Inform Newsletter - December 2006

In This Months Edition

Feature Interview: Magic Millions
Racing Review & Preview
Sports Review & Preview
Spot the ball
Spending Christmas with The Boss…
Racing and Sports Quiz
Racing Crossword

FEATURE INTERVIEW: Magic Millions

That Magic Time of Year

It's rapidly approaching yearling sales time again. And no other sale in Australia offers the unique atmosphere that the Magic Millions (MM) provides in January. The MM has grown from a small sale which had cynics laughing at the concept, to the behemoth that it is today. AAP's In-Form interviews some of the people who've seen the rise and rise of Australia's most exciting sale.

One person who has been involved right from the start is MM Managing Director, David Chester. "I've been here from the early days in 1979 when we ran the sales from the Gold Coast Convention Centre. The race was known then as The Golden Nugget and run by Elders. In the first MM, we had to struggle to get 200 horses and the first race was only worth a million. Sale entry fees were $3000 and the entry fee for the race was another $3000 when that was a lot of money. There were a lot of skeptics… they said we'd never get a field out of 200 horses the following year. But Snitzel won that first race and we were off and running."

David Chester, Managing Director, MM
Photo Credit: Magic Millions

MM turnover has grown from $20 million to $200 million since that first MM sale 21 years ago and the growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. To attract those figures, the sale has to turn out quality horses. And any sale that can produce five of the last six Golden Slipper winners is certainly delivering the goods. But behind the scenes of a twenty year old 'overnight success' are some key driving factors. "We struggled in the early years" says Chester "and not many people may remember that the previous sales structure went into receivership early in the piece. But since Harvey, Singo and Ferguson took over in 1997, it's never looked back. Those guys think outside the square. When you get successful people like that to invest in a business, it inspires confidence." It's interesting that Gerry Harvey's name crops up here, as he sold three horses in that first sale and went on to become a major shareholder of MM. "We've also got some of the best staff in the country who are passionate about what they do. Unless you've got the right people, you wouldn't be able to grow like we have. The other thing is that people don't regard the sale as elitist - there's a horse at a price that some one will be able to afford. That's because of the sheer weight of numbers, 1600 horses being sold this year. Another reason for the sale's popularity is that people come here for holidays and take their families with them to participate in activities and events as well as the sales."

Athletic, precocious yearlings always sell well at the MM
Photo Credit: Magic Millions

Glenlogan Park's Steve Morley would agree with that. "The timing of the carnival is also instrumental with the Christmas spirit and holiday season flowing into the atmosphere already created by the location. The racetrack success of the horses to have graduated from the sale also keeps ensuring that interest is kept at a premium." Morley also thinks that the ability of the company to pick horses "on type" and yearlings that look like runners has been paramount to their success. This year Glenlogan has over 30 yearlings to sell including a couple of outstanding Favelon yearlings that Morley thinks will impress.

Chester talks about the shuttle stallions and how they have impacted on the MM sales. "They do bring international buyers to the sales. Locals tend to buy locally bred horses, whereas international buyers are more familiar with the northern hemisphere horses. But we are the second biggest breeding country in the world after the US, so it's important that we attract overseas buyers." Attracting buyers is what Chester is good at and these days, that's his main role with MM. And he's had some memorable moments. Like the time back in 1987 when he'd attracted a wealthy Japanese client to the sales. "We were eagerly awaiting the first day's bidding. But what we didn't know was that he'd been to Jupiter's Casino the night before and dropped a packet! When he turned up for the sale he was dog tired from the night before and kept falling asleep in his chair. I had to keep banging the gavel down to wake him up! Thankfully he ended up buying horses to the value of $1.5million. We often joke with Jupiter's staff that sometimes they get the money that should have gone on yearlings."

On a more serious note, the sale is about quality horses and if you haven't got the right sort of horse you won't get through the front gate. That disappoints a lot of vendors and this year, there were 3000 horses nominated, all vying for a ticket. "That can present problems," reflects Chester "because it means that 1400 yearlings didn't get in and will have to be sold somewhere else. But competition is fierce. The sale is an early one, so many yearlings will not be ready for a January sale. Some may be better placed in the later sales. But we look for precocious types, healthy and mature. If they don't fit that mould, they aren't going to sell well here." Coolmore Stud's Peter O'Brien confirms that when he talks about confirmation versus pedigree. "Both are equally important but the yearling has to be athletic and balanced." He said. It's hard to go past super sire, Redoute's Choice, as the stallion most likely to deliver the top priced yearling at this year's MM. And Coolmore will be hoping that their Redoute's Choice - Liberty Rose colt may just be the one.

