Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
At A Glance
A staggering eight horses sold for $1 million or more on Day 2, with Ciaron Maher Bloodstock coming out on top in a protracted bidding dual for Lot 392, a colt by Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB) from the Group 3-winning Redoute’s Choice mare A Time For Julia.
The average crept up from yesterday’s Day 1 record of $281,767 to $290,951 on Day 2, a figure which is marginally below the $293,781 average at the same point during last year’s sale. The median climbed a point to $220,000, $10,000 below last year’s corresponding figure at the same stage.
Magic Millions is currently sitting on a record gross of $101,833,000 for this stage of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, part of which can be attributed to the additional 30 or so lots offered through the ring during the first two sessions.
Building on Tuesday’s positive early indication of the strength of the middle market, the clearance rate rose slightly to 85.57 per cent at the close of Day 2, down marginally on the 86.96 per cent figure recorded at this stage 12 months ago.
Segenhoe Stud had an afternoon to remember on Wednesday, selling a trio of million-dollar colts on behalf of leviathan breeder John Camilleri. The first was by Zoustar, the second was by Snitzel and the third was the sale-topping Too Darn Hot colt, who became the most expensive horse by his sire to sell anywhere in the world at $1.9 million.
Arrowfield Stud’s four-time Champion Sire Snitzel leads the way at the close of play on Day 2, having sold 17 lots for a gross of $9,865,000. He sits ahead of his old adversaries I Am Invincible and Zoustar, who have grossed $9,150,000 and $8,790,000 respectively thus far.
Vinery Stud’s first-season sire Ole Kirk recorded a landmark result on Day 2, selling his first seven-figure yearling when the filly out of Supara sold to Griffiths de Kock Racing, Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) and Brookdale Racing for an even $1 million.
Last year’s leading buyers, the Newgate, China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy partnership, only purchased one lot on Day 2, with their current total spend of $2,945,000 down markedly on the $4,875,000 figure at the same stage last year. That has paved the way for Te Akau’s David Ellis CNZM (BANZ) to assume the top spot, having spent $4,715,000 on eight yearlings to date.
#1. Wilkinson in dreamland after $1.6 million windfall
Luke Wilkinson’s affinity with Newgate Farm-based stallion Extreme Choice went to a whole new level during Wednesday's second session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, when a colt he bred by the G1 Blue Diamond-winning stallion sold to the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $1.6 million.
Consigned by Milburn Creek as Lot 349, the colt is out of the Wanted mare Wanted Lady, who has sired two winners from as many runners to date including Melbourne 2-year-old winner Abseiler (Extreme Choice).
Lot 349 - Extreme Choice x Wanted Lady (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wilkinson, who currently holds the position of racing manager for Kia Ora Stud, was involved in the purchase of both the colt’s sire and dam, having secured the latter for just $9000. He cut a visibly emotional figure in the immediate aftermath of the sale, and told The Thoroughbred Report that the $1.6 million sale was ‘life-changing’.
“I purchased Extreme Choice and then got a lifetime breeding right, so he changed my career,” he said. “I’ve always supported him and when he was subfertile I sent extra mares to help him, which nearly killed me financially.
“This mare was injured when I bought her off some stable clients when I worked for Mick Price, I think I paid around $9000 for her. As soon as this horse was born Peter Orton said to me straight away within 10 minutes that this was a cracking colt, then everyone from Vinery seemed to ring me to say the same thing.
“I purchased Extreme Choice (as a yearling) and then got a lifetime breeding right, so he changed my career.” - Luke Wilkinson
“This is life changing. I’ve got a young daughter who wants to go further in her equestrian career and now I’ll be able to put a deposit on a farm and help her. It means a lot.”
Tribute to Jack de Bromhead
Fighting back the tears, Wilkinson revealed that the colt, who was a twin, is nicknamed 'Jack' in honour of the late Jack de Bromhead - the son of leading Irish trainer Henry de Bromhead who tragically died aged 13 in a pony racing accident back in 2022.
Henry and Jack de Bromhead
“We met young Jack de Bromhead at Jessica Harrington’s place and spent a week with him,” Wilkinson recalled.
“I said to my wife that this kid was an absolute star and no matter what he did in life he was going to be good at it.
“That’s why this horse got the name Jack. He’s been a special horse to me and every time I think of this horse I think of young Jack de Bromhead. He was a great kid.”
