• $419,000 - Baramul Stud - 10 sold.