One prominent vendor who has strongly supported the MM, is Yarraman Park's Arthur Mitchell. Yarraman Park has attended every MM sale except for the inaugural sale. This year they have consigned a total of 30 yearlings representing 17 sires including 7 by Redoute's Choice and six by Catbird. Mitchell's thoughts on what buyers are looking for at the MM are straight forward. "A lot of the time I think they're looking for a two year old - an early maturing and precocious type rather than the staying type." But Mitchell is also realistic about a yearling's worth. "I don't expect huge prices and don't place high reserves on them. I just put them on the market at a reasonable price and let the buyers decide their market value."

The MM has been good to Yarraman Park and buyers know that the stud turns out quality yearlings who develop into top horses. In years gone by they've sold horses like Snitzel ($260,000) and St Covert ($18,000). This year, Yarraman Park is offering a full sister to Snitzel. The bay filly by Redoute's Choice x Snippets' Lass is a big chance to be the sales topper in the fillies category. "Like her Mum, she's not very big but she's a fantastic mover. She's very strong and a good looking horse." said Mitchell. The sales are not just a holiday for Mitchell and his staff though. This year he'll be taking a manager plus 6 or 7 more who will take care of the horses - parading, grooming, cleaning boxes, shampooing and feeding. "Its hard work - it's really hot and the days are long."

Another long time MM supporter is Widden Stud. Widden are great believers in the Magic Millions. They have also bought into three stallion graduates which now stand at the stud including Snippetson, Stratum and General Nediym. So how does the MM compare to other sales in Australia? "The market is different. It's suited to yearlings that are confident and forward - the precocious, early types." says Widden's Ryan McEvoy. Widden were very pleased with last year's result having almost doubled the figures they were hoping for. "The sale seems to keep getting bigger and better each year." said McEvoy.

So there you have it. The unique atmosphere of the MM sales. An ideal holiday destination for you and the family. And all you have to do is sort through the 1629 lots on offer and buy the most athletic and precocious yearling you can find. With an ounce of luck you might just have the 2008 MM winner.

Racing Review & Preview

Can they possibly fit more people into the four day carnival, than the 418,069 which crammed into Flemington during Cup week? I doubt it, but that's what I thought last year when the previous record of 383,784 had been set. Just for the books, here's the breakdown of crowd figures for the four days: AAMI Derby Day - 129,069, Emirates Melbourne Cup Day - 106,691, Crown Oaks Day - 104,131 and Emirates Stakes Day - 78,151. Amazing figures, which supports Melbourne's carnival as being one of the biggest and best held anywhere in the world.

RACING MELBOURNE CUP
Photo Credit: AAP Image

Derby Day, and the first inkling of a monster crowd was at Flinders Street Station. The traditional "meet you under the clocks" became impossible as people were queued around the block trying to buy a ticket. But let's face it, training it to Flemington is the only way to go. Packed in tighter than a can of John West sardines, punters squeeze onto the race train special and that's where the party really begins. Men in traditional top hats and tails, women sprouting hats with more feathers than a peacock and hardened punters with thongs and blue singlets all studying formguides. Like they say, 'all men are equal on or under the turf'. And when the train rattles past the showgrounds and pulls up at the back of the grandstand, there's five Group One races waiting to whet punter's appetites.

RACING MELBOURNE CUP
Photo Credit: AAP Image

First race of interest was the Saab Quality. Racegoers are divided into two camps on this race. The first camp are adamant that this is a traditional Melbourne Cup lead up race. The second group scoffs at this and point to its poor record in recent years as a guide to the Cup. This year it was won by Maybe Better who backed up and ran such a brave third in the Cup three days later. Guess the Saab will probably be back in vogue as a lead up for next year.

The Ascot Vale Stakes was a stroll in the park for grey filly Gold Edition who thrashed the colts pointlessly. Couldn't help but be reminded of another grey filly who won the Ascot Vale thirty years ago by the name of Surround. Don't think she's in that league, but she absolutely loves the straight six and proved this again on Oaks Day when she had another canter down the straight to make it two on the trot. If you're looking for an early Newmarket tip, get on now. The traditional Oaks lead up, The Wakeful Stakes, was won by Tuesday Joy. Wakeful form is reliable Oaks form, but on this occasion Tuesday Joy would have to settle for 2nd place on the following Thursday.

