Yarradale Stud owner Ron Sayers and his Danzig shuttler War Chant dominated the Perth Magic Millions yearling sale on February 18 and 19.
War Chant (USA) broke all records for a first-crop Sunspeed sire with 20 lots averaging $97,000 during Book 1 at Belmont Park.
Sayers and his good mate Eddie Rigg of Geisel Park Stud have shuttled War Chant from Three Chimneys for the last three years and they are already negotiating with the famed Kentucky farm to extend that dual hemisphere arrangement.
“He’s 17 but is a seasoned traveller and takes it in his stride,” Sayers said. “He has built up a tremendous record in the North America – his overall winning strike-rate is close to 70% and it’s even better on grass.
“Besides our local owners and trainers, there were buyers from the Eastern States, South Africa, New Zealand and South-East Asia.”
Sayers sold the majority of the War Chants at the Magic Millions but he topped the leader-board when paying $250,000 for the filly from Most Secret offered by Graham Daws of Dawson Stud.
Sayers outbid different parties for the half-sister to Gr.1 Railway Stakes winner Covertly. She will be prepared by Lark Hill trainer David Harrison.
War Chant sired four of the Top 6 yearlings at the Magic Millions. Group 1 winning NSW trainer Bede Murray paid $200,000 for the War Chant – Admiring colt on behalf of Singapore owner Thomas Loke.
"That was a bit more than I thought he would make but my client was very keen," Murray said. "He's a lovely colt and should develop into a very good three-year-old."
The colt’s dam Admiring (Street Cry) won three races up to 1600m in Perth and was also stakes placed in the Gr.2 C B Cox Stakes and Gr.3 WATC Oaks.
Rubick’s owner David Raphael also weighed in with $200,000 for a War Chant - Innsbruck colt offered by Gold Front Thoroughbreds. His dam is an unraced half-sister to top-shelf colt Unencumbered.
Raphael said he will join Rubick at Gerald Ryan’s Sydney stables. “I thought he was the best colt in the sale. But the War Chants are all lovely horses.”
The top-priced War Chant catalogued by Yarradale Stud was the colt from Metallic Storm that was worth $170,000 to Boomer Bloodstock and trainer Lindsey Smith. His dam won 10 races in Perth including the Listed R S Crawford Quality (twice) and Listed Placid Ark Stakes.
The 2014 Perth Magic Millions returned across-the-board increases with the Book 1 turnover up 21% to $9.14 million while the clearance rate improved 6 points to a healthy 82%. The average rose marginally to $58,242 and the median remained rock solid at $45,000.
"It was a very good sale with an incredibly positive vibe on the grounds," Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox reported. "There was an exceptional buying bench on hand and five horses sold for $200,000 or more, as opposed to just one last year.”
Ron Sayers with breeder Graham Daws and the top-priced War Chant filly at Magic Millions