Two Frankel colts starred as the first leg of the National Sale wrapped up.
Frankel only had two weanlings in the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and neither disappointed their vendors with his two colts ending the two-day as the highest-priced lots of the sale.
His Cornerstone Stud-prepared colt from imported mare Upside sold for $925,000 as Lot 449 and around 10 minutes later his colt out of Zoffany mare Walk This Way, who was part of the Coolmore draft, sold for $725,000.
Both were bought by Sam Fairgray on behalf of ever-growing Victorian farm Yulong Investments.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said it was a privilege to have two Frankels in the sale and was delighted to see them perform well.
"He is an outstanding sire and to have quality Frankels in the sale is something we're very thankful for and I am pleased the market saw them accordingly," he said.
"On the sale topper, I think there were about six or seven (bidders) still playing above $500,000. It was a very, very good battle, it was great to watch.
"Mr Zhang has a huge opinion of Frankel and why not? He's probably the world's most commercial leading sire at the moment."
Yulong's Frankel colts leap-frogged the $550,000 Zoustar-Embrace Me colt who topped Day 1 as the highest-priced lots of the sale.
The fillies by Snitzel ($480,000) and Zoustar ($425,000) who sold on Day 1 rounded out the sale's top five with $400,000 fillies by So You Think and Hellbent, who both sold on Day 2, the next highest-priced lots of the sale.
All up the 2023 sale grossed $22,165,000, which was almost identical to last year's $22,161,000. More horses were sold this year, however, which is reflected in the 2023 average of $83,015 being slightly down on last year's $89,720.
This year's $50,000 median was down $5000 on last year with the clearance rate 72 percent compared with 79 percent a year ago.
"All numbers, outside the clearance rate, are really pleasing," Bowditch said.
"To have a gross that is marginally up on last year and a really healthy average of $83,000 is fantastic.
"We had 77 horses make over $100,000 and that's a big number to have at a foal sale. It just shows there's a great thirst for quality horses out there."