Come Derby time and Efficient was the raging fave at $2.30. He'd won four on the trot but can a horse win a Derby in its first prep? You betcha! Efficient was parked on the rails with 200 meters to go, but once pulled out and given rein, shot away to beat Gorky Park by 2-1/4 lengths with Teranaba running third. Hard to remember a more impressive Derby winner. The McKinnon was up next and Gai Waterhouse's tough campaigner Desert War dictated in front like only he can. He's awfully hard to get by at anytime when he's in form, but on a track with leader bias, put down your glasses. This was the middle pin of a winning treble for Gai who produced one of her finer training performances. It seemed that this carnival, she targeted specific races with her horses and it paid off big time. Gai collected again in the very next race, with Dance Hero taking out the Salinger Stakes. That was probably Dance Hero's best performance since winning the Golden Slipper.

All weekend and leading up to Melbourne Cup Day, the talk was about whether Efficient would start in the Cup. Guess we'll never know what might have been, as owner Lloyd Williams scratched the horse after he showed signs of soreness in his knee after cup morning track work.

The Melbourne Cup was a triumph for Japanese trainer Kutsuhiko Sumii who quinellaed the race with Delta Blues and Pop Rock. You'd go a long way to see a more impressive staying performance. Pop Rock, the more fancied of the two was given every possible chance by Damien Oliver but couldn't get past stablemate Delta Blues when it mattered most. They staged a titanic struggle down the straight, but it was Delta Blues with jockey Yasunari Iwata who saluted the judge. Best of the locals was Maybe Better who keeps improving with age. Favourite Tawqeet seemed to still be feeling the effects of a pricked hoof and finished well down the track. Bookmakers breathed a sigh of relief though. For most, this was their first Cup they hadn't lost on for three years. Will this mean an invasion of Japanese stayers next year? Perhaps, but we've had doomsayers predict similar tidings ever since Vintage Crop won in '93. Not too many Cups have gone overseas since. Anyway, it is an international race and why shouldn't we attract the world's best stayers?

Miss Finland proved herself the best filly in the land by taking out the Oaks. In what looked a two horse race, Miss Finland was simply too brilliant for Tuesday Joy and accelerated away to cap a season which landed her two G1 races and an unlucky 6th in the Cox Plate. Tuesday Joy is a very good stayer though, make no mistake. She's still maturing and has looked long and leggy all through her campaign. Watch out for her next prep when she matures properly. The last G1 of the carnival was the Emirates Stakes run on the Saturday. What a top 'miler' this turned out be, with South Australian mare Divine Madonna staging her customary last to first performance to win. She's a seriously good racehorse, if we haven't worked that out already.

Can the benchmark be lifted even higher for next year's carnival? Who knows. Like Brian Mayfield Smith's galloper, 2007 maybe better.

Good Luck and good punting!

Written by Peter Klein - Business Manager, AAP racing

Sports Review & Preview

Australians love summer and they love sport.

Add a good, tough contest like the current Ashes series and some big-name international stars like Roger Federer and most Aussies will tell you they are in heaven.

At least that's how it felt for many on the fifth day of the Adelaide Test when Australia somehow managed to steal the game, and probably the Ashes, from the English. It seemed a match that only England could find a way to lose after starting by declaring with 6-551. Not much work was done in offices around Australia on the afternoon of Tuesday December 5 as everyone tuned in to the amazing finish.

That psychological blow hurt England and while they fought hard in Perth, they never seemed in the match and Australia regained the Ashes Urn thanks to some great batting on the third day, especially by big-hitting Adam Gilchrist.

England now has two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney in which to regain some pride and there will be much interest in whether or not the tourists can beat the rampaging Aussies.

While the cricket has been the main focus, there are other great events to look forward too over summer.

Boxing Day brings the start of the Melbourne Test but also the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The start of the blue water classic draws a huge television audience and crowds hug the shores of Sydney Harbour and the east coast cliffs around Bondi Beach to watch the yachts battle for early honours and set their spinnakers as they head south with a following wind. It's a great spectacle and makes for interesting updates over the next few days as the major yachts battle for line honours in Hobart.

