Oracle Grant Burns reveals the Magic of the auction ring

Grant Burns is the wizard of the Magic Million sales. He seems to be everywhere, from zapping between the Gold Coast and Perth to inspecting horses or appearing centre stage at the auction.

Here Grant conjures up his top tips on picking horses ahead of the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

What do you look for in a racehorse? Is the pedigree page or looks more important?

It’s all about the type of the horse and their action, the pedigree will merely determine the price, I guess! A horse you buy has to look like they can run otherwise you’re reducing your chance of success. Naturally horses will make a fool of you as we can’t see how big their engine is inside or their desire to win but, first and foremost, if you’re putting money into a young horse, you have to look at the horse and feel he or she is athletic enough to run – hopefully fast!

Your parents ran a saddlery business. Did this spark your interest in horses and translate to the racing?

I guess ultimately it did. My father grew up in racing and began a career as a saddle maker as a young man. He ended up with a successful saddlery which he ran with my mother for the best part of 35 years. We had a small property and Dad always had a horse in training, just mucking around with one at a time alongside the saddlery. We lived in the racing area of Wingatui, on the south island of New Zealand, and I would work in the local stables helping out before and after school to get some pocket money.

How did you become an auctioneer for Magic Millions?

Purely by chance. It was July 20, 2003 and I was manager of Magic Millions in Adelaide at the time. We had sales once a month on a Friday or a Sunday afternoon selling racehorses, ponies, saddles, bridles, books and anything else horse related. Our auctioneer Simon Vivian was flying in from Melbourne on this day but his plane got cancelled, then the next delayed which meant he was going to miss the sale. I thought, well it’s now or never and stood up on the rostrum. I apologised to everyone that I was their only option and away I went – it was the push I needed to do it and I’ve been lucky enough to have auctioned ever since.

You inspect all the horses you sell. Is this what inspired you to start Premium Bloodstock Services?

The auctioneer’s role is to represent the vendor in the ring, promoting and selling a horse to the best of their ability and being the conduit between the vendor and the buyer. To do that well, it’s important to have seen the horses so you can promote each one as best as you can.

My business Premium Bloodstock came about because my partner Lexie was a Perth girl and we ultimately ended back in her hometown. Lexie and I have both been fortunate enough to travel the world but we decided to settle in Perth in 2008 and I set up Premium Bloodstock, which offers a range of bloodstock services to clients. At the same time, I was and still am fortunate enough to remain involved with Magic Millions as a contract auctioneer at their sales nationwide.

For those looking to buy a share in their first racehorse, what would you suggest?

Put your toe in the water with a small interest to start with and see where it takes you. Don’t take it too seriously and find a stable that will deliver what you want – that should be enjoyment and meeting some new, like-minded people. Small shares in horses are the norm nowadays and for a small initial investment, you can have 100 per cent of the fun and excitement.

Also, ask lots of questions. In WA we have many gifted horse people and they are especially easy to talk to and approach. If anyone is interested in getting involved, go up and introduce yourself to a trainer, an agent or a Magic Millions representative or similar and ask for some guidance – 99 per cent of people in racing are helpful and will point you in the right direction.

Join the action at the Perth Magic Millions Sales at the Swan Valley sales complex on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 February 2023.