“That’s why this horse got the name Jack. He’s (Lot 349) been a special horse to me and every time I think of this horse I think of young Jack de Bromhead. He was a great kid.” - Luke Wilkinson
#2. Sensational day for Segenhoe and its clients
Segenhoe Stud enjoyed a red-letter day during Wednesday’s session, selling three of the top 10 lots through the ring on Day 2 including the two most expensive horses of the auction thus far.
Both the current sale-topping $1.9 million Too Darn Hot (GB) colt and the $1.75 million Snitzel colt, who were purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and Tom Magnier respectively, were bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, as was the Zoustar colt out of stakes winner Villami (Foxwedge) purchased by the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $1 million.
The Segenhoe Stud team | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The Too Darn Hot colt became the most expensive horse by his exciting young shuttle sire to be sold at public auction anywhere in the world, and Segenhoe Stud’s General Manager Peter O’Brien could not have been more delighted for Camilleri, who also bred the mighty Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) among a host of other racetrack stars.
“John is always about quality - he’s got some of the best mares in the country, breeds them to the best stallions and he deserves the results,” O’Brien said.
“He’s got three $1 million horses today and it’s a big day for him. He’s a pleasure to deal with.”
“John (Camilleri) is always about quality - he’s got some of the best mares in the country, breeds them to the best stallions and he deserves the results.” - Peter O'Brien
Segenhoe also recorded a stellar result for another of their loyal clients, Chris and Jane Barham, who bred the Capitalist colt out of Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock) - a sister to dual-hemisphere Group 1 winner Merchant Navy - that sold to Team Hawkes for $600,000.
The Hawkes stable know the family well, having parted with $500,000 to secure the colt’s half-brother Airman (I Am Invincible), a Group 3 placegetter last preparation who is reportedly being set on a Group 1 sprinting path in the autumn.
Segenhoe Stud sold eight horses on Day 2 for a combined total of $6.6 million, helping them climb to second on the leading vendors by gross standings behind only Newgate. They are, however, the leading vendor by average, with their 11 lots averaging $769,091.
#3. Million-dollar result for Ole Kirk
It took a little longer to reach a seven-figure sum on Day 2 than 24 hours earlier, but the first million-dollar lot of the day produced an incredible result for Vinery Stud’s first-season sire Ole Kirk, whose filly (Lot 260) out of the stakes producer Supara (Domesday) sold to the combination of Griffiths de Kock Racing, Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) and Brookdale Racing for an even $1 million.
After two days of selling, Ole Kirk, a dual Group 1-winning 3-year-old, is currently boasting a gross of $3,215,000, which sees him ninth on the overall sires' list, while his average of $267,917 puts him behind only Wootton Bassett (GB) and Farnan among the first-season sires to have sold three or more yearlings.
Ole Kirk | Standing at Vinery Stud
Robbie Griffiths, who trains in partnership with Mathew de Kock at Cranbourne, has been very taken with the progeny of Ole Kirk and was delighted to come away with a filly that he believes has all the makings of a future-top liner.
“We know how good Written Tycoon is and Ole Kirk is out of the family of a champion in Black Caviar, and we’ve seen how successful All Too Hard is,” he said.
“If a young stallion is going to make a success, he’s got the genetics and the race record to do it. I think that’s why there was so much competition - you’ve got the right genetics and the mare’s proven to have a Group 1 performer already (Brosnan).
“There’s everything suggesting she’ll be a Group 1 horse so you’ve got to pay for those.”
“There’s everything suggesting she’ll (Lot 260) be a Group 1 horse so you’ve got to pay for those.” - Robbie Griffiths
Having become the first and only first-season sire to register a seven-figure result at this year’s sale thus far, Vinery’s bloodstock manager Adam White could not be happier with the start Ole Kirk has made with his first yearlings through the ring.
“It’s a great result for the stallion,” he said. “The word around the whole sales complex has been very positive the whole week, which is what we wanted, and she was just a beautiful filly.”
The filly’s vendor, Newhaven Park, bred and raced her dam Supara, who placed in Group 2 company on three occasions during her impressive race career. This is the second time that one of Supara’s yearlings has fetched a seven-figure sum in the sales ring, with her second foal, the G1 JJ Atkins placegetter Brosnan (Snitzel), selling to Kitchwin Hills for $1.05 million at this very same sale back in 2021.
Lot 260 - Ole Kirk x Supara (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
#4. Colts come to the fore
After a fairly even split for top honours on Day 1, with four colts, five fillies and one rig accounting for the top 10 lots through the ring, the colts very much took charge at the business end of Wednesday’s second session, with colts accounting for 13 of the top 15 lots through the ring on Day 2.
