Magic Millions remove Saturday night session from flagship Gold Coast Sale

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

Magic Millions have announced that the schedule for their Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2025 will have some changes with the Saturday night session being discontinued. This change is based on feedback from customers.

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Instead they will hold a Friday ‘Super Session’ with the evening after the Magic Millions raceday left free for participants to enjoy the raceday. The new Super Session on Friday will kick off the weekend’s celebrations with the race day on Saturday, and Book 2 commencing on Sunday.

Table: Schedule for the Magic Millions race meetings and Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January 2025

“This is a decision that we've been working towards for some time. We've consulted a good amount of our stakeholders and participants and believe this is the best way forward for the sale in January,” said Barry Bowditch.

“In recent times, we've felt there's been a bit of negativity around the Saturday night session, and the opportunity arose with the changes to our race program which allowed us to create a super session on the Friday. We hope to get as many owners and trainers with horses running on the Saturday out at the complex on Friday evening.

“Saturday evening has been around for as long as I can remember, and with the raceday it's worked well over the years but as the raceday has got bigger, the session has become arduous for people to attend both. We want to ensure that when each horse walks in the ring, there's as many people engaged as possible.”

Changes to the race programs in Queensland in January

Earlier in September, Racing Queensland announced that the Friday night meeting on the eve of The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday would be replaced with a turbo-charged twilight meeting a week earlier. “The Magic Millions is the pinnacle of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival and it’s imperative that we provide certainty to participants and attendees,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said.

“Having adopted a cautious maintenance program to the course proper on the Gold Coast, we do not want to overwork the track while it is still establishing itself and we ran the risk of doing that by pushing ahead with three meetings in the space of a week. Instead, we have opted to bolster the final two weekends of the Summer Carnival, offering more than $20 million in prizemoney across two incredible cards.”

On Saturday January 4, before the yearling sale commences, the raceday will feature the new $3 million TAB Magic Millions Sunlight (3YO) slot race as well as $1 million TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate, the $500,000 The Wave, the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1400 metres), a $250,000 Sunlight Consolation (3YO) and a new $250,000 Magic Millions Class 6 Plate (1200 metres).

The R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic will be held on January 11 with $14.5 million in prizemoney on offer for the card, and with Magic Millions’ scheduling announcement, there will be no sale that evening.

Feedback from buyers

“I think it’ll be positive. It’ll allow the sale to finish up, enjoy the racing the next day, and those that stay for Book 2 to get prepared for that,” said China Horse Club’s Michael Smith. The China Horse Club/Newgate/Go Bloodstock/Trilogy group purchased 12 yearlings at an average of $543,333 in 2024, making them the fourth biggest buyer by aggregate in 2024 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

China Horse Club and partners purchased Group 3 winner Holmes A Court (Capitalist) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale for $850,000, stakes placed Counteroffensive (Deep Field) for $425,000, while stakes placed Mayfair (Fastnet Rock) was a $625,000 purchase in 2023.

“I think that makes a lot of sense,” said Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis. “Barry Bowditch is renowned for making good decisions and I support Magic Millions in this new initiative.”

Te Akau Racing has a good association with Magic Millions, having sold their star galloper, and now NZ Horse Of The Year Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) recently through a virtual sale for $6.6 million having purchased her as a yearling at the Gold Coast Sale from Bhima Stud for $360,000.

In 2024, David Ellis was the third leading buyer at the Gold Coast by aggregate, purchasing 10 yearlings for an average of $696,500 including the $2.1 million sales-topping filly by Wootton Bassett from Avantage (Fastnet Rock). Avantage was raced by Te Akau and she is now in the ownership of Coolmore Stud who purchased her as a broodmare prospect from Te Akau for NZ$4.1 million via Gavelhouse.

David Ellis purchased G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. winner Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) at last year’s sale for $525,000, and spent the same amount on promising 3-year-old and Group winner Captured By Love (Written Tycoon).

Darby Racing purchased six yearlings at an average of $205,000 at this year’s sale. “I reckon it’s fantastic,” said Scott Darby.

“Saturday night used to be the big buzz night but people are quite tired after the races. Having all the main sessions done before the races allows everyone to let their hair down on race day. And then on Sunday, we are able to concentrate on the next catalogue. At first glance, it seems like a great idea.” Darby Racing purchased G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Ozzmosis (Zoustar) at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $250,000.

Perspective from yearling vendors

“I think it’s a good move. It provides Magic Millions with an opportunity to incorporate some new innovations for the buying bench,” said Steve Grant of Silverdale Farm.

“It particularly suits us for next year as we have a number of yearlings that would have been sold on the Saturday night, particularly the Snitzel – Sweet Sherry filly which is an absolute cracker physically and a half-sister to Eneeza, who resumes in the Scarborough at Mooney Valley on Friday evening. It would have been a very big call to commit to her being one of the last lots on Saturday night.”

Silverdale Farm sold Eneeza (Exceed And Excel) for $1.1 million at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Kia Ora Stud and TFI. She won her first two starts in the G3 Ottawa S. and Listed Merson Cooper S., before running fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond S. and later winning the G2 Percy Sykes S. in the autumn.

“It’s a very progressive move,” said Segenhoe Stud’s Peter O’Brien. “There’s a myriad of reasons as to why including the costs for vendors and we are pleased to tighten that up by a couple of days.

“Selling on Saturday night has lost a lot of the (previous) gusto, especially after they added the extra day on Tuesday. A lot of people were too drained to come to the sale after the race day, and this opens up the Saturday for everyone to relax at the races. It’s the best of both worlds, especially for international clients who can now properly enjoy the races. We are bullish about a more compacted sale over an elongated one.”

Segenhoe Stud’s 2023 draft, now 3-year-olds, includes Listed winner Highness (Snitzel) and Group 1-placed winner Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}). Listed winner High Octane (Deep Field) was also catalogued in that draft, but withdrawn.

“We’re entirely supportive of it,” said Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer.

“They (Magic Millions) live, eat and breathe the sale, and look at it from all angles. Some vendors might have a myopic view, but Magic Millions look at the broader picture and how it affects everyone. It’s important that everyone gets behind it and gives it every chance of success. In principle we like it, it’s well thought through and I think it’ll work well.”

Arrowfield’s 2023 draft has continued the farm’s success on the track with Group 2 winner Bittercreek (Snitzel), Group 3 winner Althoff (Written Tycoon), and Listed winner Lazzura (Snitzel).