Maximising buyers' chances of success

Being a leading buyer at a yearling sale takes plenty of hard work as well as money and, naturally enough, sale companies and vendors are generous with their congratulations!

But as every experienced buyer knows, securing the yearlings of your choice is only the start of the job and the real accolades are handed out at the track after Group and Listed Races.

By that much tougher measure China Horse Club, James Harron, Gai Waterhouse, Darby Racing & Scone Bloodstock are among the most successful buyers from recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Sales – and all have bought Group winners from Arrowfield.

China Horse Club was the leading buyer by total spend at the 2016 Magic Millions Sale and the best of their 21 purchases came from the Arrowfield barn. That’s the Michael Pitt-bred Champion 2YO Colt Invader, bought for $475,000 and now worth many times that amount after leading home the Snitzel trifecta in the $1 million ATC Sires’ Produce S. G1. 

James Harron’s eight lots from the same Sale were headed then, and are headed now by the $1 million Arrowfield graduate Dracarys, winner of the ATC Up and Coming S. G3 in August. Both Dracarys and Invader are trained by Peter & Paul Snowden, also in charge of recent Listed winner Pretty Fast, a $650,000 Magic Millions purchase from Arrowfield by Tim Stakemire for Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohammed al Maktoum.

The third Group-winning colt from Arrowfield’s Magic Millions Class of 2016 is Showtime, successful in September’s MVRC Bill Stutt S. G2. He races for Team Hawkes and a group of owners including his breeders Arrowfield and Katsumi Yoshida who retained a share in the handsome son of Snitzel and Flidais. Agent Dean Hawthorne signed for him at $1.1 million.

A year earlier, at the 2015 Magic Millions auction, Gai Waterhouse and Darby Racing secured two fillies and it didn’t take long for their Arrowfield buy, Scarlet Rain to justify her $100,000 price-tag. Almost exactly a year later, she won on debut at Rosehill, again three weeks later and at her third start landed the ATC Sweet Embrace S. G2. 

Her owners’ original investment was handsomely rewarded with $340,000 prizemoney and Scarlet Rain’s subsequent sale price of $950,000, paid by James Harron at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. 

Scone Bloodstock’s John Hutchinson purchased four yearlings at Magic Millions in 2015, including Listed winner Guard of Honour, but his best result was the gorgeous $720,000 Redoute’s Choice filly he and trainer Rick Worthington found in Arrowfield’s consignment. 

Named Honesty Prevails, she won just one race in her short career for owner Trevor Gluck, but she made it count, because it was the ATC Widden S. G3 at her 2YO debut in January 2016. Now a member of the Arrowfield broodmare band, Honesty Prevails is safely in foal to Japan’s multiple Champion Sire Deep Impact. 

All told, Arrowfield has sold 22 stakeswinners from  203 lots offered at the 2011-16 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sales. So what talent awaits discovery by Magic Millions buyers in Arrowfield’s Class of 2018?

Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer picks out a few lots from the 63-strong consignment that are likely to attract buyers’ early attention:

Lot 24 – Olympic Glory-Lanai filly
“A gorgeous, eye-catching type from a sister to G1 winner Marsh Side. She has balance, strength and scope, and will be the first Olympic Glory yearling offered in Australia.”

Lot 126 – Smart Missile-Negotiate colt  
“Half-brother to Magic Millions graduate & Group 1 winner Secret Agenda, from a tremendous producer who always leaves an athletic type, and this boy is no exception.”

Lot 294 – Not A Single Doubt-She Loves You colt
“A typical, racy Not A Single Doubt type bred on the Gunnison cross, and with a similar physical. He’s the mare’s second foal and a grandson of Group 2 winner She Will Be Loved from a prolific stakes-producing family.” 

Lot 479 – Lord Kanaloa-Adempiano filly     
“A quality sprinting daughter of Japan’s leading first season sire, she’s had size and substance from the start and looks fast and early.”

Lot 573 – Animal Kingdom-Butters colt
“Strongly made, attractive, athletic half-brother to Group 1 winner Foxplay and descended from champion US 2YO filly Eliza.”

Lot 668 – Dundeel-Opportunity colt
“He’s an excellent, fluent mover, typical of what Dundeel leaves, his dam was a very smart 2YO and has produced two stakes performers.”

Lot 731 – Redoute’s Choice-Flavoured filly     
“A lovely, big, strong full sister to Group 3-winning juvenile Honesty Prevails. And the Redoute’s Choice/Hussonet cross is magic: five Group winners from 10 runners.”

Lot 733 – Snitzel-Flidais filly
“The Snitzel-Flidais mating has already produced Showtime and Group 1 winner Sweet Idea, and this is a star filly who reminds us very much of her big sister.”