Pair of $180,000 Colts Share Top Billing at MM Book Two on Sunday

 

Colts by Winning Rupert and Territories shared top billing on the day when selling for $180,000 as the average and median prices both jumped compared to the same day in 2021.

 

Leading local trainer Michael Costa snapped up the first of the top sellers, Lot 994, from the draft of KBL Thoroughbreds.

The colt is from the unraced Songbird (Arg) mare and is by the former outstanding Bjorn Baker trained sprinter Winning Rupert.

"He was as good a looking colt as any of those in Books One or Two," Costa noted. "I guess his pedigree just held him back - but on type he lacked nothing."

"He has everything I look for in a yearling - he's big and athletic, has a great brain and looks sharp."

"I had the half sister who showed plenty early and I'm very happy to buy this colt in partnership with the Archer Park team."

 

The second last lot offered today, the Territories-Velvet Moon colt offered by Murrulla Stud, was also knocked down for $180,000.

The colt, who hails from the family of Apache King and Flight to Fantasy, was snapped up by Merrick Staunton.

"He was very well presented by the team from Murrulla Stud," Staunton said. "For me he was the stand out horse on the first day of the Book Two sale."

"A really nice type of colt who looks ideal to go through our system," he added.

Colts by Smart Missile (Lot 1031 to Anthony Cummings for $170,000), Nicconi (Lot 963 to Lee Freedman for $160,000) and Star Turn (Lot 991 to John Symons for $150,000) also proved popular with buyers.

During the short afternoon session over $4.5 million was traded on 70 lots sold at an average price of $64,707 and a clearance rate of 80 per cent - figures that compare favourably to the same session last year.

"The day started off a bit sluggish, but we got some great momentum as the afternoon progressed," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. 

"The vendors who have nice stock in the sale are getting them on the market and being rewarded."

"And buyers who have done their homework will be well rewarded with great value buys," Bowditch added. "Book Two continually produces high class racehorses both in Australia and abroad."

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

Day Seven of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale will commence at 10am (Qld time) tomorrow with just under 200 lots catalogued.

SALE STATISTICS
(2021 Book 2, Day 1 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 100 (111)
Lots Sold: 70 (83)
Lots Passed In: 18 (20)
Lots Withdrawn: 12 (8)
Sale Gross: $4,529,500 ($4,942,500)
Top Price: $180,000 ($300,000)
Average Price: $64,707 ($59,548)
Median Price: $55,000 ($45,000)
Sold %: 80 (81)
 

DAY SIX TOP SELLERS

$180,000 - Winning Rupert-Songbird colt (Lot 994)
Vendor: KBL T'breds (As Agent) / Buyer: Michael Costa Racing/Archer Park (Qld)

$180,000 - Territories-Velvet Moon colt (Lot 1032)
Murrulla Stud (As Agent) / Merrick Staunton (HK)

$170,000 - Smart Missile-Soffraaj colt (Lot 1031)
Twins Hills Stud (As Agent) / Anthony Cummings Racing (NSW)

$160,000 - Nicconi-Riverset colt (Lot 963)
Lyndhurst Stud Farm / Lee Freedman (Qld)

$150,000 - Star Turn-So Stylish colt (Lot 991)
Baramul Stud / John Symons (Qld)