Magic Millions extending sale ring to Christchurch

Press, 6 October 1989, Page 43

Magic Millions extending sale ring to Christchurch

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The Magic Millions organisation is to extend its activities to the South Island with a Gold Rush sale in Christchurch next year. The sale, to be held on Sunday, April 22, will cater for both yearlings and mixed bloodstock, with the yearlings sold being eligible for a revamped Gold Rush series in 1991 and 1992. The sale will be con-

ducted by Elders Pastoral and the venue is to be confirmed next week. The South Island sale will be part of a network of three from which stock sold will be eligible for a Gold Rush series. The first is at Trentham next March and a Claudelands sale in May follows the Christchurch one. One race in that series seems certain to be held at Riccarton. The Canterbury Jockey Club is to host a $55,000 heat of a

six-race Gold Rush series, in October next year and the Magic Millions organisation hopes to continue that association.

“We are involved in New Zealand and not just the North Island,” said the general manager of Magic Millions, Jim Wallace, yesterday. “We were approached initially by individual South Island breeders who thought competition would be beneficial to their local industry and,

in turn, we have had discussions with Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association representatives. They have wel-

comed our involvement.” Mr Wallace envisages the bulk of the catalogue coming from South Island vendors, but hopes to attract North Island interest as well. “We have to play it by ear to a certain extent. But we have been virtually invited down, so it is

up to those breeders who want another selling avenue to support us,” Mr Wallace said. Several South Island vendors patronised the Magic Millions and Gold Rush sales in Wellington this year. While Magic Millions has no plans to extend sale venues beyond Christchurch, it has indicated its interest in other areas by sponsorship of the Southland Two-Year-Old Series this season.

The sale announcement follows closely on the success of the Wrightson Bloodstock South Island sale in August, but Mr Wallace denies that was a factor in Magic Millions extending its operations.

“Our sale is another option for breeders. We have seen what we believe is the right set. of circumstances to introduce something different and decided to give it a go,” he said.

Mr Wallace feels that the Magic Millions organisation is sufficiently well established to gain the full confidence of southern vendors.

“We have taken a 30year lease of our Trentham facilities. We have run nine $1 million races in Australia and we are extending our administrative operation in Cambridge. We feel we have plenty to offer.”

While the date of the new sale does not clash

with the present Wrightson sale, in fact both operations will be competing for the same horses.

The Wrightson sale base is largely August two-year-olds, the age group Magic Millions hopes to attract into the ring three months earlier.

The Magic Millions organisation, whose concept of promoting highlystaked races restricted to horses sold through the

company has been imitated in many parts of the world, held their first yearling sale in New Zealand earlier this year. A Gold Rush sale followed in March.

More recently, Magic Millions and Wrightson Bloodstock have been engaged in legal action over summer sale dates and a court decision on these matters is expected next month.

Negotiations over the venue of the proposed

Christchurch sale have not been as straightforward as Magic Millions people hoped, but are confident the problems will eventually be solved. The decision to sell from a South Island venue is certain to cause plenty of discussion in racing and breeding circles, but would seem a logical progression of the Magic Millions strategy since the operation came to this country.