Magic Millions National Sale catalogue goes live and so is the auction
The Magic Millions Gold Coast National Sale, the biggest breeding stock auction in the southern hemisphere, is certain to be conducted as a live event after the company released its catalogue and schedule for the major bloodstock trading market.
A relieved Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch last night revealed a seven-session format for the broodmare, weanling, yearling and racehorse sale which is set to start with a 147-lot day one race fillies and mares offering highlighted by Sunlight (Zoustar) on Monday, July 20, from 2pm.
Three days have been set aside for the broodmare sale, which will precede a condensed two-day, 399-lot weanling sale to take place on July 23 and 24.
The yearling and racehorse sale will take place the following week on July 27 and 28.
World thoroughbred auctions, like almost all sectors, have been thrown into chaos due to government-imposed restrictions placed on businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, and there was some doubt about whether stakeholders would be allowed to attend the upcoming Australian breeding stock sales.
The country’s last live auction was the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale held at the Gold Coast on March 16 and 17 but the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale was forced into a “virtual” event as was its Chairman’s Sale.
The pandemic forced Magic Millions to push its National sale, which last year turned over $145.84 million, to late July from its traditional late May slot in the hope of allowing vendors and buyers to be on the ground.
“The National sale catalogue shows that the vendors have stuck by our thought process and our willingness to hold a live auction. Their faith and support has been greatly appreciated,” Bowditch told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“We’ve got a CovidSafe plan in place, which we will be abiding by, so there will obviously be some restrictions, but this is a sale where we welcome the participants of our industry to come and support the sale as vendors and buyers. We can’t wait to have everyone back here on the Gold Coast.”
The Queensland border currently remains closed but the state government, including Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, have publicly indicated that it will be reopened on July 10, if not sooner.
The Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale Round 2, Australian Weanling Sale, Great Southern and Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale, which were also rescheduled due to coronavirus restrictions, will also be conducted as live auctions next month.
Bowditch said: “There have been a lot of unknowns throughout this period and there’s been a lot of waiting games, but with the further clarity that we’ve got now, it gives us every opportunity to conduct the best auction that we possibly can.”
Despite it being almost impossible for international buyers to be in attendance at this year’s sale – last year’s highest-priced lot Missrock (Fastnet Rock) was sold to the UK – Bowditch expects overseas investors to pay close attention to the 2020 edition.
“Our race fillies section, which will kick off the sale this year, will command huge anticipation globally and a mare like Sunlight is a rarity in the market,” Bowditch said. “She’s probably one of the most outstanding prospects to go to sale in this part of the world for as long as I can remember.
“To have some great fillies and mares around here with the likes of Invincibella, Unforgotten, Etana, Champagne Cuddles, just to name a few, we’re very excited to have them as part of our offering.”
The National sale will feature:
- 54 per cent of broodmare lots being either maiden or at first cover;
- Mares on early covers, particularly September, being sold in absentia;
- Large commercial broodmare drafts from Godolphin (50), Willow Park Stud (43), Aquis Farm (39), Widden Stud (35), Bhima Thoroughbreds (29), the Blue Sky Premium Consignment (24) and Baystone Farm (24); and,
- The weanling catalogue will see progeny of 19 first season sires represented including Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock), Hellbent (I Am Invincible), Russian Revolution (Snitzel), Impending (Lonhro), Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) and Spieth (Thorn Park)
Among the Godolphin draft highlights will be the half-sister to Alizee (Sepoy) and fellow Group 1 winner and stallion Astern (Medaglia d’Oro) in the unraced Leopard (Animal Kingdom). She is being offered in foal to champion stallion Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice).
Skagerrak (Dawn Approach), a half-sister to this season’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Hanseatic (Street Boss), will also be offered by Godolphin in foal to its young shuttle stallion Ribchester (Iffraaj).
“I think the mares in-foal section, on a whole, is fantastic this year. We’ve got a huge amount of mares on their first and second covers and some extremely young mares such as (Group 1 winner) Viddora who is in foal to Lope De Vega,” Bowditch said.
“Having the Baystones and the Willow Parks complementing the Godolphin and other feature drafts … I think it is a really attractive catalogue that the buyers can sink their teeth into and take home mares that they can breed out of with confidence.”
The delayed National sale has also seen a decline in the number of weanlings offered this year as breeders elect to hold back more of their young stock in the hope of a smoother economic outlook at next year’s yearling sales.
“Obviously it’s a condensed version given the timing of the sale and the uncertainty behind the market, but the vendors that are supporting this sale have earmarked their best quality stock, as they have in years gone by,” he said.
“This will create great opportunities for the buyers whether they be end users or pinhookers looking to trade into the yearling market next year.”
Supplementary entries for the broodmare and weanling sessions will be accepted up until 10am on July 6 while the National Yearling Sale catalogue is set to be released in the coming days.
Magic Millions National Sale schedule
National Broodmare Sale
Monday, July 20 (2pm)
Tuesday, July 21 (10am)
Wednesday, July 22 (10am)
National Weanling Sale
Thursday, July 23 (2pm)
Friday, July 24 (10am)
National Yearling Sale
Monday, July 27 (10am)
Tuesday,July 28 (10am)
National Racehorse Sale
Tuesday, July 28 (after yearling sale)
Related links
Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale catalogue
Magic Millions National Weanling Sale catalogue