Magic Millions bloodstock manager Barry Bowditch will be crossing fingers and toes before the first yearling sale of the season opens on Wednesday morning at Bundall on the Gold Coast.
Last year, Book 1 of the Gold Coast magic Millions Sale grossed $135 million while the average peaked at $205,142 on a massive clearance rate of 88%.
“A lot of key things need to fall into place which can be out of our control, but given the terrific shape of racing and prizemoney in Australia, we will certainly be aiming for a similar result to last year,” Bowditch points out. “Last year was our most significant to date, particularly for the Gold Coast Yearling Sale and the Gold Coast Nationals, so we’re coming off a high base.
“The magnitude of Group 1 winners that have graduated from Magic Millions certainly works in our favour. Our graduates registered 28 Group 1 victories in 2017, most notably Winx and $10 million Everest winner, Redzel.
“Horses like Winx and Redzel give you a lot of noise and show how successful the brand is. It’s a chance to make a real song and dance of it. But it’s the sheer number of good horses that provide a great synergy as well. Keeps the food chain going and, importantly, underscores our selection process.”
Magic Millions is also focusing on the tagline “Breed Shapers, Life Changers” for its 2018 chapter and the description is apt according to Bowditch.
“Over the years, Magic Millions has produced stallions such as Snippets, Snitzel, Not a Single Doubt, General Nediym, Testa Rossa, Written Tycoon and Sebring, which have all become major influences at stud and yes, changed a whole lot of lives,” Bowditch reveals. “Now you have other graduates like Pierro who is off to a magnificent start, along with Spirit of Boom whose first crop youngsters are going gang busters.
“This is what I believe makes the sale such an attraction to investors, both internationally and domestically. A lot of those stallions – and horses like Capitalist, Vancouver and Dissident that are coming through – could all be purchased fairly inexpensively, but their stud value is now in the tens of millions. It’s really quite fulfilling what we’re doing.”
