A filly by Capitalist was the star of the show as Grenville Stud graduates led the way at a successful 2023 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale at Quercus Park today.
Peter Morgan went to $115,000 to secure the filly, catalogued as Lot 131, the third foal of the Fastnet Rock mare Sunrise Yellow.
She was one of three yearlings to sell for $100,000 or more, helping the sale return the second highest figures in history. All three yearlings were sold through the draft of Grenville Stud.
"I have waited all day for her," Morgan said moments after the hammer fell. "I’ll probably miss my plane, but they said they'd give me a bed."
"She was all I was coming for as I wasn't coming to the sale, but Graeme McCulloch rang me three times and said, ‘you've got to come for this filly’, so I thought I'd come down and have a look," Morgan said.
"I jumped on the plane, had a look and we've ended up with her. This is my first time in about five years that I’ve come down for the sale."
Star Thoroughbreds and Brett Howard teamed up earlier in the day to secure the half sister to Turk Warrior by Stratosphere for $105,000.
The bay filly, consigned as Lot 47, is the latest yearling from the multiple stakes winner Ehor and is also a half sister to Star's Magic Millions Tasmanian 2Yo Classic winner Lustica.
The third six figure seller was Lot 71 - Grenville's Stratosphere colt from In Harmony who sold to John Foote on behalf of a Hong Kong client for $100,000.
That colt is a half brother to two stakes performers headlined by Singapore sprint star Celavi.
Across the day almost $4 million was traded on 109 lots sold at an average price of $36,124 and a clearance rate of 85 per cent.
Tasracing CEO Andrew Jenkins said today's sale was a extremely positive day for the Tasmanian thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
"It's been a successful day," Jenkins noted. "To see the locals so active was great and it bodes well for the future of the industry in Tasmania."
"The results show the importance of the five year contract extension that was recently announced between Magic Millions, Tasbreeders and Tasracing."
The gross and average price figures today are the second best in the history of the sale, while the clearance was the highest of all time.
"It was really positive for Tasmania," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "There was a good spread of buyers - no one really got in and dominated the market - and there was great equilibrium with the interstate participants and the local buyers. It felt fairly good throughout the day."
"At the end of the day, Tasmanians bought 50 horses, which is great. They bought half the catalogue and the leading two buyers are local. It is great they have been able to participate (strongly)."
"We will work closely with TasBreeders and Tasracing to continue to strengthen the industry down here."
"It is just about stimulating participation down here, giving them (trainers) a reason to come to the sale with confidence and taking horses home with owners for them."
"The quality of the horses being bred down here continues to get stronger and, from a Magic Millions perspective, we're here for the long haul and we'll continue to do our best to strive for a vibrant industry down here."
Today's sale followed a successful Magic Millions Tasmanian Raceday yesterday with the Danny O'Brien trained Sassy Boom and the Glenn Stevenson prepared Turk Warrior sweeping the Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic and 3&4YO Classics respectively.
The Magic Millions focus immediately switches west with the Perth Yearling Sale in the Swan Valley on Thursday and Friday.
"We have a lot to look forward to in Perth," Bowditch noted. "The sale has a proud history of producing top line gallopers and this will be sure to continue with the yearlings on offer this week."
To view the results of the Tasmanian Yearling Sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
SALE TOP SELLERS
$115,000 - Capitalist-Sunrise Yellow filly (Lot 131)
Vendor: Grenville Stud / Buyer: Peter Morgan/Gall B'stock (Vic)
$105,000 - Stratosphere-Ehor filly (Lot 47)
Grenville Stud / Star T'breds/Randwick B'stock Agency (NSW)
$100,000 - Stratosphere-In Harmony colt (Lot 71)
Grenville Stud / John Foote B'stock (Hong Kong)
$90,000 - Territories-Hepatica filly
Grenville Stud / Swettenham Stud/John Foote B'stock (Vic)
$90,000 - Puissance de Lune-Shemakhan colt (Lot 123)
Brooklyn Park Stud (As Agent) / Darryl Carrison (SA)
SALE STATISTICS
(2022 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 140 (146)
Lots Sold: 109 (112)
Lots Passed In: 20 (26)
Lots Withdrawn: 11 (8)
Top Price: $115,000 ($150,000)
Average Price: $36,124 ($38,522)
Median Price: $30,000 ($30,000)
Gross: $3,937,500 ($4,314,500)
Sold %: 85 (81)
