Zoustar filly leads the way on the opening day in Adelaide
A filly by Australia’s reigning champion sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) topped a tough first day of the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale after being knocked down to Philippines-based buyer Miguel Almeda for $200,000.
At the close of trade, 124 of 190 offered lots had sold at a clearance rate of 66 per cent, down on the corresponding session in 2025, which saw 73 per cent of the stock offered find new homes.
Aggregate turnover finished at $5,696,500, down 16 per cent on the corresponding session 12 months ago. The average dropped seven points to $45,572, while the median finished at $35,000, down 12.5 per cent.
Despite the softer figures, competition improved as the day wore on, particularly through the middle and latter stages of the catalogue where better credentialled types came to market and were met with solid demand.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said the structure of the catalogue contributed to a slower start before trade lifted in the afternoon.
“I think it started quite slowly today and the way the catalogue fell it lacked a bit of momentum early, but I think once we got into the quality horses in the second half of the day, it picked up,” Bowditch told ANZ News.
“There’s a huge thirst for quality horses. I think the traders were competing quite strongly through that middle market. There were some pleasing results for horses that ticked the boxes. We hate to be cliche, but horses that had a bit of pedigree and were nice types and vetted well, sold very well.
“There was a huge amount of horses that exceeded reserve, just the market, unfortunately, is quite selective at the lower end. I think there’s plenty of value to be found If you’re willing to take a chance. But, unfortunately, that affects the clearance rate when the lower end is as selective as it has been in recent sales.
Bowditch expects a similar pattern to unfold on day two, with improved trade later in the session and clearance rates building through both the ring and post-sale activity.
“I’d be thinking something similar today, and hopefully we can get a few of the past in lots done, and continue to drive the clearance straight into the 70 per cent, and end with an acceptable result.”
Offered by China Horse Club’s The Chase as Lot 67, the sale-topping filly is the second foal out of Canadian winner Tapitlikeitshot (Tapit), herself out of Saratoga Grade 2 winner Gold Mover (Gold Fever), who is also the dam of fellow stakes winners Maleeh (Indian Charlie) and Giant Mover (Giant’s Causeway).
Jun Almeda, bidding alongside David Chester, said familiarity with the Tapit (Pulpit) line played a key role in the purchase.
“We liked the US line of Tapit,” he told ANZ News. “We have a lot of Tapit lines in the Philippines and we know he is a good American stallion. Good on the dirt tracks and the Philippines jockey club race on the dirt track.”
Almeda confirmed the filly will begin her career in Australia before later heading to the Philippines.
“We will put her in training here first and race her as a two-year-old, then take her back to Manila as a broodmare.”
China Horse Club’s Michael Smith said the result continued a positive run for the operation at the Adelaide sale and reflected the filly’s physical appeal.
“She was such a sweet, moving filly. Very athletic and really covered a lot of ground. We’ve supported the Adelaide sale for the last four or five years,” he told ANZ News. “We’ve got some really good results out of it. We hope she’s another one off the track.
“We sold Eternal Warrior out of here and he won the Merson Cooper and was third in the Blue Diamond Prelude and unlucky in the Blue Diamond. Hopefully, this filly can add to that graduates list.
“We also sold another filly Shadhavar who won the Magic Millions 3&4YO race down here and she’s stakes placed and hopefully this filly can add to that graduates list.”
“We love coming here. The buyers love coming here. The horses settle in so well and parade well.”
“There’s such a great history in Adelaide with trainers and breeders and now Magic Millions and we’re delighted to be a part of it,” Smith added.
The top selling colt on the day was Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds’ The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) youngster from Cavaloce who was as agent for Arrowfield Stud.
The colt, who was knocked down for $180,000, is the fifth foal of Cavaloce, a stakes-winning Testa Rossa (Perugino) mare, and he was snapped up by Shane McGrath Bloodstock and Clinton McDonald Racing.
“I love the sire, The Autumn Sun,” McGrath said. “He’s obviously got appeal locally, but also the international market.”
“I loved the colt. There’s plenty of size and scope to him. He’s a very good mover and he has a great temperament.”
“We’ve had a lot of success here [in Adelaide] in the past. I bought Simply Steffi here last year and we’ve got a very good colt at home with Clinton who we like as well.”
The final day of the Adelaide yearling sale gets underway at 10am (ACDT).