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Redoute's Choice colt tops strong Magic Millions opener The sale complex at Magic Millions has been the scene of frenetic activity in recent days and that action translated into a robust first session bolstered by the spending spree of prominent South African trainer Charles Laird and underpinned by a local buying bench unfazed by the presence of leading international agents. If the sale began somewhat shakily with the first yearling offered -- a Redoute's Choice filly passed in at A$340,000 on a reserve of A$400,000 -- it quickly found its feet when trainer Lee Freedman outstayed several underbidders, including agent Rob McAnulty, to secure the much talked about colt by Redoute's Choice offered by Coolmore. Sold for A$1.5-million, Lot 83 is the first foal out of listed winner and Group 3-placed Liberty Rose (Royal Academy). "He is the best Redoute's Choice in the sale, very athletic. He should be an early horse," Freedman said. "Redoute's Choice stands for A$275,000 now, so for a good one out of a Group (placed) mare it has got to be market value." Freedman added that he had bought the colt for "a group of guys." Selling for A$850,000 to trainer Graeme Rogerson was Lot 30, a Redoute's Choice colt from Group 1 winner Isolda (Sir Tristram) offered by Magic Millions principal Gerry Harvey's Baramul Stud. Rogerson, who gave A$1,055,000 for three yearlings, trained Isolda for the late Sir Tristan Antico, for whom she memorably defeated Octagonal in the Champagne S. (Aus-G1) after he had beaten her in the AJC Sires' Produce S. (Aus-G1). Isolda went on to place in a further three Group 1 races, including the Australian Oaks (Aus-G1). "I think he is a real good chance, this horse, and hopefully one day, he might be a stallion," Rogerson said. "I valued him at around A$700,000, A$800,000 and we got him for A$850,000, so it was $50,000 well-spent. I have not told Gerry (Harvey of Baramul Stud) yet, but he is getting a share. He'll be all finished, sold, by the end of the day." The sale continued to gain momentum throughout the day as a predominantly domestic bench more than held its own against buyers from South Africa, led by Laird, and a sprinkling from Hong Kong. The aggregate was up some A$12 million and the average was up by A$55,000 to A$187,131. Magic Millions officials were obviously pleased by the first day of action and confident that the momentum would carry through to subsequent days. "To have a 60-percent leap in aggregate with a catalog of just 10 more yearlings and the average price to rocket up 41 percent is a great result," Magic Millions Managing Director David Chester said. "I think the figures should rise again tomorrow as we've got some outstanding yearlings cataloged; yearlings who would be stars at any sale in the world." There is much speculation over whether the Sadler's Wells colt out of Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence) to be offered as Hip 376 on Friday will prove to be the sale-topper. "There is a lot of talk about the Sadler's Wells colt, but we may well have seen the sale-topper. I think people broadly agreed that the Redoute's Choice--Liberty Rose colt was the best colt here," Aushorse chairman John Messara said. South African trainer Charles Laird, runner-up on the trainer's premiership last term to Mike de Kock, was the leading buyer, outlaying A$3.845 million on 11 purchases, headlined by a filly by Encosta de Lago and out of Golden Slipper (Aus-G1) winner Merlene (Danehill), who sold for A$775,000. Trained by Lee Freedman, Merlene won the 1996 Golden Slipper for the late Kerry Packer. She is the dam of three winners from four foals to race and was sold by Strawberry Hill Stud at last year's Magic Millions National Sale for A$875,000. Merlene is now owned by John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds and has a More Than Ready colt on the ground; she is back in foal to Encosta De Lago. Last year, Laird bought 19 yearlings and he said he intended to go home with 25 to 30 this year, adding that the sale-topper had not yet gone through the ring and it was on his list. "We will keep coming back, we've had a lot of success with our purchases here. I like Magic Millions, they treat us fantastically well, they look after us and they have got some nice horses," Laird said. "Markus Jooste is quite strong in breeding as well as racing and a pedigree like that can only do our farm good." Hot on the heels of boom stallions Redoute's Choice, who had nine go under the hammer for A$455,556 on the first day, and Encosta de Lago, whose first crop averaged A$406,875, was exciting newcomer Exceed and Excel. Selling off a A$55,000 first season fee, the champion sprinter had seven head sell for an average of A$370,000. John Ferguson gave A$580,000 for a colt out of Group 3 winner Living Spirit (Hennessy), offered by Swettenham Stud as Hip 91. The colt is the first foal out of the mare. "We are delighted; they have sold incredibly well," Darley Australia's Olly Tait said. "His top lot fetched A$580,000, which was fantastic and his first three through the ring all made A$300,000-plus. It is it is a great start for him and buyers have taken to him very well. He is always a horse we have had a lot of faith in and he has a really strong draft of great-bodied horses, very athletic. Everyone you talk to seems to like them." Lee Freedman, who spent A$2.2 million on three horses, went to A$500,000 for Hip 182, a filly out of the multiple Group 2-winning On Type (Zeditave). The filly was offered by Strawberry Hill Stud. Other Exceed and Excel yearlings to attract plenty of notice were the A$380,000 colt from Happens (Barathea [Ire]); a filly from Lenswood (Woodman) who sold to Charles Laird for the same amount; and a filly from Honeymoon Express (Star Way) who sold to Jon Freyer for A$300,000. The latter filly is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Carnegie Express.
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