FEEL THE MAGIC
$2M CLASSIC SWEEP DAY 1 SALES RECORD SNIPPETS OF THE PAST
“$40,000! Here is an absolute gift. You won’t get better buying,” bellows the auctioneer spruiking Lot 25.
As the horse is paraded on stage, he keeps going: “An absolute gift, Christmas is coming”.
Bidding goes up in $10,000 lots, with spotters screaming “yes!” when they see bids. At times, they yell so loud it scares the horse on sale. Lot 25 hits $150,000 before it’s knocked down.
“Merry Christmas!” shouts the auctioneer.
Welcome to day one of the 2018 annual Magic Millions bloodstock sale of prime yearlings, whose owners will all be hoping for a look-in at the event’s lucrative $10 million race day next year.
Sitting in the cheap seats is first-time attendee Greg Poivett, tucking into a prepacked sandwich under his well-worn hat.
The Port Macquarie retiree, who has attended Sydney’s big annual Inglis thoroughbred sales, said he had “an urge” to come to his first Magic Millions.
He’s in the packed grandstand overlooking the seated and catered auditorium where the major players with the big chequebooks are.
“I’ll be here every day. I came with a bit of a dream,” he said.
How’s that going so far? “Still dreaming,” he laughed.
A horse has just sold for $900,000 but it wasn’t something Mr Poivett threw up a bid on.
“There has been some good buying, some expensive ones, a bit out of my price range at the moment. I’m looking around the $25,000 mark I suppose.”
The last few days when things cool down a bit will be more his territory, he says, but he’s enjoying the buzz of the first frenetic few hours of the 2018 yearling sale.
He’s had a few horses in his time, even some winners, and has a share of one with the doyen of trainers, Gai Waterhouse.
She’s seated on the catered main floor where most of the bidding on the day’s biggest buy – a $1,000,000 horse – largely comes from.
Waterhouse prowls around under her trademark bright red hat, bouncing from table to table, engaged in constant chatter with other buyers, doing deals, strategising. One of her minders shooes away a journalist who inquires about a chat: “She’s on a mission”.
Mulcaster Bloodstock’s Guy Mulcaster, the bloodstock agent who selected Winx from the Magic Millions sales yard back in 2013 (bought for $230,000, prizemoney $15 million), is back doing his thing and he’s all business too.
Might have time for a chat later, not right now, he says, looking with intent at the auction stage where each lot is paraded.
Aquis Farm’s Justin Fung, the son of Hong Kong development tycoon Tony Fung, is back, having set the sales alight last year pumping $8.5 million into buys during the auction.
He’s on a mission too – to develop Aquis Farm into a major player in the thoroughbred racing and stallion breeding game.
He likes what he sees on day one so far: “It’s a strong sale so far, as to be expected.
“It’s a lot of fun. You expect to see that ongoing growth”.
At last count 1062 horses will go up for auction across the five days, with 20 to 30 more per day than last year.
Magic Millions bloodstock consultant James Dawson, who helps compile the yearlings for sale, said the increase on last year was driven by demand from owners and breeders wanting to get their horses in the sale.
Meanwhile back at the grandstand, Mr Poivett is still looking, still dreaming, and who knows.
Maybe he’ll repeat Glenn and Viva Williams’ magic $30,000 buy here in 2010 – they named her Karuta Queen and she went on to win the Magic Millions feature $2 million race the following year and amassed them $1.9m in prizemoney.
The couple are back again and Mr Williams has already made his first buy of 2018, a $50,000 chestnut colt, and cracked a light beer.
Unlike Karuta Queen, “I actually inspected this one”, he says. “After that I went to chat to a few people and thought ‘Bugger it, I’ll get a beer, sit here and enjoy myself’.”
His partner Viva is chuffed with their buy so far – which they thought might go for double what they paid.
“I get more buzz out of this than going to a ladies lunch and high tea. I’d much rather do this,” she said
Mr Poivett says: “If I get the urge, I will stick my hand up. I haven’t yet. I’ve just got to remember not to scratch my nose at the wrong time”.
IT’S A STRONG SALE SO FAR, AS TO BE EXPECTED. IT’S A LOT OF FUN. AQUIS FARM’S JUSTIN FUNG