The top five highest-priced horses to sell at Magic Millions so far this week have all been colts, while the average spend on colts compared with fillies makes for interesting reading, with the current colt average of $304,568 significantly higher than the fillies’ average of $272,815.
That difference of $31,753 is markedly higher than the difference in average at the end of Book 1 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with just a $3677 discrepancy in average between the two sexes 12 months ago.
“As predicted, there’s a great amount of money for colts in any market, especially here in Australia,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“As predicted, there’s a great amount of money for colts in any market, especially here in Australia.” - Barry Bowditch
“Seeing big physicals walking into the ring by some of the best stallions in the country, and globally, you expect those horses to be very highly sought-after.
“I think that will only continue. I know there’s many colt funds out there that are barely getting on the board thus far and they’re getting frustrated, but they understand that this is a premium spot to buy the quality colts that actually get to stud at the elite level.
“I expect them to come back, trust the process and continue to bid on them over the next couple of days.”
#5. First-time vendors celebrate huge results
Selling under its own name at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for the very first time, Blue Gum Farm could not have wished for a better start to life as a vendor on the Gold Coast.
The Victorian farm, which was purchased by Jason and Mel Stenning and Sean and Cathy Dingwall under the banner of Trilogy Rural Investments in September 2022, sold three lots on Day 2 for a combined total of $1.76 million, spearheaded by a Snitzel colt out of the unraced Lonhro mare Vaujany, who sold to Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM (BANZ) for $1.3 million.
Lot 332 - Snitzel x Vaujany (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A stellar second session saw Blue Gum climb to fifth on the leading vendor standings by average, while the farm can also lay claim to a 100 per cent clearance rate at the end of Day 2, having sold all four of their lots that have entered the ring.
Blue Gum wasn’t the only first-time Magic Millions vendor to make a splash on Day 2, with Mick Malone’s North selling a colt by Kia Ora’s first-season Farnan for $800,000 to the bid of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
Bred by Malone in conjunction with Max Whitby and Neil Werrett, the colt is out of the stakes-placed mare Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard) and is a direct descendant of Snippets’ Lass (Snippets), the dam of hugely successful stallions Snitzel and Hinchinbrook and the grandam of another star sprinter in Private Eye (Al Maher).
#6. Record gross for this stage of the sale
Wednesday’s second session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale may have got off to a slower start than the opening day, but by the close of play on Day 2 the sale was boasting its biggest ever gross of $101,833,000 for this point in the sale.
That figure even supersedes the previous record gross of around $97 million set in 2022, a year which Magic Millions’ managing director Bowditch has frequently referred to as an ‘outlier’ over the past 48 hours.
“It’s obvious to see that there is an insatiable thirst for quality and that was evident today here at Magic Millions,” Bowditch said.
“It’s obvious to see that there is an insatiable thirst for quality and that was evident today here at Magic Millions.” - Barry Bowditch
“I thought this morning it took a white to find its feet, the first hour and a half was slightly patchy, and we passed in a few more than we’d like to, but a lot of them have been sold since then.
“To end the day at a clearance rate of over 85 per cent, an average that has increased on yesterday and more importantly a gross that’s up around $8 million up on last year is a fantastic result for Magic Millions, and kudos to our vendors who have brought a great product to our sale.
“There’s plenty of people out there that have not yet bought the amount of horses that they’re in the market to buy, and there's still some unbelievable yearlings to go through the ring - some of the best yearlings to be sold at this sale."
The final word
Anyone and everyone who has previously attended a Magic Millions sale is accustomed to seeing world-class auctioneer Steve Davis supply the witticisms, and he once again had a captivated audience chuckling away during the sale of Lot 392, the current auction-topper as things stand.
Steve Davis | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
After a slow beginning to the bidding process, bids began to fly in from all corners of the Magic Millions auditorium, prompting Davis to proclaim, ‘Is there anyone in the room that hasn’t had a bid?’ when fresh blood entered the fray at the $900,000 mark.
Given the colt ended up selling for $1.9 million, his verve was fully justified.
