Steel City to go under the hammer on eve of September
33-lot catalogue released for inaugural Magic Millions Virtual Sale
Group 3-winning juvenile Steel City (Merchant Navy), a half-sister to dual Group 1-winning sprinter September Run (Exceed And Excel), will be offered at Magic Millions’ Virtual Sale.
The four-year-old Ciaron Maher-trained mare features among the 33-lot catalogue released by the Gold Coast auction house on Wednesday for its inaugural August 27 auction which coincides with the start of the breeding season.
The Best Bloodstock-raced Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner, who was also runner-up in a Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) as a two-year-old, will be offered by Ciaron Maher Racing while this year’s Proud Miss Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winning mare Boognish (Sooboog), a daughter of dual stakes winner and multiple stakes-producing mare Regrowth (Unbridled’s Song), has also been entered by South Australia’s Clarken Racing.
Bright Shadow Stakes (Listed, 1110m) winner and Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr 2, 1300m) placed Aureus Angel (Turffontein) is another quality offering while the fellow Chris Munce-trained mare Miss Coota (Spirit Of Boom), twice a pre-Christmas juvenile winner, has also been entered for the sale.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch believes an “uber commercial catalogue” has been put together for Tuesday week’s sale and said that it had already garnered early interest from buyers.
“Whether it’s looking for a mare in foal that is either young or produced a stakes winner or a race filly that has gone to the high levels of Group racing or just well-related filly, it’s only a small catalogue, but it’s chock full of nice stock that can serve different components of the market extremely well,” Bowditch told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“We’ve been pretty tightlipped up until now, but we’ve had some good text messages [from buyers] and we’ve had some good early overall interest in the sale.
“I believe once people get their head around it and start doing their due diligence and we begin discussing options with them, we’ll be in a [good] position where we can service vendors who have supported this new initiative and give them results they’re going to be pleased with.”
In confirming the catalogue on Wednesday, VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) placed Moonee Valley winner Queen Air (Toronado), a five-year-old who was trained by Lindsey Smith for a syndicate headed by Swettenham Stud’s Adam Sangster, is another quality stakes-performed mare to be offered while the lightly raced juvenile city winner Croatian Belle (Brazen Beau) and The Gateway (1400m) winner Tick Tock Queen (Bel Esprit) are also set go under the hammer.
Broodmares already catalogued include lots in foal to Capitalist (Written Tycoon), Frankel (Galileo), Hellbent (I Am Invincible), Jacquinot (Rubick), Pinatubo (Shamardal), Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and Toronado (High Chaparral). They also include Group 2 winner Only Words (Sweynesse) and the dams of stakes winners Sovereign Fund (Capitalist) and Kristilli (Hellbent) carrying full-relations.
The well-bred Fabulism (Written Tycoon – Miss Fabulass by Frankel), Asap (Snitzel – Prompt, by Exceed And Excel) and Miss Enfield (I Am Invincible -Samantha Miss by Redoute’s Choice) and Stay Inside’s (Extreme Choice) half-sister Stormy Revolution (Russian Revolution) are also certain to attract attention from the buying bench.
Five racing prospects headlined by the Trilogy Racing offerings Mad Deel (Dundeel), who finished runner-up on the Kensington track on Wednesday, Motorace (Denman), Nothingelsematters (Sidestep) and the unbeaten Stormfront (Frosted) will also go under the hammer.
European Group winner Have A Good Day (Adaay), who is in foal to world champion sire Frankel, was the first lot confirmed for the sale when Magic Millions launched the concept in mid-June.
A lifetime breeding right to champion Yarraman Park Stud sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and a share in prolific Lyndhurst Stud Farm resident Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) will also be auctioned.
Magic Millions conducted a standalone virtual sale on July 31 when Group 1-winning mare Espiona (Extreme Choice) was sold for $4.15 million.
Expanding the concept to at least 33 lots, with auctioneer Clint Donovan on the rostrum, excites Bowditch.
“It’s worked very well in the one-offs, so we thought why not try it on a larger scale of horses at different levels,” he said.
“Starting at 2pm Tuesday week, we will engage the market, they can bid online or come to the complex, bid on the phone to take part in the sale.”
Late entries are still being taken up until next Tuesday.