Presented as Lot 1927 by Scone's Attunga Stud, the good looking brown colt was purchased by leading Hong Kong based bloodstock agent George Moore for $380,000.
Moore said the colt from the city winning Flying Spur mare Xandretta was a real
stand out.The session topping colt is a three quarter brother to the Group One Champagne Stakes winner Carry on Cutie – in turn the grand-dam of this season's Champagne winner and Gold Coast graduate The Mission.
"He's the stand out yearling of the sale," Moore said. "He's by More Than Ready who is the sire of Eagle Way, a recent Group Three winner in Hong Kong for the stable."
"He comes with an outstanding page with the recent Group One winner The Mission in the second dam."
"The colt ticked all the boxes for what I was looking for," Moore added.
The More Than Ready colt just edged out a Fastnet Rock filly, who sold late in the day, for $350,000.
Catalogued as Lot 2032, the filly is a half sister to the multiple Group One winner Fiveandahalfstar and the group performer Wordplay.
The filly was knocked down to David Lucas on behalf of Dubai's Phoenix Thoroughbreds.
Another of the popular lots on Day One was Lot 1922 – the Hinchinbrook-Waterspell colt from Tyreel Stud, as agent for Yarraman Park Stud.
The bay colt, from the family of Group One winner River Dove (dam of Headwater), also went the way of Phoenix Thoroughbreds, this time at a price of $280,000.
The equal fourth top sellers on the day at $250,000 were both sold by Gerry Harvey's Baramul Stud – an All Too Hard half brother to Cox Plate winner Savabeel to Flemington's Danny O'Brien and a More Than Ready three quarter sister to Kiss and Make Up to Matthew Dunn and Neil Jenkinson.
The gross and average price returns for the day were both up, but the clearance rate was well down on last year's record breaking opener, back to the levels of the 2015 opener.
"The competition on the quality lots was outstanding and as a result a number of good prices were attained which has given us a very healthy average," Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox reported.
"The clearance rate is a very disappointing 67 per cent which we will hope to improve tomorrow with the vendors being more realistic for their less admired stock."
"We have worked hard to attract a large buying bench and we anticipate they will step into the market as opportunities arise," Cox added.
To view the results of today's sale and to make an offer on a passed in lot clickhere.
Day Two of the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale will commence at 10am (Qld time) on Wednesday.
SALE STATISTICS
(2016 Day One in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 234 (230)
Lots Sold: 145 (169)
Lots Withdrawn: 17 (25)
Lots Passed In: 72 (36)
Top Price: $380,000 ($220,000)
Average Price: $59,041 ($45,195)
Median Price: $37,500 ($30,000)
Sale Gross: $8,561,000 ($7,638,000)
Sold %: 67 (82)
DAY ONE TOP SELLERS
$380,000 – More Than Ready-Xandretta colt (Lot 1927)
Vendor: Attunga Stud (As Agent) / Buyer: George Moore B'stock (HK)
$350,000 – Fastnet Rock-Cryptic Miss filly (Lot 2032)
Coolmore Australia (As Agent) / Phoenix T'breds (UAE)
$280,000 – Hinchinbrook-Waterspell colt (Lot 1922)
Tyreel Stud (As Agent for Yarraman Park) / Phoenix T'breds (UAE)
$250,000 – More Than Ready-Costume filly (Lot 2026)
Baramul Stud / Matthew Dunn/Neil Jenkinson (NSW)
$250,000 – All Too Hard-Savannah Success colt (Lot 1834)
Baramul Stud / O'Brien T'breds (Vic)
MM Release
