South Australia’s Kambula Stud were all smiles after producing the two highest priced lots over the two days of the 2022 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
The Kadina farm’s decision to support the Adelaide Sale with their entire draft was justified selling 12 of 13 lots offered netting $1.47m.
“First of all, one of the big things is that South Australian racing has turned around in the past 12 to 18 months,’’ Kambula’s David Toole said.
“I decided that I was going to keep them home and bring them all (to Adelaide). I’m a very proud South Australian and I wanted to be the star of the show,” he said.
The sale topper was a half-sister to Yulong Command, by Dundeel, selling for $375,000 to leading bloodstock agent Suman Hedge.
Leading local trainer Will Clarken paid $325,000 to secure the Capitalist-Tagreeda filly, also offered by Kambula.
“We thought she was the best filly here,” Clarken said.
The 2022 sale gross was up almost $5m on 2021 with the average price of $58,614, up more than $10,000 on the previous year at an almost identical clearance rate of 87.53 per cent
“Considering back in 2019 we battled to get to $10 million and now to be exceeding $20 million three years later is a credit to the breeders who have brought horses here,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“It’s a credit to the state who have stuck by this sale and supported it with the best horses they’ve got.
“There’s a hunger from South Australian trainers to support this sale in particular and make it their sale. Racing Rewards SA, in fairness, is doing an outstanding job,’’ he said.
Tong Fung Investments (TFI) of Aquis Farm on the Gold Coast paid $300,000 for the top priced a colt by Snitzel from the same family as Caulfield Cup winner Admire Rakti.
Michael Hickmott picked up 11 yearlings which included four in partnership with Trilogy Racing who were extremely active buying in partnership with Hickmott, Will Clarken and the David Jolly stables buying nine lots in total.
Clarken spent $1.143m on eight lots in the sale, three colts, one from well performed local mare Detox who is a half-sister to Alcopop, and five fillies.
McEvoy Mitchell spent $760,000 on eight lots, Richard and Chantelle Jolly spent $595,000 on eight yearlings, while Adelaide Cup winning trainer Phillip Stokes picked up three youngsters, the including a half-sister to Harleymoven
One of the most prolific buyers was former local horseman Mark Kavanagh who has enjoyed enormous success at the Adelaide Sale throughout his career.
Kavanagh purchased 13 lots, six above six figures and spent $1.4m in total.
“The Adelaide Sale is always just full of value,’’ Kavanagh said.
Ryan Balfour, who paid the top price at the 2021 sale, walked away with seven yearlings including an Astern colt who is out of Roedean who won a Blue Diamond Stakes but was subsequently disqualified.
Cornerstone Stud had nine lots sell for above the $100,000 barrier, Mill Park had five while Kadina’s Ducatoon were thrilled to get $135,000 for their Hualalai-Cheers Rihanna colt who is a half-brother to Struck By