Once Christmas and New Year celebrations are out of the way, the world's sporting attention will be on Rod Laver Arena and the Australian Open tennis.

There are a few lead-up tournaments to wet the appetite: The Sydney International, the women's hard court on the Gold Coast, Perth's Hopman Cup, the men's hardcourt titles in Adelaide, a women's event in Hobart, and few exhibition matches at Kooyong in Melbourne.

But the business really starts when Melbourne Park opens its gates on January 15 for the two weeks of the Australian grand slam. And the big names like Federer, Hewitt, Nalbandian, Safin, and Nadal will be there. In the women's draw you can count on the Williams sisters, Davenport, Henin-Hardenne, Mauresmo and Hingis. By the end of the month they'll be crowning two new champions in an event that stretches back more than 100 years to 1905 when it was called The Australasian Championships.

Many don't know that the tournament was actually played all over Australia and even in New Zealand until 1972, when Melbourne became its permanent home.

And when the tennis ends, there's still more cricket to look forward to, as the tri-series one-day competition between England, Australia and New Zealand comes to a head.

Looking back over November, the highlights -- apart from Japan's domination of the Melbourne Cup with Delta Blues and Pop Rock's quinella -- were Australia's last gasp victory over New Zealand in the tri-nations rugby league, a Wallaby tour that had mixed success but has left everyone hoping for better at the 2007 World Cup, Australia's win over the West Indies at the Champions Trophy cricket in India, and John Senden's amazing win in the Australian Open golf.

Enjoy a great summer of sport, and may the holiday season bring all you hope for.

Written by Mike Osborne, Head of Sport and Racing

Spot the ball

Can you spot the ball? If you can, there's a $100 free bet to be won with betting agency and spot the ball sponsor, Betezy.

To play, simply locate the square that contains the centre of the ball. Email your chosen grid reference (eg, F32) to pklein@aap.com.au with 'Spot The Ball' in the subject line, along with your full name and contact phone number. The first correct entry to be received by AAP Racing will be declared the winning entry.

Conditions of entry:

The AAP Racing Spot the Ball competition starts Wednesday 20th December, and closes at midnight Sunday 7th January.
The competition is open to Australian residents (excluding NSW residents), aged 18 years and over. Employees and their immediate families of Australian Associated Press and its printers, suppliers, providers, outlets and agencies associated with this promotion are ineligible to enter.
To enter, entrants must determine the grid square containing the centre of the ball.
The winner will receive a $100 free bet with betting agency and spot the ball sponsor Betezy.
Entries are to be emailed to pklein@aap.com.au with 'Spot The Ball' in the subject line, the nominated grid coordinates (eg, F32), entrant's full name and contact phone number in the body of the email.
All emails are also to contain a full name and contact phone number.
Only five entries will be accepted per entrant.
The FIRST correct entry to be received by AAP Racing will be declared the winning entry. In the event of no correct entries being received, the entrant with the closest set of coordinates to the centre of the ball will be awarded the prize. AAP Racing's decisions in relation to any aspects of this competition are final and binding on every person who enters and no correspondence will be entered into.
The Winner will be announced Thursday 11th January, and contacted via phone by AAP Racing. The winner will also be displayed on the AAP Racing website.

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Spot The Ball solution: D9

Spending Christmas with The Boss…

Glen Boss
Photo Credit: Steve Hart
Photographics

"My family and I will be spending Christmas at home in Sydney this year. We will be having a quiet day just relaxing with the kids. We have spent the last few away with other friends and had a fabulous time. But this year we will do something we have not done for a few years. The day will be spent watching the kids unwrap numerous presents and eating mainly cold seafood and salad and relaxing around the pool. Later in the afternoon we will visit some friends for a few cocktails and nibbles and be bright and fresh for the Boxing Day races at Randwick."

Merry Xmas,
Glen Boss

Racing and Sports Quiz

1. How many Test Matches did England win in the 2005 Ashes Series?

2. Name the horses that filled the trifecta in this year's VRC Derby.

3. What was the score in the Rugby World Cup final between Australia and England in Sydney, 2003?

4. Which Australian scored the most runs during the 5 tests of the 2005 Ashes series?

5. Who won last year's Australian Masters Golf tournament?

6. Where is the Australian PGA Championship tournament held?

7. Who rode Delta Blues to victory in this year's Melbourne Cup?

8. Who won the STC Golden Slipper in 1998?

9. Name the two finalists in both the men and women's final of the Australian Open tennis championships last year.

10. Which fielder (excluding the wicket keeper) took the most catches for Australia in the 2005 Ashes series?

How did you go?

