The 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale starts in 24 hours and the Bundall complex has been a hive of activity despite the inclement weather.  

Lot 1 will enter the sale ring at 11am (Qld time) on Wednesday morning and Yarraman Park does the honours with a Fastnet Rock half-brother to the stakes winners New Edge (Racer’s Edge), Play To Win (Snippets) and Violent Wind (Hurricane Sky).

The industry will begin to gauge the outlook for the 2011 majors after the first few hours of trade.  There are some choice lots going under the hammer on Wednesday morning including the Redoute’s Choice brother to Stratum listed as Lot 30.  He is a late November foal and is part of the Reavill Farm consignment.

Reavill sold Stratum to Newcastle trainer Paul Perry for $320,000 at the 2004 Magic Millions.  He won the Golden Slipper twelve months later and claimed the Australian 2YO and first-season sires’ titles courtesy of Crystal Lily’s Golden Slipper victory last year.

Wednesday will also see the barrier draw for the $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic scheduled for Saturday.  Sky Racing will televise the draw at 9am (Qld Time) and, just like the Melbourne Cup, connections will select the barrier for their own horse.

Magic Millions in association with the Gold Coast Turf Club and Racing Queensland have announced a contingency plan in the event the track for Saturday is deemed unsafe to race.  The $4.3 million raceday will be postponed until Sunday, January 16 if the track is not passed by Racing Queensland stewards.

If the event races were pushed back 24 hours, Session 5 of the Magic Millions yearling sale scheduled for that day would also move back a day to Monday, January 17.