A remarkable 2020 Magic Millions National Sale came to a close on the Gold Coast today with progeny of Lonhro starring across the day.
The top price for the afternoon was $260,000 given by Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock for the exciting race prospect Noble Privilege.
The unraced, but trial winning colt was offered during the National Racehorse section as part of the Estate of the late Eduardo Cojuangco Sale.
"We missed out on the Shalaa last night, we were wrapt with that Shalaa but when this guy came up, he was just a must get for us," Darby Racing's Sale Manager Mark Holland said.
“Lonhro, outstanding family, two stallions in the family and he’s a horse that's won a city trial already. This horse is still a colt, he’s by Lonhro who is a champion stallion and he was just a must have."
“That’s one of the massive bonuses. We’re up here buying yearlings at the moment and now we can get our shareholders into a racehorse and with legitimate reasons for Gooree to be moving him on."
Darby Racing revealed they would transfer the exciting prospect to the stables of Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes.
"Obviously John (Hawkes) with Lonhro, it’s a great match," Holland said. "They pride themselves on good types and this colt was a mirror image of his father and we think it's a perfect fit for Team Hawkes."
It was a Lonhro sort of day on the Gold Coast as the second top seller in the National Racehorse Sale and the headline horse from the Godolphin draft was another son of Lonhro, Haunted.
A stakes winner and last start placegetter in the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton, Haunted sold for $160,000 to Queensland based owner Jack Pakis.
All 30 lots offered at the National Racehorse Sale were sold for a gross of over $1.8 million - boasting an average price of over $60,000. Earlier in the day, the National Yearling Sale concluded with Book Two action and a colt by Darley's champ Lonhro was the star of the session - selling for $180,000.
Offered by Goodwood Farm, as agent for Jazcom Thoroughbreds, the Lonhro colt was the subject of bids from around the complex before a $180,000 online bid from Hong Kong based Upper Bloodstock proved the winning one.
The Lonhro colt is the second foal of the Sydney winning Street Cry mare Respected - a half sister to stakes winner Federal. It's also the family of Godolphin's recent Group One winner Flit.
"To achieve well over $80 million for the stock we had and to be clearing well over three quarters of what we offered is a phenomenal effort in the current climate," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
"A lot of people went to extraordinary lengths to attend - having to make many sacrifices and also adhering to changing conditions."
"This sale was for the participants of the industry and they got in behind it and met the market and the buyers were here and they were very motivated to play and I think that is evident. It has been an extraordinary sale from start to finish."
"To the team at Magic Millions, to put a plan in place to hold this sale and I have never been more proud of them. I think it justifies what this team can pull off and I think this has been quite extraordinary."
"I also think that being here at Magic Millions provides the best of both worlds, you have the online audience, but you also have the live auction audience - to be able to do both of them in one go, can only add to the sales outcomes," Bowditch added.
To view the National Yearling Sale results or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here. To view the results of the 100% clearing National Racehorse Sale click here and the results of the Estate of the late Eduardo Cojuangco are here.
Attention now switches to the Magic Millions Online portal which is hosting the Mungrup Stud Complete Dispersal Online Sale which opens for bids from 12pm (AWST) on Thursday and closes at 12pm (AWST) the following Tuesday (August 11).
To view the catalogue for the Mungrup Stud online auction click here.
TODAY'S TOP SELLERS
$260,000 - Noble Privilege (Lot 1808, Racehorse)
Vendor: Estate of the late Eduardo Cojuangco / Buyer: Darby Racing/Will Johnson B'stock (NSW)
$180,000 - Lonhro-Respected colt (Lot 1625, Yearling)
Goodwood Farm (As Agent) / Upper B'stock (HK)
$160,000 - Sole Heir (Lot 1812, Racehorse)
Estate of the late Eduardo Cojuangco / Darby Racing/Will Johnson B'stock (NSW)
$160,000 - Haunted (Lot 1823, Racehorse)
Godolphin / Jack Pakis (QLD)
Godolphin / Australian B'stock (NSW)
