Zoustar Filly Tops Selective Day 1 at Magic Millions

A filly by Australia's reigning champion sire Zoustar (AUS) topped a tough first day of the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale March 19 after being knocked down to Philippines-based buyer Miguel Almeda for AU$200,000 (US$142,000, AU$1=US$0.71). At the close of trade, 124 of 190 offered lots had sold at a clearance rate of 66%, down on the corresponding session in 2025, which saw 73% of the stock offered find new homes. Aggregate turnover finished at AU$5,696,500 (US$4,044,515), down 16% on the corresponding session 12 months ago. The average dropped seven points to AU$45,572 (US$32,356), while the median finished at AU$35,000 (US$24,850), down 12.5%. Despite the softer figures, competition improved as the day wore on, particularly through the middle and latter stages of the catalog where better credentialed types came to market and were met with solid demand. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said the structure of the catalog contributed to a slower start before trade lifted in the afternoon. "I think it started quite slowly today and the way the catalog fell it lacked a bit of momentum early, but I think once we got into the quality horses in the second half of the day, it picked up," Bowditch told ANZ News. "There's a huge thirst for quality horses. I think the traders were competing quite strongly through that middle market. There were some pleasing results for horses that ticked the boxes. We hate to be cliche, but horses that had a bit of pedigree and were nice types and vetted well, sold very well." Bowditch expects a similar pattern to unfold on Day 2, with improved trade later in the session and clearance rates building through both the ring and postsale activity. "I'd be thinking something similar (March 20), and hopefully we can get a few of the past in lots done, and continue to drive the clearance straight into the 70%, and end with an acceptable result." Offered by China Horse Club's The Chase as Lot 67, the sale-topping filly is the second foal out of Canadian winner Tapitlikeitshot (Tapit), herself out of Saratoga Race Course grade 2 winner Gold Mover, who is also the dam of fellow stakes winners Maleeh and Giant Mover. Jun Almeda, bidding alongside David Chester, said familiarity with the Tapit line played a key role in the purchase. "We liked the U.S. line of Tapit," he told ANZ News. "We have a lot of Tapit lines in the Philippines and we know he is a good American stallion. Good on the dirt tracks and the Philippines jockey club race on the dirt track." The final day of the Adelaide yearling sale gets underway at 10 a.m. local time March 20.