With Book 1 of the 2021 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast completed with 11 seven-figure sales, the first set of stallion figures at a major yearling sale in this COVID-19 era in Australia makes for interesting reading.
For the majority of breeders, stallion profitability is the all-important figure and resilience of the past weeks trade has thrown up food for thought.
At the end of a frenetic four days of selling shuttle sire Almanzor (pictured) has returned the best figures, following on from the positive reception his first-crop yearlings met in Europe last year.
European Champion 3YO of 2016, Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) only had three lots on offer and all three sold with a $800,000 top lot and his average of $506,667 – over 15 times conception fee.
Almanzor shuttles between Haras d’Etreham in France and Cambridge Stud in New Zealand where he has a big representation at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale at Karaka commencing January 24.
The Newgate Stud-based Deep Field is the only horse in the top 10 with double figure sales, his 37 lots sold averaging $210,000 at 9.55 times conception with a spread of prices from a top of $700,000 to $70,000.
Another first-season sire to trade well was Group 1 winner Invader (Snitzel), who had 7 lots average $257,143 and all seven sell for $100,000 or more.
The now pensioned Arrowfield sire Not A Single Doubt is the leading sire by average with 16 lots sold averaging $619,375 and he had four lots sell for $1 million or more.
The select Book 1 section had 706 lots sell for a gross of $180,130,000 compared to the 2020 sale gross when 709 yearlings sold for $177,407,000. The 2021 average of $255,142 is 2% higher than last year when the figure was $250,211. The median remains constant at $180,000 while the clearance rate sits at 91%, up from 87% a year ago.
Our figures below are for horses with three or more lots sold, 2018 fee in brackets.
1. Almanzor* ($NZ30,000 (32,775) 3 sold, $506,667 ave, 15.45 x fee
2. Deep Field ($22,000) 37 sold, $210,000 ave, 9.55
3. Invader* ($27,500) 7 sold, $257,143 ave, 9.35
4. Extreme Choice ($22,000) 6 sold, $201,667 ave, 9.15
5. Tivaci ($NZ20,000 (21,850) 3 sold, $190,000 ave, 8.70
6. Sooboog ($13,200) 6 sold, $108,333 ave, 8.20
7. Headwater ($16,500) 5 sold, $130,000 ave, 7.90
8. No Nay Never ($19,250) 4 sold, $146,250 ave, 7.60
9. Smart Missile ($13,200) 6 sold, $100,000 ave, 7.55
10. Menari * ($27,500) 3 sold, $200,000 ave, 7.25
11. Shalaa ($33,000) 23 sold, $232,391 ave, 7.05
12. Hellbent* ($27,500) 29 sold, $186,552, 6.80
13. Star Turn ($22,000) 4 sold, $147,500 ave, 6.70
14. Star Witness ($33,000) 4 sold, $215,000 ave, 6.50
15. Pariah* ($22,000) 15 sold, $136,667 ave, 6.20
16. Nicconi ($24,750) 7 sold, $151,429 ave, 6.10
17. Not A Single Doubt ($99,000) 17 sold, $597,647 ave, 6.00
NB: Fastnet Rock advertised as FOA in 2018 so not be included
All NZ fees converted to $Aus at 2018 conversion rates
* denotes first-season