Darley’s young stallions Brazen Beau, Epaulette and Hallowed Crown ended the elite sessions of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale on a high note in Queensland on 13 January.
Brazen Beau produced the best result of the night for the Darley roster, his filly from the Strategic mare Grand Strategy selling for A$250,000.
A half-sister to the G1 AJC Galaxy winner Griante, the filly from the Amarina Farm draft was purchased by Brazen Beau’s former trainer Chris Waller and bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster.
Her price was the second-highest of the sale for a Brazen Beau, whose original purchaser Grant Morgan of On Track Thoroughbreds also took home two from the champion sprinter’s first crop.
Another of Darley’s freshman stallions, Hallowed Crown also figured among the bigger sales of the final Book One session, his colt from the winning Montjeu mare Jehannedarc fetching $240,000.
The colt from the Glenlogan Park draft is from a family that includes the champion racehorse Giant’s Causeway and his sister You’resothrilling, whose offspring include English and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles, along with the G1 winners Happily and Marvellous.
Epaulette had his best result of the sale when his filly from the Medaglia d’Oro mare CIay Heels consigned by Bowness Stud, went to Robert Anderson for $240,000.
While the younger brigade achieved strong results, with Shooting To Win the best of them with A$340,000 paid on day three by Godolphin for his filly from Dane Belltar, it was Darley’s proven international performer Exceed And Excel who again lived up to his name.
The Exceed And Excel yearlings grossed $3.9 million at an average of $280,000, with a top-price of $600,000 being paid for the brother to top New Zealand two-year-old Al Hasa.
Book One of the sale smashed all records, finishing with a gross of $156 million, up $22.6 million on 2017.
“We’ve closed out with the highest grossing yearling sale ever in the Southern Hemisphere,” Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.
“We’re in a wonderful position …… with this sale being as strong as it is, it really gives us a great platform going forward to attract even better horses and quality buyers.”
The sale averaged $228,000, up from $206,922 in 2017, with nine yearlings making $1 million or more and with a top price of $2 million.
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the sale for Magic Millions – and buyers – was the exceptional 89 per cent clearance rate.
