Strong Start For Coolmore At Magics

[Wandering Eyes]

Coolmore Australia got off to a strong start during the opening session of the marathon Magic Millions National Sale on Thursday, selling the top four lots during the first of two sessions of the weanling sale. Two of those, including the A$650,000 session-topping colt out of New Zealand Group 1 winner Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) (lot 138), were by Fastnet Rock (Aus). The session’s top-priced filly, a A$625,000 half-sister to Classic winner Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) (lot 66), is from the first crop of Coolmore’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus), and bringing up the quartet was a filly by Coolmore’s ever reliable Choisir (Aus) who is a half-sister to four-time group winner Formality (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 239).

Vancouver trailed only his barnmate Fastnet Rock on average for the first day, with seven sold for an average of A$190,000 compared to three sold for an average of A$358,333 for the elder champion sire. Another Coolmore resident, the red hot second-season sire Pierro (Aus), sits third (five sold, A$172,000), followed by Queensland’s first-season sire sensation Spirit of Boom (Aus) (two sold, A$132,500), Sebring (Aus) (four sold, A$116,000) and leading first-season sire Zoustar (Aus) (four sold, A$115,000).

Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said of Vancouver, “He was an unbelievable racehorse. On the back of that you’d be excited about him going forward. He’s got some really nice foals back at the farm and a lot of the breeders are really supporting him again this year. If it happens like it’s happening with Pierro you’d be looking forward to it.”

With 191 youngsters sold (clearance rate 82%) for A$11,640,000, figures were up across the board on Thursday. The average climbed 12.2% to A$60,942, and the median was up 33.3% to A$40,000.

“We’re really pleased with the day’s proceedings,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “It’s a good, solid start to the National Weanling Sale. There’s good confidence in the market and there’s a great spread of buyers on the sheets. No one is really dominating among the buyers– that is very pleasing. On a whole it’s been a good, solid day of trade.”

Bred by China Horse Club, the session-topping colt is the second foal for his dam, who was bought by China Horse Club and Coolmore for A$740,000 at this sale’s broodmare section three years ago. Diademe’s first foal, a full-brother to this colt, was bought by Mark Pilkington and Lindsay Park Racing for NZ$1-million at Karaka in January. The colt on Thursday was bought by Craig Rounsefell’s Boomer Bloodstock for a syndicate of owners.

“He’s a lovely colt,” Rounsefell said. “He’s obviously by Fastnet Rock–huge pedigree being out of a Group 1 winner–just an exciting colt to get. He’s the right type. He’s going to grow into a nice horse and hopefully it’s a good decision.”

“I bought him for a syndicate of owners, the decision is now in their hands, whether he will be re-offered or taken to the racetrack, it will be a decision made in the coming months.”

China Horse Club was also busy buying at the top of the market on Thursday, snapping up the session’s highest-priced filly, the A$625,000 Vancouver half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Preferment. China Horse Club is also listed as the breeder of the filly, who was sold through Coolmore.

While those two were the breakout horses of the session, there was plenty of action at the top of the market. Other highlights included a full-sister to Group 2 winner Mongolian Falcon (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 34) bought by Damion Flower’s Jadeskye Racing and Samaco Racing and a colt from the fourth crop of dual Classic-winning sire Pierro (Aus) (lot 171) picked up by Rhys Smith for A$225,000. Tom Magnier opted to take home a Vancouver (Aus) filly from the Coolmore draft when signing for lot 202 at A$225,000. Yet another exciting young Coolmore sire, So You Think (NZ), had a filly (lot 255) sell for A$210,000 to U.S.-based agent Roderick Wachman, and Victoria’s leading sire Written Tycoon (Aus) saw support from Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock and Paul Moroney, who signed for a colt (lot 252) for A$200,000.

In addition to the Kentucky-based Wachman, who purchased three total on the day, other international buyers that were busy included Hannah Wall’s Redwall Bloodstock, which bought four weanlings for between A$45,000 and A$125,000; Justin Casse, who bought three; and Dermot Farrington, who signed for four.

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