Miss Finland's Colt Tops Buoyant MM Day One

The colt from five time Group One winner Miss Finland, offered as Lot 232 stole the show late in the day when purchased for $900,000. It capped a great day's selling withopening dayrecords falling across the board.

Presented at the auction by Arrowfield Stud, the Dundeel-Miss Finland colt was purchased by leading Queensland bloodstock agent Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock.

"He's an absolute stand out," Rounsefell said. "We couldn't find a fault in him physically.

"It's a stallion we love and there's been some pressure from Bjorn Baker - I've got some horses with him - so he is probably leading to be the trainer.

"If you look in the book he's by a freshman sire but from a mare who was a champion and she's proven to throw a Group One winner.

"We had the clients around who said to buy him so we went after him strong," Rounsefell added.

The colt is the seventh foal of Miss Finland, a winner of 11 races and earner of over $4.6 million.

A former Golden Slipper and VRC Oaks winner, Miss Finland has already made her mark at stud through the exploits of her Thousand Guineas winning daughter Stay With Me.

The second top seller on the day was the filly by Tapit from Lienan who was purchased by Mandalong Stud and Gary Nickson Racing for $700,000.

Offered as Lot 165 by Newhaven Park, the attractive brown or grey filly was the star pick of the Sydney based trainer Nickson.

"We liked the way the filly walked," Nickson said. "She was a good type with beautiful conformation, great temperament and a good pedigree."

The filly will be raced by Mandalong Stud owner, 94-year-old Rick Pisaturo, who sat with Nickson to secure their number one pick of the sale.

Across the first day of the sale over $35.9 million changed hands on 187 lots sold at an average price of $192,016. The clearance rate was a healthy 85 per cent.

"There were 11 yearlings over half a million dollars and they were spread across a number of sires," Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said.

"The market is wide and varied. The buying bench is strong across all levels and to see the average, gross and clearance rates all rise has provided a great start," Cox added.