$270,000 Kermadec Tops Adelaide MM Day One

Leading international bloodstock agent Justin Bahen teamed up with Melbourne trainer Clinton McDonald to secure Lot 211 for $270,000.

It was a real sale ring battle as Bahen outlasted top local horseman Will Clarken to secure the colt from the draft of Squillani Park Thoroughbreds.

"I thought he was one of the nicer types on the complex," Bahen said. "It was fairly hard (to buy him) with the underbidder there so strong."

"He's a very nice, relaxed colt. He's one of those horses who ticked a lot of boxes. He paraded beautifully right across the sale and there was so much to like about him."

"His mum is five for five - she's done her job at stud and with respect to the sires that she has visited, she gets a nice upgrade with Kermadec."

"The colt will go into the care of Clinton McDonald. He popped over and saw the horse and really liked him and said - just buy him," he added.

The $270,000 top seller is from the top producing Belong to Me mare by George Main Stakes and Doncaster Handicap winner Kermadec. He's a half brother to Flemington stakes winner Falcool and the Brisbane stakes performer I'm Cool.

The top priced filly of the day was Lot 35 - the Zoustar-Phyl's Choice filly offered by Armidale Stud who was purchased by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $160,000.

"She's a beautiful flowing filly with a lot of scope," McEvoy said. "I inspected her five times and her temperament stayed the same the whole way through."

"Armidale Stud do a tremendous job and they presented her so well."

"Zoustar fillies can be a bit feisty but she is just gorgeous and I am so happy to be able to buy her," he added.

Across the opening day of the sale over $7.1 million was traded on 180 lots sold at an average price of $39,617 and clearanced rate of 76 per cent.

"We got off to a really sticky start," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "It was very tough out there with a soft clearance rate."

"But as the day went on vendors met the market and buyers got a bit more confidence to bid up and the sale gathered speed."

"We had a slight increase in gross and a little higher clearance than Day One last year - all in all it was a good sale."

"Horses that meet the criteria for buyers are being keenly sought after," Bowditch added. "It's a very selective market."

"The buyers are saying there's plenty of nice horses to be offered tomorrow and I think the sale will continue to pick up momentum for Book One and then into Book Two where there will be plenty of opportunities for buyers," Bowditch added.

To view the results of the sale and to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.

Day Two of the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale commences at 10am (SA time) tomorrow (Wednesday).

SALE STATISTICS
(2019 Day One in Brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 260 (250)
Lots Sold: 180 (171)
Lots Passed In: 57 (54)
Lots Withdrawn: 23 (29)
Sale Gross: $7,131,000 ($7,060,500)
Top Price: $270,000 ($250,000)
Average Price: $39,617 ($41,289)
Median Price: $30,000 ($28,000)
Sold %: 76 (75)
 

DAY ONE TOP SELLERS

$270,000 - Kermadec-Bay Breeze colt (Lot 211)
Vendor: Squillani Park T'breds / Buyer: Bahen B'stock/McDonald Racing (Vic)

$160,000 - Zoustar-Phyl's Choice filly (Lot 35)
Armidale Stud / McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont B'stock Agency (SA)

$140,000 - Starcraft-Nadeem's Melody colt (Lot 1)
Miranda Park (As Agent) / Symphony Lodge (NSW)

$140,000 - Akeed Mofeed-Saramenha filly (Lot 73)
Goldin Farms / Suman Hedge B'stock/Mick Price Racing (Vic)

$140,000 - Smart Missile-Take All of Me colt (Lot 126)
Armidale Stud / Sue Murphy (SA)

$140,000 - Street Boss-Truffle colt (Lot 146)
Rushton Park (As Agent) / Bahen B'stock/Blue Sky B'stock/Will Johnson/Freedman Racing (Vic)