Magic Millions certainly know how to put on a show. Festivities during the Gold Coast Carnival range from a quiz night to a celebrity polo match, sportsmen’s lunches, an exhibition gallop on the beach, and a golf day.
And that’s not to mention a feature race meeting with prize money worth a colossal AU$13.25 million.
However, for the next few days, this corner of Queensland will become the center of the bloodstock universe as the more serious matter of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale gets underway Jan. 13.
Intermittent rain replaced blazing sun for the final day of inspections Jan. 12 as a global gathering of major players conducted the crucial final steps in their due diligence.
The home team included the iconic Gai Waterhouse, who made her way between barns on her customary golf buggy, while the likes of Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher have also been busy working the beat in recent days.
A host of major investors were also in town, not least Yuesheng Zhang. The principal of Yulong Investments’ growing empire had been a notable absentee from the Australian scene during the latter half of last year, but the Chinese billionaire quelled rumors about his whereabouts with his presence on the Gold Coast.
With 69 entries in the catalog, his Yulong operation also presents one of the largest consignments at this year’s sale.
Coolmore was another operation with a sizeable delegation on deck Monday, and Tom Magnier credited Magic Millions co-owner Katie Page-Harvey with developing a spectacle that not only drives momentum for the sale, but the wider racing and bloodstock industry too.
“What Katie has created is phenomenal,” said Magnier, whose son Charlie took part in the Magic Millions showjumping event Jan. 11. “It’s not just a horse sale, it’s not just a race meeting, it’s a carnival. They’re getting people here from all over the world. Prize money here in Australia is very good at the moment, and racing is very healthy; you only have to look at the crowds of people going racing here all the time."
At last year’s event, Magnier signed for five Gold Coast yearlings at an outlay of AU$6 million, while the Coolmore draft also contained the sale’s top lot, the Home Affairs filly out of champion 3-year-old Sunlight. Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida secured the blue-blooded youngster on a bid of AU$3.2 million.
Magnier is looking to get among the buyers during the four premier sessions of this year’s sale, as well as overseeing around 40 yearlings in this year’s Coolmore consignment, which is comprised predominantly of home sires’ stock.
“We’re selling a lot of horses this week,” he said. “There’s some lovely Justifys around the place, Home Affairs is starting to kick goals now too, and I was just talking to somebody there who was saying there’s some nice first crop Best Of Bordeauxs around the complex."
Magnier added that while there was plenty of action expected on the Gold Coast, his thoughts were also with those impacted by the bushfire crisis that has wrought havoc across Victoria.
“We have to be mindful that there’s a lot of people having a very tough time in Victoria at the moment,” he said. “They’ve had a very bad week, so we’re very conscious that while we’re all up here having a good time on the Gold Coast, we’re bearing them in mind. They’re going through a tough time, but we’re all here to help anyone who needs it.”
A contingent of younger European agents have ventured to the southern hemisphere, including BBA Ireland’s Adam Potts, Fernando Laffon, Jamie Piggott, and Sam Haggas.
A notable international presence also included a team from Japan’s Northern Farm, United States agent Ramiro Restrepo, Frenchman Arthur Hoyeau, and Magic Millions regular David Redvers.
As one of the more seasoned visitors, Redvers’ involvement now reaches across a range of different Australian bloodstock interests.
“I’ve been coming to this sale for the last 15 years,” he said. “We do a bit of pinhooking down here, we’re involved in the colts partnership with Qatar Racing and Ciaron Maher, and we’ve had some lovely fillies out of these sales with people like Rosemont as well. Widden is our major partner down here, though, and we’ve really enjoyed working with Antony (Thompson) and the team there.”
The international flavor is not confined to the prospective purchasers present at the sale.
The 1,221-lot catalog features yearlings by blue-chip Australian stallions such as I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Written Tycoon, and Zoustar, as well as the likes of international stars Baaeed, Blame , Kingman , Lope de Vega , Night of Thunder, No Nay Never, and Siyouni. There are also a dozen lots by Frankel .
The five-day sale begins Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. local time.
