Records Tumble at National Weanling Sale

Media Release - Monday May 30

Records tumbled across the board as spirited bidding helped the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale reach new heights in 2016.

A colt by leading sire Exceed and Excel topped the day's sale when knocked down to the bid of Damion Flower - purchasing the youngster in conjunction with Amarina Farm for $350,000.

The colt, catalogued as Lot 270 for Rothwell Park, is the first foal of the unraced Artie Schiller mare Doctine - a half sister to Group Two winning sprinter and $1.5 million earner Rain Affair.

"He's a beautiful colt," Flower said. "He's really well balanced."

"With Craig (Anderson, Amarina Farm) we looked at him early and he ticked all the boxes."

"He has a bit of quality about him and he looks like the type of Exceed and Excel that will run," Flower added.

The Exceed and Excel colt was one of five individual lots to sell for $300,000 or more during a great day of trade on the Gold Coast.

The second top seller of the day and the overall top selling filly was the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds offered So You Think-Dorf Command youngster who was purchased by New Zealand's Ascot Farm in partnership with Victoria's Ampulla Lodge for $335,000.

The attractive youngster is the third foal of the stakes winning and group placed Commands mare Dorf Command, a winner of seven races and over $429,000.

"During the pre-sales we loved her," Ascot Farm's Bruce Harvey said. "We thought she was probably one of the best horses on the sale ground, not just filly."

"So You Think was on our radar and she was the one that we loved," Harvey added.

Today's action capped a memorable two day Magic Millions National Weanling Sale with new benchmarks established across the board.

"It's the highest grossing sale ever conducted in the Southern Hemisphere and that's a big number," Magic Millions Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.

"It's very much a viable option for our breeders to consider and sell their horses 12 months earlier and at the end of the day you could argue they are getting yearling prices."

The gross at the two day sale rounded out at over $17 million - up over $2.2 million on last year's record breaking auction. The clearance rate of 86 per cent was up from 79 and the average price of $60,138 is another record figure for the auction.

Fastnet Rock was the leading sire for the sale by gross ($1,490,000) and average ($248,333 for 6 sold). He also supplied the sale topper on Day One.

In the first season sire battle it was Dundeel ($143,333 average for 6 sold) who came out on top. Zoustar, a former graduate of the sale himself, was well received also with an average of $118,938 for 8 sold.

Attention now turns to the National Broodmare Sale with an outstanding line up of lots to go under the hammer from Wednesday at 10am (Qld time).

SALE STATISTICS

(2015 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued : 370 (369)

Sale Gross : $17,079,250 ($14,829,500)

Average Price: $60,138 ($60,038)

Top Price: $400,000 ($500,000)

Lots Sold: 284 (247)

Lots Withdrawn : 39 (62)

Lots Passed In: 47 (64)

Sold % : 86 (79)

DAY TWO TOP SELLERS