A colt by Better Than Ready topped Day One of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale with a phone bid from Los Angeles Airport coming up trumps.
Will Hulbert, who co-trains alongside his father Peter, purchased the colt while preparing to board a plane to return after an overseas holiday.
Hulbert was on the phone to leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan and instructed Gollan to go to $140,000 to secure the top seller on Day One.
The colt is a full brother to the stable's highly rated juvenile The Hammo, who ran a close third in January's $500,000 Magic Millions The Debut.
"I loved the horse from when I first saw him," Hulbert said. "He was a bit bigger than his brother at the same time and he's got an engine."
"Hopefully that means this guy will have a bigger engine!"
Hulbert said the colt was a natural fit for the stable and would soon meet his full brother who is about to return to full work.
"He's had two weeks pre-training and he will be back in our stable on Tuesday morning when I land."
"We plan to target the new $1 million Magic Millions (National 2YO Classic) race under the lights on the Gold Coast in May," Hulbert added.
The colt was presented at the auction by the Kruger family of Lyndhurst Stud Farm and they were fittingly impressed with the result.
"If there was ever a Better Than Ready that looked precocious, it was this fellow," Jeff Kruger said. "It was a great result."
"He's always been a lovely precocious looking colt and I'm not surprised at all."
The second top seller of the day was the North Pacific colt from Saluting who was offered by Warrandale Stud as agent for Elegant Thoroughbreds.
That colt, a half brother to six winners from as many runners, was knocked down to the bid of Paul Shailer and Julian Blaxland for $110,000.
Across the day $3.88 million was traded on 114 lots sold at an average price of $34,035. The clearance rate sits at 66.3 per cent.
"It was a tough day out there for vendors today," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "It was a disappointing clearance rate, particularly early, but that built a bit as the day went on."
"Momentum toward the end of the day was pleasing and hopefully that can continue and the clearance rate can keep improving and get well into the 70s tomorrow."
"A top price of $140,000 and an average of $34,000 - they are good numbers, but I think the clearance is our only concern at the moment."
"I'd like to think tomorrow will be a stronger day. Hopefully the Queensland participants get behind the QTIS scheme and take part in tomorrow's auction."
"You don't have to be here at this sale with a large amount of money to get yourself a nice horse," Bowditch added
To view the results of the sale so far, or to make an offer on a passed in lot, click here.
Day Two of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale will commence at 11am (Qld time) tomorrow (Tuesday).
SALE STATISTICS
(2023 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 195 (193)
Lots Sold: 114 (127)
Lots Passed In: 58 (46)
Lots Withdrawn: 22 (20)
Average Price: $34,035 ($35,370)
Sale Gross: $3,880,000 ($4,492,000)
Top Price: $140,000 ($140,000)
Median Price: $28,500 ($27,000)
Sold %: 66.3 (73)
DAY ONE TOP SELLERS
$140,000 - Better Than Ready-News Release colt (Lot 41)
Vendor: Lyndhurst Stud Farm (As Agent) / Buyer: Hulbert Racing (Qld)
$110,000 - North Pacific-Saluting colt (Lot 95)
Warrandale Stud (As Agent for Elegant T'breds) / Shailer Racing/Julian Blaxland B'stock (Qld)
$90,000 - Spirit of Boom-Weekend Saga colt (Lot 181)
Eureka Stud (As Agent) / Jack Bruce Racing/Clarke B'stock (Qld)
$87,000 - Spirit of Boom-Stolen Love filly (Lot 135)
Eureka Stud (As Agent) / Nick Walsh Racing/Brett Green (Qld)
$85,000 - Better Than Ready-Vis a Tergo filly (Lot 177)
Tipuana Farms / Gollan Racing/John Foote B'stock (Qld)
