Sunlight may shine amid COVID gloom
THE record price for a thoroughbred sold through the Gold Coast Magic Millions sale ring could be under siege on Monday when Sunlight returns to where it all began.
Originally sold as a yearling for $300,000 on the Gold Coast in 2017, Sunlight went on to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in 2018, three Group 1 races and more than $6 million in prizemoney. She is being sold as a broodmare prospect on Monday and bloodstock experts say she could set new marks for Magic Millions.
The record for a mare off the track sold on the Gold Coast is $3 million for Princess Coup in 2009.
The highest-priced horse sold there was the broodmare Listen Here, who fetched $3.4 million in 2016, at which time she had already produced the star racehorses Deep Field and Shooting To Win.
Australia-wide, Milanova made an Australasian record $5 million when sold to Coolmore in Sydney in 2008.
Sunlight is one of many high-class mares being sold over the next two days.
Others are Invincibella, Unforgotten, Viddora and Champagne Cuddles.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said ordinarily he would expect
Sunlight to eclipse the Gold Coast record but there was an element of uncertainty given the pandemic.
“I think she’s the best we’ve ever offered,” Bowditch said. “Can she break a record? In normal times I’d say she would. In these times, we will see what happens.
“There’s plenty of the right players here with the money to play at the level.”
For Widden Stud’s Antony Thompson, Monday will be exciting but with plenty of nostalgia rolled in.
Widden was co-breeder of Sunlight, and Thompson’s wife Katie shared in the ownership. Thompson said Sunlight had been popular since arriving back on the Gold Coast last Thursday, even with people who could not afford to buy her.
“There’s been a lot of admirers of elite thoroughbreds who just want to see what the best looks like,” he said.