It was a massive few days on the Gold Coast with the annual Magic Millions Yearling Sales and Race day.
The yearling sales kicked off on Wednesday and there was no shortage of cash being invested in some of the most exciting future superstars of racing.
Leading South Australian trainer Tony McEvoy added 15 new horses to his stable over the sales, spending a total of $3.79 million. His purchases ranged from a $60k Pride of Dubai filly all the way up to a Zoustar filly for $500k. While he was the biggest local spender on the Gold Coast, there were still plenty of purchases from other South Australian trainers.
Mark Minervini added a So You Think filly to his stable for $30k while David Jolly dropped $65k on a Deep Field filly. His brother Richard, picked up a Panzer Division colt on Sunday for $50k, while Will Clarken spent the same amount on a Toronado colt. John Hyam picked up two colts during the week, adding an $80k Vancouver colt and a $100k Rubick colt to his ranks, while Ryan Balfour looks to have added a high quality horse to his stables purchasing a Rich Enuf filly for $200k.
The recently departed Lloyd Kennewell made the biggest purchase of the whole sales, spending $1.7 million on a colt by I Am Invincible and out of Oakleigh Girl. Kennewell has a great love for the I Am Invincible progeny, with his superstar mare Viddora coming from the boom sire. Kennewell added another two I Am Invincible horses to his stable across the sales with a $150k colt and a $280k filly.
It was a big few days for I Am Invincible with eleven horses selling for over $1million and four of those coming from him. Redoute’s Choice was a sire who also attracted big prices with three of his progeny selling for over $1million.
The sales were also successful for one of South Australia’s finest studs. Mill Park Stud in Meningie sold six of their yearlings at a total of $2.2million. Their I Am Invincible filly sold to Shadwell Stud for $300k, while they also sold a So You Think colt to Gerald Ryan for $260k and a So You Think filly for $180k to Tony Gollan. Their Snitzel filly sold to the USA for $425k while their biggest sale was their Not a Single Doubt filly who sold to Peachester Lodge for $725k.
In other news, former locally trained, two time Group 1 winner Miracles of Life had a filly that sold to Godolphin for $1million. If the filly by Medaglia d'Oro has half as good of a career as her mum, it will be money well spent!
On the track on Saturday, there was $10 million in prizemoney on offer across the nine race card. Streaky Bay’s own Kerrin McEvoy kept his big race form up, claiming the $2million 2YO Classic aboard the James Cumming’s trained Exhilarates. The Godolphin owned filly took home a cheque for $1.2million after claiming the feature and McEvoy was ever so close in claiming the day’s first $2million race, the 3YO Guineas, when his mount Bondi just got pipped at the post by the Chris Munce trained Boomsara. The Adelaide 2YO Magic Millions winner, Zizzis ran gallantly in the Guineas, finishing sixth in a hot field.
The Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sales hits town on 12-13 March. For more information click here