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| Sumita Pawar |
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During the fourth day of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, one of the million-dollar lots sold was the first foal out of high-class mare Madam Rouge. This particular session was significant in many ways. The filly was purchased by John Sikura owner Hill 'n' Dale Farm. Sikura was represented by his son Jes at the sale, and teamed up with agent William Johnson, trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Bruce Slade from Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
After selling the I Am Invincible for AU$1.7 million to Hill 'n' Dale the Widden principal, Antony Thompson, stated that it was "one of the fillies of the year"
"I think the bloodstock world looks at what John Sikura does and really pays attention," said Thompson. "He's one of the smartest guys in the industry. He's astute in every way; he's thorough, he's very knowledgeable and well-researched, and it's lovely to see them (Hill 'n' Dale) putting their toe in the water in the Australian market like this.
"That's fairly significant and I think a lot of people will sit up and take note."
Barry Bowditch, the Managing Director of Magic Millions, expressed similar views to Thompson regarding the purchase of a top-quality filly from Sikura
"Jes Sikura has become a great friend of Magic Millions and I consider his father one of the best breeders in the world," said Bowditch. "For them to want to spend money here is, what I consider, a great honour."
Jes Sikura had no intentions of buying a filly at the Gold Coast this year.
"We really didn't have too much intention to get involved in anything when we came over here but I have to give complete credit to Will Johnson," he said. "He's always at the top of his game, he finds the nicest horses in every sale, and it wouldn't have happened without him—especially without Gai and Adrian putting together such a good group."
Johnson said "everything about her was special."
"She paraded herself beautifully all week, she's got the size and strength of those good fillies," he said. "She's in the mould of her mother, you think of a Sunlight or a Loving Gaby, she really fills the frame.
"John Sikura, Jes's dad, said, 'If there's something really special let me know.' I quickly texted Jes earlier in the week and said just look at (Lot) 900 and we'll see what Gai thinks.
"Adrian and Gai have put together a great partnership with some of the stable clients to come in alongside Hill 'n' Dale and hopefully she can grace the turf of the Gold Coast over the next couple of seasons and hopefully go onto bigger things at group one level.
"With that residual value she's going to have beautiful progeny, so she's the complete package."
At the 2022 Magic Millions National Sale, the impressive filly carrying Zoustar mare Madam Rouge was bought back by Thompson and partners for AU$2.4 million. Madam Rouge, who was bred by Widden Stud and Geoff Evers, is the daughter of stakes winner Cabernet and Al Maher. She is a two-time group stakes winner and was also group one -placed. Some argue that she could have won at the highest level if not for bad luck in key races.
"As Clint said when we were selling her, she's one of the fillies of the year and we certainly felt she was," said Thompson, referring to auctioneer Clint Donovan, who shushed the auditorium prior to calling for an opening bid.
"She had been much-admired. She was a stunning first foal. I guess the blue-chip stock is always blue-chip stock and she was certainly that."
Waterhouse and Bott secure I Am Invincible filly, one of three million-dollar yearlings on Day 4. The 2024 results sheet boasts 22 seven-figure yearlings in the first four sessions, setting a record for Magic Millions' almost four-decade history of sales.