Why CQ yearling buyers trust Magic Millions March sale

A leading bloodstock expert reveals 5 reasons why CQ buyers will again return to the honey pot this year.

Paradis Imperial, ridden by Nathan Day, winning at Eagle Farm. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography.

Central Queensland’s yearling buyers have a love affair with one sale in particular, and there’s some compelling reasons why they keep returning to the honey pot each year.

The Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale is fast approaching, to be held on March 15 and 16, and once again a strong contingent of CQ buyers will make the annual pilgrimage.

In a game where the only certainty is uncertainty, trust plays a huge part in the relationship that has blossomed in recent years between CQ investors and this sale on the glitter strip.

Buyers have traditionally been able to trust in the quality of horseflesh the March sale delivers.

That is evidenced by the fact Rockhampton buyers alone spent no less than $439,000 at this sale in 2020.

And Rockhampton trainers and owners have literally “struck gold” in recent years as shown by the racetrack deeds of Paradis Imperial and Better Reflection, to name just two of the star graduates.

The former, bought at the March sale in 2016 by Rocky trainer Tony McMahon, went on to win 10 races in a stellar career which netted connections just shy of $380,000.

Not bad from a purchase price of just $9000.

Paradis Imperial.

And then there is Better Reflection.

She is raced by a group of mainly Rockhampton owners and was a $20,000 purchase from the first crop of sire Better Than Ready’s draft at the Magic Millions March Sale of 2018.

Trained by Rocky’s John Wigginton, her career earnings on the racetrack stand at $331,650 and her list of achievements includes a Listed Calaway Gal Stakes victory.

Nigel Seymour rides Better Reflection (centre) to victory in the Calaway Gal Stakes of 2018 at Doomben, Brisbane. (AAP Image/Albert Perez).

Other pin-up graduates for the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale include Queensland champion Buffering, a $22,000 purchase that went on to win seven Group 1 races and more than $7.3m in prize money.

While Spirit of Boom, now proving his worth as a stallion, was knocked down at the March sale for $90,000 and went on to claim two Group 1s and racetrack earnings upwards of $2.4m.

So why, you may ask, will history repeat in 2021?

Magic Millions bloodstock consultant James Dawson has identified five key reasons why investors will pin their hopes on the March sale this year:

1 Graduate Success

“This sale is consistently one of Magic Millions top performing sales on the racetrack, with sale graduates including champion Buffering, Group 1 winners Spirit Of Boom, Miss Cover Girl and Tinto, Group winners Winning Rupert, Wishful Thinker (HK), Boomsara, Chapter And Verse, Madotti, I’m A Rippa, Ours To Keep and Apache Chase, as well as recent 2YO Stakes winners Better Reflection, Champagne Boom, Perudo and Plutocrat.”

2 World Class Stallions

“This is by far the best selection of stallions the Gold Coast March Sale has ever had with proven Queensland-based stallions featuring Better Than Ready (80 Lots), Spirit of Boom (35) but also proven NSW-based stallions Pierro (1), Zoustar (1), More Than Ready (1), Sebring (2), Deep Field (3), Capitalist (2), Rubick (3), Shalaa (2), All Too Hard (5), Nicconi (1), Extreme Choice (2), Star Witness (1), and Flying Artie (6).”

3 Great Value Sale

“This sale averaged $28,000 in 2020 with a median price of $20,000, so buying value yearlings is natural at this sale.”

4 Great Prizemoney

“The money attaced to the QTIS Scheme is huge. Saturday Metropolitan winners can earn $67,200 for colts and geldings and $79,450 for fillies while they are two and three-year-olds, plus the $12.77m Magic Millions Races Series available to them.”

Rockhampton horse trainer John Wigginton and jockey Nigel Seymour, who teamed up with Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender Better Reflection at the Gold Coast Turf Club. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

5 Great Experience

“The Gold Coast is a unique selling point in itself - everyone has a great time here. But we also facitate yearling parades on farms in the four weeks leading into the sale, as well as the promotional tours and functions around the regional areas.”

For more information on the Magic Millions 2021 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, CLICK HERE.

Originally published as Why CQ yearling buyers trust Magic Millions March sale