A colt by leading Hunter Valley based sire Extreme Choice topped the second and final day of the 2024 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale at Morphettville on Tuesday.
Offered as part of a quality packed draft from Rushton Park, the colt was presented as Lot 262 and was the subject of intense bidding before the gavel fell at A$360,000 to the bid of Laurel Oak Bloodstock.
Extreme Choice colt tops final day in Adelaide (Pic – Magic Millions)
“We are very happy,” Laurel Oak’s Louis Mihalyka said. “I haven’t been to Adelaide for many years, but I went through the catalogue and there were a couple of horses I fancied, and they were both on the Tuesday, so I flew in last night.”
“We got the main one we wanted!”
“I thought we were going to get him for a bit less. I’m a bit annoyed at Tony McEvoy (underbidder),” he added with a laugh. “He did come over and offer to train him, but we agreed with Hayes’ that we wouldn’t bid against them, so the colt is going to the Hayes brothers.”
“It’s a good mating. He’s a great match for the mare. I like the stallion obviously – especially his strike rate of group horses to runners.”
The demand for stock by international sire sensation Justify continued this afternoon with his colt from Full of Beans (Lot 437) sold for A$250,000.
Offered by Bowness Stud the colt was purchased by in form syndication outfit Bennett Racing in conjunction with leading trainer Ciaron Maher.
“He was a lovely colt by a stallion that’s really going well,” Nathan Bennett said. “Ciaron knows a lot about the family and he will head there to be trained.”
Bennett said the colt wouldn’t be an early two-year-old and would instead develop into a lovely colt for his classic year.
Bennett Racing and Ciaron Maher recently teamed up to win the Group One Australian Guineas with former Magic Millions Yearling purchase Southport Tycoon.
Across the two days of the Adelaide Yearling Sale over A$15.37 million was grossed on 306 lots sold at an average price of A$50,259 and clearance rate of over 79 per cent.
“At the end of the day, if we got within ten per cent of last year’s result, we would have been delighted,” Magic Millions SA Bloodstock Consultant Adrian Hancock noted.
“Heavy scratchings have impacted on the gross, no doubt, but the clearance rate getting up over 79 per cent and climbing as we speak, that’s got to be satisfactory in this market.”
“There’s no denying that the bottom end of the market is virtually non-existent. The market just doesn’t support it and, even in the middle market, you have to have a horse by the right stallion at the time and go through all the x-ray and scoping tests to be in demand.”
“To get through all that and finish up with a gross of A$15 million, a A$40,000 median and over a A$50,000 average, you’ve got to be pleased.”
“Overall it’s been a good couple of days of selling at the Adelaide Yearling Sale and we look forward to selling at Morphettville for many years to come,” Hancock added.
To view the results of the Adelaide Yearling Sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
Sale Statistics (2023 in brackets)
- Lots Catalogued: 452 (454)
- Lots Sold: 306 (341)
- Lots Passed In: 81 (74)
- Lots Withdrawn: 65 (53)
- Sale Gross: A$15,379,500 (A$16,894,000)
- Average Price: A$50,259 (A$49,543)
- Top Price: A$400,000 (A$230,000)
- Median Price: A$40,000 (A$40,000)
- Sold %: 79 (82)
Day Two Top Sellers
- A$360,000 – Extreme Choice-Tiara Star colt (Lot 262). Vendor: Rushton Park (As Agent) / Buyer: Laurel Oak B’stock (NSW)
- A$250,000 – Justify-Full of Beans colt (Lot 437). Bowness Stud (As Agent) / Bennett Racing/Ciaron Maher B’stock (Vic)
- A$190,000 – Cosmic Force-Why Be Discreet filly (Lot 290). The Chase (As Agent) / Phillip Stokes Racing/Connolly B’stock (Vic)
- A$170,000 – Xtravagant-Written With Ease colt (Lot 299). Newhaven Park (As Agent) / Williams Racing/Suman Hedge B’stock (WA)
- A$160,000 – Star Turn-Aroha Cat colt (Lot 327). Rushton Park (As Agent) / John Foote B’stock (HK)
Media release by Magic Millions on Tuesday, 19 March 2024.