Racing Crossword

Across
1. Won the 2006 Cox Plate. (6,2,5) 5. Mark _____. Former Australian Cricketer. (5) 8. An English Premier League team. (9,8) 11. Shaun ____. Australian cricketer. (4) 13. NZ or Western... Nickname of Sports teams. (8) 16. Regarded as best Brazilian soccer player ever. (4) 17. Australian cricketer nicknamed Pigeon. (7) 19. ____ jump. An Olympic sport. (4) 20. Abbreviation of New Zealand. (2) 21. Horse won the 1993 Caulfield Cup. (5) 24. Evander Holyfield had this bitten by Mike Tyson in a fight once. (3) 25. _____ Jones. Former Wallaby coach. (5) 27. An Australian rules team. (7)	29. Name of Australian swimmer _____ Lenten. (5) 31. A cricketing fielding position. (5) 32. An Australian horse stud. (8) 33. NBL basketball team. (8,7) 37. Bill "Tiger" _____. (7) 38. Supporting group of English cricket team. (5,4) 39. First name Australian wicket keeper Gilchrist. (4) 40. Former German tennis player. _____ Becker. (5) 41. Australian who won 1986 British Open. (6) 44. What a horse racing judge might look at to decide the winner of a race. (5) 45. Bathurst 1000 legend. (5,5) 46. First name of Indian cricketer _____ Tendulker. (7)
Down
1. A Coolmore Shuttle stallion. (9,2,3,4) 2. Vital equipment for the casino game Craps. (4) 3. Jacob ___. NZ cricketer. (4) 4.Trot, Canter and Gallop are all forms of a horse's "what"? (4) 6. An English county cricket team. (9) 7. Cricketer Michael Clarke's nickname. (3) 9. Indian cricket venue. (3,5) 10. An Australian horse racing broadcaster. (3,7) 12. Marcus ______. English Cricketer. (11) 14. Viv _____. Former West Indian Cricketer. (8) 15. Derek _____. Former Brisbane Bullets point guard. (6)	18. Venue of the US Masters. (7) 22. Won 2006 NRL competition. (8,7) 23. Famous Brazilian striker. (7) 26. Country that knocked Australia out of the FIFA World Cup. (5) 30. Chicago ____. NBA basketball team. (5) 33. Game that was mastered by the great Eddie Charlton. (9) 34. David ____. Aussie icon cricketer. (4) 35. Nickname of former Australian cricketer Mark Taylor. (5) 36. Allan ____. Former Australian cricket captain. (6) 42. Queensland ____. A-League team. (4) 43. ______ O'Hearn. Australian Golfer. (4)

Check answers here

Click here to download a copy of the Racing Crossword

Racing and Sports Quiz Answers

1.) Two

2.) Efficient, Gorky Park and Teranaba

3.) England 20 - Australia 17

4.) Justin Langer - 394

5.) Robert Allenby

6.) Hyatt Regency, Coolum QLD.

7.) Yasunari Iwata

8.) Prowl

9.) Men - Roger Federer v Marcus Baghdatic. Women - Justine Henin-Hardenne v Amelie Mauresmo.

10.) Matthew Hayden (10).

Racing Crossword Answers

Across		Down
1. Fields of Omagh 5. Waugh 8. Tottenham Hotspurs 11. Tait 13. Warriors 16. Pele 17. McGrath 19. High 20. NZ 21. Fraar 24. Ear 25. Eddie 27. Carlton	29. Libby 31. Slips 32. Coolmore 33. Brisbane Bullets 37. Oreilly 38. Barmy Army 39. Adam 40. Boris 41. Norman 44. Photo 45. Peter Brock 46. Satchin	1. Footstepsinthesand 2. Dice 3. Oram 4. Gait 6. Hampshire 7. Pup 9. New Delhi 10. Sky Channel 12. Trescothick 14. Richards 15. Rucker	20. Augusta 22. Brisbane Broncos 23. Ronaldo 26. Italy 30. Bulls 33. Billiards 34. Boon 35. Tubby 36. Border 42. Roar 43. Nick

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