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American Pharoah colt stands tall at Magic Millions sale.
The American Pharoah colt who clocked the fastest time at any of the breeze-up sessions translated that form to sale ring domination when Magic Millions hosted its 2YOs In Training Sale on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
The Tal Nolen-prepared colt, who ran 10.15 seconds at the September 28 Seymour breeze-up session, was almost twice as dear as the next most-expensive lot when knocked down for $400,000.
Hong Kong-based trainer Pierre Ng won the battle for the colt, a $55,000 Adelaide Yearling Sale purchase, who is out of a daughter of Thousand Guineas winner Serious Speed.
Adam Campton will look after the colt until he heads to Hong Kong and the Gold Coast horseman is excited about playing a role in his development.
"Pierre and I have had a good association since I was in Hong Kong and I've come home now and I have been very lucky to team up with Pierre today and buy some nice horses and he was obviously the pick of them," Campton said.
"He was for one of Pierre's loyal owners and I am excited to get him ready and in time he'll be shipped off to Hong Kong and hopefully he can win some nice races up there."
The day's second top lot was a colt by Brazen Beau from Inner Demons, who is closely-related to SA Derby and Australian Cup placegetter Zagreb and Anzac Day Stakes winner Flying Award, who sold to China's Zhang Jiandao for $210,000.
He sold for $10,000 more than a colt by Zousain, who was bought by Hong Kong's Strike Thoroughbreds, and a Written By colt, who was snapped up by Hancock Bloodstock.
Nine others sold for at least $100,000 on a day that saw $5,011,500 change hands at an average of $60,380 with a $42,000 median.
That median figure was up $2000 on last year, but both the gross and average (were both well down on 2022's figures of $6,717,000 and $83,963 respectively.
"Looking back at it, from the time bidding got underway and we sold a few horses, there was great confidence in the market and it was really, really genuine," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said.
"We had a very diverse and vibrant market where many jurisdictions around Asia were playing part and I am delighted with most of the way the sale played out.
"We've got a professional group of vendors who were willing to meet the market and it's our job to provide pillars in the market and I think David (Chester) and Nicky (Wong) did a fantastic job finding new markets for us to have here and participate.
"I think that complemented what we had here from a domestic perspective and from Hong Kong," Bowditch added.
TOP SELLERS
$400,000 – American Pharoah-Speed Princess colt (bought by Pierre Ng)
$210,000 – Brazen Beau-Inner Demons colt (Zhang Jiandao)
$200,000 – Zousain-Erin's Element colt (Strike Thoroughbreds)
$200,000 – Written By-Mandalong Sera colt (Hancock Quality Bloodstock)
$180,000 – Flying Artie-Midnight Dancer colt (Wattle Bloodstock)
