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Sheamus Mills is a bloodstock agent with a global reach and an unparalleled ability to find talented horses at the highest level. At the last MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he bought three beautiful horses for over A$2 million.
The Impact speaks to Mills about his past successes from this sale as well as his plans for the upcoming Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Q: What are your plans for the Magic Million sales?
A: My work focuses on the same five to seven clients that see 2021 as an opportunity to buy nice stock. A good stock will hold its price and we will do our best. We are there to take advantage of the prices are down but if the prices are normal then we would plough on as with any other year.
Q: And are you going round the farms to take a look at the horses?
A: Although I'm not obsessed with getting around to all the farms, I am going to visit a few in Victoria and then in the Hunter Valley before the sales. I do like having a look at them and get a point of reference.
Q: How many horses do you typically buy?
A: I sort of operating on two levels. The first level is where we buy quality fillies that we race and keep long term. I would be happy to buy ten such horses at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where I try to concentrate on quality fillies that end up in someone’s breeding barn and not worry too much about numbers.
On the second level, I also work for a few trainers. buying colts (at the Melbourne Sale: for those trainers at a more reasonable price point of around A$100,000.
Q: Please tell us more about the most successful horses that you have purchased at this sale?
A: I can think of two horses that are still racing. The first one is the Group One 2020 One Thousand Guineas winner Odeum and the second one is a really nice filly Night Raid 2020. She won the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes will go back to sprint distances after more prep.
Q: What do you think of the world after COVID19?
A: It's been a different sort of world. But for the struggle, it's relatively good on the world stage. So after the vaccine comes out it will be interesting to watch not just the horse markets but also the old financial markets.
Q: What do you think of the Thoroughbred sales market trends since COVID?
A: The expensive stuff has got more expensive since COVID. Australia thrives on the middle market. So, I am hoping that perhaps not in England but other parts of the world, the top end of the world is not an indication of how the market is doing. It is that middle-market that vitally important.