Marie Yoshida of Asian Bloodstock Services executed the first A$1m purchase of the 2019 Magic Millions Sale, with lot 10 ‘taking her breath away’ at first inspection. The colt by Medaglia d’Oro (USA) out of Group 1 winner Peggy Jean (Myboycharlie {USA}) sold for an even A$1 million, an early highlight on the opening day of the sale.
Buying on behalf of Hong Kong-based owner Howard Liang, the owner of dual G1 Hong Kong Cup winner California Memory (USA) (Highest Honor {Fr}), Yoshida said the colt, who was offered by Widden, made a great first impression.
“I arrived here on Sunday morning and as soon as I started inspecting, he had so much presence. He’s a very excellent mover. Medaglia D’Oro is a proven sire,” she said. “He was not a cheap stallion. In 2016, he was standing for $100,000. So he got some nice mares and this colt was just splendid.”
“Congratulations to Magic Millions. To bring these type of horses here. This horse came here and we were just very impressed by his body type, his walk, his pedigree. Congrats to Widden Stud, they did a very good job to prepare him.”
Liang and Yoshida were spotted earlier in the week inspecting horses with Peter and Paul Snowden, and this colt will be trained at Randwick by the father and son partnership. “You just feel it. Many people will tell you in 30 seconds, you need to stop and breathe and really look at this one,” she said. “We are very lucky to have top trainers in Peter and Paul Snowden. They don’t know about him yet, but I think they will be very happy that they have got this colt.”
The Snowdens have trained several horses in Australia for Liang previously and have the two Fastnet Rock 2-year-old colts Yoshida bought for Liang at last year’s Magic Millions Sale, California August, who sold for A$500,000, and California Boxer, who sold for A$650,000.
The half-sister to this colt by I Am Invincible sold for $750,000 at last year’s Easter Sale to Emirates Park. She is called Enjaaz and is currently in training with Team Hawkes at Randwick. This colt is the last foal from Peggy Jean, who died in 2017. Peggy Jean won two of her 14 starts for Gerald Ryan, but both wins were in valuable races in the A$250,000 Inglis Classic and the G1 Sires Produce S.
From The Thoroughbred Daily News (January 10, 2019)
