As widely reported, the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale proved to be a resounding success and the Sledmere Stud consignment was no exception. By the time our team had sold its final member of the draft late on Friday afternoon (Day 4), all 22 yearlings had successfully changed hands for an aggregate of $7,420,000 at an average of $337,273.
Our four days of trading proved to be a whirlwind of activity and featured a host of memorable bloodstock sale highlights — even at this early stage of the 2022 series. These included a Zoustar colt (Lot 375) fetching $1.3 million; a Savabeel colt (Lot 237) selling for $950,000; a son of Lonhro sold for $650,000; and, our only member of the first-crop progeny of Justify (USA) realising $440,000.
Offered on behalf of China Horse Club, the Zoustar-Pirapala colt was purchased by Rosemont-Victorian Alliance/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/David Redvers Bloodstock as a potential stallion prospect. His $1.3 million purchase price proved to be the highest received for a member of the breed at MMGC22, and was a wonderful endorsement for Sledmere Stud as a vendor and our great clients China Horse Club as a breeder and seller of bloodstock of the very highest quality.
Likewise the sum of $950,000 received for Lot 237 of our Magic Millions Yearling Sale draft. Offered on behalf of New Zealand’s premier breeding outfit Waikato Stud, the Savabeel-Magic Dancer (NZ) colt was a supreme individual and will now get every chance on the racetrack after being purchased by Busuttin Racing/All Winners Thoroughbreds who have a proven track record of achievement with the breed.
Without going into too much detail, the overall results of the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale were probably beyond everyone’s expectations and are a reflection of how well the auction was staged by Magic Millions, of the general quality of the bloodstock offered right across the board, and of the tremendous state of the Australasian Thoroughbred Industry which in general continues to outperform other sectors during very difficult times.
Two further aspects of our 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale results should not go without mention.
Firstly, the cross-section of buyers of the Sledmere Stud draft was credibly heartening and represents a diverse number of concerns operating at the very highest level of their specific category — trainers, agents and owners included.The confidence they show in our ability to present quality racing prospects is greatly appreciated.
And secondly, the fact that we at Sledmere Stud feel very grateful for the opportunity to prepare such outstanding stock on behalf of some of the region’s leading breeders, including (and in no particular order) China Horse Club, Waikato Stud, Little Avondale Stud, Rifa Mustang and other very valued clients. We are delighted to have played our role in attaining such positive results for matings which were planned as far back as mid-2019 during entirely different times on a worldwide perspective.