Top buyers
| D C Ellis CNZM (BANZ) | 8 | $589,375 | $1,300,000 | $4,715,000 |
| Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds | 14 | $335,000 | $600,000 | $4,690,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Bloodstock | 8 | $583,125 | $1,900,000 | $4,665,000 |
| James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership | 3 | $1,125,000 | $1,600,000 | $3,375,000 |
| China Horse Club/Newgate/Go Bloodstock/Trilogy | 6 | $490,833 | $750,000 | $2,945,000 |
| Highway Farm | 4 | $705,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,820,000 |
| Tom Magnier | 2 | $1,325,000 | $1,750,000 | $2,650,000 |
| Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock | 10 | $259,500 | $360,000 | $2,595,000 |
| Gandharvi Pty Ltd/Michael Freedman Racing | 6 | $395,000 | $750,000 | $2,370,000 |
| Curran Bloodstock | 4 | $473,750 | $650,000 | $1,895,000 |
Vendors by aggregate
| Newgate Farm, Aberdeen, NSW | 27 | $325,370 | $1,250,000 | $8,785,000 |
| Segenhoe Stud, Scone, NSW | 11 | $769,091 | $1,900,000 | $8,460,000 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley, NSW | 15 | $384,667 | $1,000,000 | $5,770,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW | 16 | $357,813 | $1,300,000 | $5,725,000 |
| Arrowfield Stud, Scone, NSW | 19 | $301,053 | $1,000,000 | $5,720,000 |
| Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains, NSW | 21 | $242,857 | $400,000 | $5,100,000 |
| Milburn Creek, Wildes Meadow, NSW | 6 | $670,000 | $1,600,000 | $4,020,000 |
| Bhima Thoroughbreds, Scone, NSW | 14 | $286,429 | $775,000 | $4,010,000 |
| Vinery Stud, Scone, NSW | 12 | $234,583 | $650,000 | $2,815,000 |
| Baramul Stud, Widden Valley, NSW | 9 | $286,111 | $750,000 | $2,575,000 |
Vendors by average (3 or more sold)
| Segenhoe Stud, Scone, NSW | 11 | $769,091 | $1,900,000 | $8,460,000 |
| Milburn Creek, Wildes Meadow, NSW | 6 | $670,000 | $1,600,000 | $4,020,000 |
| Blue Gum Farm, Euroa, Vic | 4 | $515,000 | $1,300,000 | $2,060,000 |
| Kulani Park, Goulburn Weir, Vic | 5 | $455,000 | $650,000 | $2,275,000 |
| Waikato Stud, Matamata, NZ | 4 | $401,250 | $470,000 | $1,605,000 |
| Widden Stud, Widden Valley, NSW | 15 | $384,667 | $1,000,000 | $5,770,000 |
| Rosemont Stud, Gnarwarre, Vic | 3 | $368,333 | $600,000 | $1,105,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud, Scone, NSW | 16 | $357,813 | $1,300,000 | $5,725,000 |
| Cannon Hayes Stud, Scone, NSW | 3 | $333,333 | $725,000 | $1,000,000 |
| North, Scone, NSW | 6 | $327,500 | $800,000 | $1,965,000 |
Sires by aggregate
| Snitzel | 17 | $580,294 | $1,750,000 | $9,865,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 14 | $653,571 | $1,300,000 | $9,150,000 |
| Zoustar | 20 | $439,500 | $1,100,000 | $8,790,000 |
| Capitalist | 17 | $281,471 | $600,000 | $4,785,000 |
| Farnan | 14 | $289,643 | $800,000 | $4,055,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 6 | $649,167 | $1,600,000 | $3,895,000 |
| Wootton Bassett | 12 | $321,250 | $900,000 | $3,855,000 |
| Deep Field | 11 | $311,364 | $675,000 | $3,425,000 |
| Ole Kirk | 12 | $267,917 | $1,000,000 | $3,215,000 |
| Bivouac | 17 | $187,941 | $675,000 | $3,195,000 |
Sires by average (3 or more sold)
| Too Darn Hot | 4 | $701,250 | $1,900,000 | $2,805,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 14 | $653,571 | $1,300,000 | $9,150,000 |
| Extreme Choice | 6 | $649,167 | $1,600,000 | $3,895,000 |
| Snitzel | 17 | $580,294 | $1,750,000 | $9,865,000 |
| Justify | 3 | $443,333 | $650,000 | $1,330,000 |
| Zoustar | 20 | $439,500 | $1,100,000 | $8,790,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 8 | $360,000 | $800,000 | $2,880,000 |
| Savabeel | 3 | $358,333 | $400,000 | $1,075,000 |
| Dundeel | 3 | $330,000 | $440,000 | $990,000 |
| Wootton Bassett | 12 | $321,250 | $900,000 | $3,855,000 |
