The Exceed and Excel half brother to exciting juvenile Empire of Japan topped Day Five of the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale tonight.

Knocked down to Kia Ora Stud in partnership with TFI, the Corumbene bred colt sold for $1.8 million.

He was one of two youngsters to sell for seven figure prices during the night session bringing the tally to a record 20 youngsters over the five day Book One sale.

Kia Ora’s Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright was delighted to secure the much admired colt.

“It was a lot of money but he’s a beautiful colt,” Wright said. “There were two or three colts at this sale that really stood out to us and he was definitely one and we were super happy to be bringing him home.”

“Coming from Corumbene we know that they can breed a very good horse and this horse has the profile to be just that. Hopefully going forward, he is.”

Wright was aware the price the colt could fetch could vary with the result of today’s scheduled Magic Millions 2YO Classic with half brother Empire of Japan a leading contender. But then the final eight races on the card were postponed to Thursday.

“We definitely had that in calculations but you always just look at a horse on what you value them and we were a little bit over what we were hoping to be but with the good ones you have spend it.”

“We haven’t decided on a trainer yet but we’ve got a couple of yearlings left over that we haven’t got trainers for. We’ll work all of that out.”

Tonight’s purchase of the Ichihara colt capped off a great Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Kia Ora Stud and their partners including TFI.

“The team here at Magic Millions do a hell of a job and it’s been a big two weeks since the start of inspections.”

“What Gerry, Katie and Barry have done with the last two weeks with the showjumping, polo, everything throughout, and of course the highlight for us is obviously the sales.”

“We’re sold some very nice horses and we feel like we’ve bought some very nice ones too and the next two years will tell us how well we’ve done,” Wright added.

Story courtesy of Magic Millions