Three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight set a Magic Millions auction record when selling to Coolmore for $4.2 million at the opening day of the National Broodmare sale at the Gold Coast on Monday.
After an opening bid of $1 million, 21 bids later the daughter of Zoustar was knocked down to Tom Magnier.
“We are very lucky to have got her,” Magnier told Magic Millions. “She is a lovely looking mare and she was unbelievable on the racetrack, not only did she beat her own age, she beat the boys.”
“She is a filly of a generation and we are very lucky to have got her and there were a lot of good people involved in her and there were a lot of people around the world who had their eyes on her, so to take her back to Coolmore in the Hunter Valley is exciting and she will visit Justify.”
“We are committed to Justify – he is the horse of a generation as well. He won the Triple Crown in America and retired unbeaten.”
“We really wanted to have her, she is so good looking and we are trying to build a really serious broodmare band at Coolmore and if you are serious about that, you have to have mares like that in it.”
Coolmore also signed for Group winner Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) at $2 million and Group 1 winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible) for $1.3 million.
Yulong was active on the first day and went to $2.75 million for the Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock), selling online.
“Mr Zhang is bidding online, so we weren’t aware which leg he was on and we didn’t know until the phone rang afterwards from his son-in-law, so after that we knew that we’d secured her.” Yulong racing manager Luke Wilkinson said.
Overall 117 lots sold, grossing $24 million at an average of $206,714 with a clearance rate of 84%.
The sale continues on Tuesday.