Darley stallions have again made a significant impact at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with the first-season sires Blue Point, Too Darn Hot and Microphone in particular demand.
Champion Sprinter Blue Point was welcomed by the Australian market with some fantastic results.
The only horse to ever win three G1 sprints - the King’s Stand Stakes like Nature Strip - but twice! - and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes like Black Caviar - at Royal Ascot in England, finished the sale as the leading first-season sire by average and median.
Seventeen of the Blue Point's yearlings sold for an average of $357,647, with a partnership including fast-emerging young Sydney trainer Annabel Neasham selling for $900,000 on account of Segenhoe Stud.
Another four lots sold for between $750,000 and $400,000 and are destined for the leading stables of Chris Waller, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Peter Moody, Anthony Cummings and Godolphin’s head trainer in Australia, James Cummings.
The progeny of Blue Point, who won four G1s in a career yielding 11 victories and six placings from just 20 starts, fetched an impressive $116,517 above this year’s Magic Millions sale average.
Too Darn Hot also starred on the Gold Coast, with Lot 828 by the Champion Two & Three-Year-Old fetching $1 million.
The filly is out of 2018 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Enbihaar and will be trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at Royal Randwick.
Champion English trainer John Gosden once referred to Too Darn Hot as a “Ferrari-McLaren type” and his progeny moved quickly in the sales ring, with 17 yearlings by the triple G1 winner and son of the immortal English stallion Dubawi selling on average for $249,118.
His other lots sold for as high as $410,000, $380,000 and $280,000.
Microphone needed no introduction to Gold Coast buyers. Regarded as the best young son of Exceed And Excel, Microphone was cream of a 2018-19 crop that included Bivouac, Probabeel, Loving Gaby future The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, Exceedance, Castelvecchio and Lyre.
The G1 winner’s top lot, a colt out of South Of France, sold on behalf of Newhaven Park for $750,000 to a syndicate that included Newgate Farm and the China Horse Club.
Star Thoroughbreds (two), Richard and Will Freedman, Mystery Downs, Lindsay Park Racing, Joe Pride and Kennewell Racing also purchased lots by the former Champion Two-Year-Old for prices up to $330,000.
Darley Australia spearhead Exceed And Excel has been at the top of his game for nearly two decades and the great stallion’s progeny were again highly sort-after on the Gold Coast.
Long regarded as the world’s leading sire of two-year-olds, 12 Exceed And Excel yearlings sold for an average of $590,000.
He finished Book 1 as the third-highest stallion by average, with his top lot bringing a whopping $1.8 million.
The colt, a half-brother to 2023 Magic Millions Classic favourite Empire Of Japan out of G2 winner Ichihara, was purchased by famous Kia Ora Stud and was the fifth highest-priced yearling in this year’s catalogue.
World Champion Sprinter Harry Angel has only had a handful of starters in Australia this season but has already had success, with Stakes winner Arkansaw Kid being aimed at the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
He was well received in Queensland, with his only four yearlings selling up to $300,000.
Among the buyers were leading trainers: Snowden Racing, Lindsay Park Racing and Peter Moody - the former trainer of legendary sprinter Black Caviar - were among the successful bidders.
