Former Champion Two-Year-Old filly Away Game topped a cracking first day of the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast today.
Offered as part of the Newgate-Killora Consignment, Away Game attracted an opening bid of $1.5 million before a flurry of bids from around the complex saw her price reach $4 million when the gavel dropped.
One of eight lots to sell for seven figure prices on the day, Away Game was purchased by the Written Tycoon Syndicate and after a couple more runs will head to the champion Yulong Stud based sire.
"She's obviously a fantastic racemare," Yulong's Sam Fairgray noted. "She's a beautiful looking specimen."
"We are really pleased to take her home. She'll have a couple more starts and then have a date with Written Tycoon."
"Written Tycoon is the perfect match for her. We bought her three quarter sister last year so we will be trying to build the family."
"If she leaves progeny looking like herself she will definitely do well in the sales ring with her progeny," Fairgray added.
"When you get a filly like her, you've seen the market is so strong on these quality types particularly with strong two-year-old form, you've got to front up."
The result was just reward for her ownership group, many of whom had travelled from the United States to see her go under the hammer.
"Incredible," part owner Hannah Jennings said. "We knew she would sell well and we were hoping for the best but $4 million is nothing we could have imagined."
Originally a $425,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy from Mill Park Stud, Away Game established herself the champion of her sex in her juvenile season after winning the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic and running a brave second in the Golden Slipper.
Since then she has always raced at the top level and in the process earned over $3.7 million.
Earlier in the day the four time Group One winner Tofane was snapped up by the Written Tycoon Syndicate for $3.1 million.
"She's a lovely mare," Fairgray said of Tofane. "Just a fantastic racemare. She was on the Yulong slot in The Everest - Mr Zhang has liked her for a few years."
"To get a quality mare like Tofane isn't easy. To be able to buy her is fantastic."
"I would say Written Tycoon would be high up on the cards for her. After the sale we will sit down and look - we might even give her a couple of runs during the spring."
Tofane's trainer Mike Moroney was sitting ringside to see his stable star sell.
"It's a great result at the end of a great career with us," trainer Michael Moroney said. "It's sad to see her go but she goes on to the next part of her life and that's producing babies."
"I'll be having a good hard look at those and if they're half as good (as Tofane) that would be great."
Recent Coolmore Classic winner Lighthouse sold for $1.7 million to Dermot Farrington late in the day as part of a quality supplementary catalogue where three lots sold for $1 million or more.
Untapped three-year-old filly Mac 'n' Cheese sold for $1.6 million to the Written Tycoon Syndicate, while Galileo mare Forever You was nabbed by similar interests for $1.35 million.
Earlier in the day high class racetrack performers Rubisaki (to James Harron and Morningside), Swift Witness (to Dermot Farrington) and Ballistic Lover (to China Horse Club) all sold for an even $1 million.
Across the day over $44 million was traded on 180 lots sold at an average price of almost $250,000. Over 87 per cent of all lots offered were sold.
"It was really enjoyable out there," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "A lot of work goes into putting together a selection of racefillies like this."
"We have been excited for six weeks knowing what we've got to sell and we've built on that with strong supplementaries."
"There was fantastic trade, the room was full, there was a lot of electricity in it - eight million dollar racefillies is a huge start to the sale."
"I felt that from the first lot through that it had a great zing about it. We try and make this a big day for the industry, there's a lot of expectation with owners in the room who are selling their pride and joys and to share these moments with them is very, very important."
"I am grateful to the syndicators and the owners of these horses and the consignors that they've entrusted Magic Millions to get the results that they deserved today."
"When you’ve got an average of almost $250,000, a very strong median with Listed winners making $1 million, city winners selling for a lot of money, it's good healthy trade. There’s plenty of breeders out there buying horses," Bowditch added.
To view the results of today's sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
SALE STATISTICS
(2021* in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 250 (247)
Lots Sold: 180 (173)
Lots Passed In: 26 (25)
Lots Withdrawn: 43 (51)
Sale Gross: $44,935,500 ($43,753,000)
Average Price: $249,652 ($252,907)
Top Price: $4,000,000 ($2,600,000)
Median Price: $120,000 ($120,000)
Sold %: 87 (88)
* excludes Shadwell Australasia Dispersal
DAY ONE TOP SELLERS
$4,000,000 - Away Game (Lot 584)
Vendor: Newgate - Killora Consignment / Buyer: Written Tycoon Syndicate (Vic)
Newgate Consignment (As Agent for Ballymore Stables) / Written Tycoon Syndicate (Vic)
$1,700,000 - Lighthouse (Lot 723)
Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / Dermot Farrington B'stock (QLD)
$1,600,000 - Mac 'n' Cheese (Lot 731)
Spendthrift Australia / Written Tycoon Syndicate (Vic)
$1,350,000 - Forever You (Lot 730)
Blue Sky Premium Consignment (As Agent) / Written Tycoon Syndicate (Vic)
$1,000,000 - Rubisaki (Lot 508)
Yarraman Park Stud (As Agent) / James Harron B'stock/Morningside (NSW)
$1,000,000 - Swift Witness (Lot 533)
Glenesk T'breds (As Agent) / Dermot Farrington B'stock (UK)
$1,000,000 - Ballistic Lover (Lot 587)
Newgate Consignment (As Agent for Tricolours Racing & Syndication) / Buyer: China Horse Club (Singapore)
