BEL REIGNS ON DAY 5 AT MM

Trade understably came down a notch at the fifth and final session of the 2012 Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast on Sunday, writes Darryl Sherer of ANZ Bloodstock News, but the trends of the previous four days held true with the good physical types being sought after.

Caulfield-based trainer Rick Hore-Lacy has enjoyed success with Magic Millions graduates including his Group One winners Toorak Toff (Show A Heart) and Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) who where both purchased at the Gold Coast venue and he signed for the top-price lot yesterday when paying $225,000 for a colt by Bel Esprit out of Jezeera (Lot 670).

The colt, presented by Eliza Park, featured on the front page of ANZ Bloodstock News earlier last week taking refuge from the heat in front of a water fan and attracted plenty of admiring glances in the days beforehand. Even with being offered early in the session there were bids from around the auditorium before finally falling in Hore-Lacy’s favour.

The strongly-made bay is the third foal of Jezeera (Jetball), a winning sister to the Melbourne Listed winner Belle Ball and a half-sister to the Group-placed sprinter Tollesprit (Bel Esprit), making Hore-Lacy’s purchase a three-quarter brother to the threetime Melbourne winner.

“He’s a ripping colt and we thought he was our best so while it’s very pleasing to see him sell so well we would have been disappointed had he not sold well,” said Eliza Park’s John Jeffs.