Sunlight's Daughter Shatters Magic Millions Record

Sunlight (AUS) created a slice of history when she made AU$4.2 million at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and on the evening of Jan. 10 her third foal delivered a dream result for her mare, first-season sire Home Affairs (AUS), and breeder Coolmore when sold to Japanese-based trainer Mitsu Nakauchida for an auction record AU$3.2 million (US$1,983,000, AU$1=US$0.62) during the inaugural 'Super Session' on the final day of Book 1 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Nakauchida had to fend off Resolute Racing's John Stewart, but the trainer was able to stand steady and land the final blow. It was the second time the sale record tumbled this week, with the AU$2.8 million for a Snitzel (AUS) colt achieved Jan. 9 standing for just over 24 hours. Nakauchida, who attended the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year but left the sale empty handed, came in search of antipodean bloodlines, having enjoyed enormous success training horses out of Australian mares. His stable includes four-time grade 1 winner Liberty Island (JPN), a daughter of dual Australian elite-level scorer Yankee Rose (AUS), and unbeaten 3-year-old Eri King, a daughter of Queensland Oaks (G1) winner Youngstar (AUS). Nakauchida said: "I came here for this filly and I just arrived yesterday. I was just lucky to secure the filly. Physically she is good and you cannot fault the pedigree. I'm very happy." Nakauchida showed his firepower last year in Europe when he was underbidder on the sale-topping Frankel (GB) filly at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, beaten to the punch that day by Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian. "I expected to pay a high price and it is a little bit more than the budget but I hope the filly is worth it. She will go back to Japan and be trained by me. Hopefully she will make a nice racehorse. "Australian mares do quite well in Japan at the moment. They go well with Japanese stallions." Being born in the Southern Hemisphere, the filly consigned as Lot 1007 will be younger than her peers when she makes it to the races, but Nakauchida didn't seem fazed. "We will give her all the time she wants and hopefully she has the chance to mature herself in time." Three-time group 1 winner Sunlight has already proven herself a competent broodmare, with her first foal, the Justify filly Dawn Service—an AU$1.4 million Magic Millions buy for Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds—already a stakes winner, while her second foal, a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) also made AU$1.4 million when bought by Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. With Friday's record sale, Sunlight's progeny have brought in AU$6 million and Coolmore's Tom Magnier said the results more than justified the figure they paid, AU$4.4 million, which at the time was a record and was only bettered last year by Imperatriz (AUS), who fetched AU$6.6 million. The result also topped off a brilliant week for Coolmore's dual group 1-winning first-season sire Home Affairs, handing him his second seven-figure lot, with the first coming when a filly out of group 2-winning Champagne Cuddles sold to Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott Racing, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for AU $1.05 million at the Gold Coast sale's opening session. During Book 1, Home Affairs had 45 yearlings sell for an aggregate of AU$17,835,000 (US$11,051,690), bringing an average of AU$396,333 (US$245,593), numbers that justify his debut fee of AU$110,000. Friday's price also means the filly becomes the most expensive yearling sold by a first-crop of stallion in the southern hemisphere. Magnier said Friday's sale topper had been a stand-out from day one. "That is what you dream of," Magnier said. "Home Affairs, it is great for him, but we can't do this without our partners. We're so excited. "When you have a mare like that and a filly like that, she has been the talking point of the sales all week, really you can't pinpoint the exact figure you'd get, but Mitsu is one of the great trainers around the world. "He's a great judge and I really wish him all the best with her. She's fantastic. I think that is the best foal that the mare has had. It has been a cracker since day one. She is a lovely mare and we are delighted. It is a great thrill for all the team at the farm." Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said the price was a brilliant result for the sales company. "Fantastic to have a buyer that hasn't spent a lot of time in Australia or Magic Millions to attend the sale and take home the highest priced off all-time here at Magic Millions is a great achievement," he said. "We've got to thank Coolmore Stud for supporting the sale with great horses. It was some bidding duel and two big international players paired off, which was outstanding." Stewart Partners for Snitzel Filly After coming out second best for the top seller, Stewart got compensation a few lots later, when he teamed up with Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds to buy the Snitzel filly consigned as Lot 1017 for AU$1.6 million (US$984,504). Offered by Silverdale, the filly is out of group 2 winner Sweet Sherry, making her a half to AU$1.1 million Magic Millions graduate Eneeza, whose three wins are headed by victory in last season's Percy Sykes Stakes (G2). "We had to be patient all sale but we were keen to secure her. We saw the relation go through the sale a few years back and we were very keen to follow her through and we missed," said Bott. "We weren't going to miss this one. We organized a group together which includes John Stewart from Resolute Racing, who has obviously made an impression on this sale as well. "This is the first horse we were able to partner with him and we feel it was the right fit with the quality filly at the sale to put up to him and race with him. I think it will be a great fit with some local partners." Book 1 closed with 753 yearlings sold from 926 offered (81% clearance rate) for total sales of AU$205,430,000 (US$127,297,370), an average of $272,815 (US$169,053), and a median of AU$200,000 (US$123,933). Compared with Book 1 of the 2024 Gold Coast sale, total sales are down 9%, average is down 1%, and median is level. Book 2 sells Jan. 12-13.