Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud needed to raise AU$270,000 (US$180,157, AU$1=US$0.67) to acquire Lot 1113, a filly by seller Yulong’s young stallion Player from a full sister of doubles group 1 winner and sire sensation Extreme choice.
The well-proportioned filly had clearly caught the attention of some other keen shoppers – inspired by a reasonably strong Book 1 sale – on a day when a more streamlined Book 2 was doing well, especially compared to 2025’s flat results.
A reduction from 380 cataloged lots last year to 241 this time, halving sales from two days to one, helped Book 2 deliver results, with Magic Millions director Barry Bowditch beaming at a “solid” result.
With attendance and interest perhaps also helped by the absence of race meetings in Queensland from January 18 to 20, Book 2 was able to raise an average of AU$51,466 (US$34,341) late on Sunday evening, up from AU$44,419 in 2025.
The clearance rate of 84% was substantially higher than 70% at the same stage after last year’s sale, while the median increased from AU$36,000 to AU$42,500 (US$28,358), and the gross price, with 56 fewer lots sold, was AU$9,212,500 (US$6,147,039), compared to AU$ 10,673,000.
Ottobre, who focused exclusively on Book 2 and became the biggest buyer, was elated to emerge from a spirited bidding duel with a filly that will continue to carry the torch for his horse fleet, named after his late daughter Jenni.
“I loved his swagger, the way he walked, the way he strutted, and he was extremely smart; you could see that in the rear strut,” Ottobre told ANZ News.
“While all the other horses were jumping around and carrying on, this filly just looked at them and went about his business.”
The filly’s pedigree was also a convincing argument. While dam Mightily has won just once at modest Balranald – in six starts she comes from one of the most popular families in Australia, in that her full brother is Newgate Farm’s subfertile star Extreme Choice. The 12-year-old’s winner-to-runner ratio of 11.6% has helped make him the most expensive bull in the country at AU$330,000 (inc VAT).
“The pedigree was very attractive. The mother is a full sister to Extreme Choice. That put her quite high on my list,” said Ottobre, adding that he was unsure which of his regular trainers would get the filly.
“To be honest, they cost a little more than I thought. I came here for book 2, hoping it wouldn’t cost me those kinds of figures.”
“I thought she was a really nice person, and that maybe AU$180,000 or AU$200,000 would sway her, but it sounds like there were a lot of other buyers after her, more than likely a few Book 1 buyers. But I wanted her, so I went the extra mile.”
The seasoned buyer said the stronger year-on-year results for Book 2 were in line with Book 1 outcomes, where the average of AU$270,468 and clearance rate of 87.35% compared favorably to the 2025 figures of AU$269,000 and 83.05%.
“If you’re big on Book 1, Book 2 will be big too,” Ottobre said.
“Everyone saw what they paid in Book 1 and realized they had to pay a little more than normal. And there are some great looking horses here too.”
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