Youngsters by international sire sensation Justify stole the show at the 2024 Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale at the Gold Coast today.
The two sellers on the day - at $700,000 and $425,000 - were both by the outstanding son of Scat Daddy.
Yulong secured the sale topper, the colt from the Encosta de Lago mare Port Augusta, who was purchased from the KO Racing draft after a determined bidding battle primarily against Hong Kong's Lok Lor.
Catalogued as Lot 76, the $700,000 colt was originally purchased out of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was prepared for the auction by the Kenmore Lodge team.
"He was a pretty easy horse to prepare," Kenmore's Kellie Bond said. "He had so much quality, a beautiful pedigree and was just a ripping individual."
"It was pretty easy to see he was going to be a quality lot. They (buyers) were all over him the minute he got here."
"His breeze up was exceptional - great stride length and he's by a horse who can get an absolute superstar."
"You could easily see why he would get a good result and it was nice that Yulong was able to secure him," Bond added.
The sale topper is a half brother to three winners, from three to race for the dam, including the stakes performed, two time winner Lady Young.
His dam Port Augusta is a daughter of the influential and top producing Secretariat mare L'on Vite - the dam of Holy Roman Emperor, Milanova, Heart of Oak and Big Viking.
The second top lot of the auction, and the highest priced filly, was also a youngster by Justify - Lot 88 from the Nolen Racing draft.
That filly, a half sister to stakes winner Religify, from the good producer Sacred Witness was knocked down for $425,000 to Queensland based Bartholomew & Co.
"They liked her and we liked her when we first saw her," Bartholomew said moments after the gavel fell on the filly who breezed impressively at Seymour.
"She's a lovely, big-framed filly by Justify, and you can't get any more of them. He's not coming back from America."
“It's all in the lap of the gods from here," Bartholomew added.
Hong Kong's Magus Equine Ltd snapped up the next two highest priced lots - the Ole Kirk-Antonia colt from Network Bloodstock and the Zousain-Divine Chills colt from Nolen Racing - for $280,000 apiece.
Kenmore Lodge's Hellbent colt from Rambla de Flores rounded out the top five on the top seller leaderboard after realising $260,000 to the bid of Amy Feng of China.
Across the day over $7 million was traded with the 2YO section of the sale averaging almost $75,000 and the clearance rate at 66 per cent.
"We always thought it was going to be a polarising market and that's exactly what it was," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "I thought when the quality horses with good confirmation and by the right sire walked in the ring, there was very buoyant bidding on them."
"I thought the top 20 horses sold particularly well. All in all we've had a significant increase in gross and average price which is encouraging."
"We were hoping to have a clearance rate around 70 per cent and we are working toward that figure. We will keep working over the next 24 to 48 hours to get more sold," Bowditch added.
To view the results of the sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
The Magic Millions sales focus now switches to the exciting suite of 2025 Yearling Sale commencing with the Gold Coast Yearling Sale on January 7. The catalogue will be online next month.
SALE STATISTICS (2YOs)
(2024 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 187 (151)
Lots Sold: 96 (83)
Lots Withdrawn: 41 (41)
Lots Passed: 50 (27)
Top Price: $700,000 ($400,000)
Average Price: $74,666 ($60,380)
Median Price: $42,000 ($42,000)
Sale Gross: $7,168,000 ($5,011,500)
Sold %: 66 (75)
TOP SELLERS
$700,000 - Justify-Port Augusta colt (Lot 76)
Vendor: KO Racing / Buyer: Yulong (Vic)
$425,000 - Justify-Sacred Witness filly (Lot 88)
Nolen Racing (As Agent) / Bartholomew & Co (Qld)
$280,000 - Ole Kirk-Antonia colt (Lot 138)
Network Bloodstock (As Agent) / Magus Equine Ltd (HK)
$280,000 - Zousain-Divine Chills colt (Lot 166)
Nolen Racing (As Agent) / Magus Equine Ltd (HK)
$260,000 - Hellbent-Rambla de Flores colt (Lot 80)
Kenmore Lodge (As Agent) / Amy Feng (China)
