Magic Millions sale: Redoute's Choice colt leads the way at third session

With a Redoute's Choice colt out of a Group 1 winner leading the way, the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale continued to show gains as it continued with its third session Friday at the Magic Millions Sales Complex in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

In all, 144 horses were sold at Friday's session for total receipts of $19,675,000 in Australian currency, or about $20,648,571, posting an average price of $143,393.

Through the first three sessions, 417 horses have sold for a total of $58,865,003, an increase of 7 percent compared with last year's sale at this point. Cumulative average of $141,188 is up 5 percent, while median is also up 5 percent to $111,109 through three days.

"The sale is going well," Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said. "There's strong demand for quality yearlings and we've still got plenty more of those to sell tomorrow night."

Trainer John O'Shea went to $ 844,357 ($800,000 Australian) for the session topper, a Redoute's Choice colt consigned by Newgate Farm as agent.

"He's the best Redoute's Choice [yearling] I have seen in a long time," O'Shea said. "The best since [Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed] Fast 'n' Famous. He is a very nice colt."

The colt, who fetched the second-highest price overall at the sale to date, is out of the Group 1-winning Encosta de Lago mare Apercu, who has not yet produced a starter. Her oldest foal, a 2009 Fastnet Rock colt, is her only foal of racing age.

Apercu is out of the stakes-placed winning Zabeel mare Making Fey, dam of five winners from six starters. Making Fey is a half sister to three winners, including Group 2 winner Big Barron.

The session's highest-priced filly, by Darley stallion Lonhro, was purchased for $712,427 ($675,000 Australian) by bloodstock agent James Harron on behalf of client Edmund Bateman.

The filly, consigned by Evergreen Stud Farm, as agent, is out of the winning Danehill mare Cirque Du Soleil, a full sister to champion and leading sire Fastnet Rock.

Cirque Du Soleil is the dam of three winners from four to race, including Group 2 placed Emotional Circus.

"She is a magnificent filly and very, very athletic," Harron said. "She has a fantastic pedigree to go with it. We rated her as the best filly of the sale."

The six-session sale continues through Tuesday, Jan. 15, with a dark day on Monday.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.