Rock of Gibraltar pair top Magic Millions

Rock of Gibraltar pair top Magic Millions

A colt and a filly by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) shared top billing at Tuesday's

final session of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.

The first of the Rock of Gibraltar yearlings to attract the sale-topping

A$260,000 price tag was a bay filly out of Romantic River (Irish River [Fr]).

From the account of Coolmore Stud, the yearling is a three-quarter sister as

Group 2 winner Aqua d'Amore (Danehill) and was purchased by trainer Gai

Waterhouse.

Of her newest acquisition, Waterhouse said, "I thought she was very immature

when I saw her in January, but since then she has really done well. Aqua d'Amore

also ran a close second in the (Queen Elizabeth S. [Aus-G1]) and is a multiple

group winner. Taking all of that into account, I thought she was great value."

Not long after Waterhouse's purchase, fellow trainer Anthony Cummings bid

A$260,000 for a son of Rock of Gibraltar out of Biscotte (Marscay). Also from

the Coolmore draft, the yearling is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Baraka.

"He's a very good type," Cummings reported. "He's very strong and has great

depth to the shoulder and he's got a good pedigree. I was keen all year to buy a

Rock and he's been the best value I have seen all year. He's easily the best in

the (Coolmore) draft."

During three sessions, Magic Millions sold 433 yearlings for A$12,193,200 and

an average of A$28,160. The average was up 1.8 percent from the 2005 sale

average of A$27,654. The National Weanling Sale begins Thursday.