Day 2 sale-toppers: Too Darn Hot scorches the ring alongside seven more million-dollar lots

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

Lot 392 - Too Darn Hot (GB) x A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), colt, $1.9 million

Whispers made their way around the auditorium most of Wednesday that a colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) was going to end up cracking seven-figures, with some of the most powerful operations in Australian racing queuing up to enter their bids on the Segenhoe Stud-consigned colt.

After a slow start, with a stagnation around $450,000, an explosion of bids rocketed him past $700,000, then $800,000, before a renewed interest saw the price push towards the $2 million mark for the first time in this sale so far this year.

Speaking following the successful purchase, Ciaron Maher, who purchased the colt under his Ciaron Maher Bloodstock banner, revealed that although the price exceeded his initial expectations, he is very happy to be taking him home.

“With the nice colts they always do (cost you), (we) probably had to go a little bit more than what we thought but very competitive.

“He’s a great physical, he’s got a really good mind on him, (he’s) really well bred, from a good farm, good breeder.”

Maher was also very complimentary of Too Darn Hot, who has enjoyed early Southern Hemisphere success in the form of Arabian Summer, one of the prominent chances in the R. Listed Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic.

“He’s done really well in Europe and we’ve got a few Too Darn Hots in the stable that are starting to hit their straps now.”

There is no denying the strong start A Time For Julia (Redoute's Choice) has made to her career in the barn, having already produced the Listed Clare Lindop S. winner As Time Goes By (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who is destined to be one of the final stakes performers of her legendary Japanese stallion. A Time For Julia has also produced four-time victor Famous (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).

Further down, there is an enviable collection of high-class performers, including the G1 VRC Oaks victress Personal (Fastnet Rock), the G2 Todman S. winner Sejardan, and the G2 Expressway S. winner Centennial Park (NZ) (Thorn Park), who also recorded a Group 1 placing in the G1 Chipping Norton S.

Lot 350 - Snitzel x Warranty (All Too Hard), colt, $1.75 million

Much like the opening day, Tom Magnier kept himself right at the top of the list for buyers on Day 2, a metric which was given significant momentum by his $1.75 million purchase of Lot 350, a son of Snitzel who was bred by respected judge John Camilleri.

“He was a real quality horse, Peter O’Brien (from Segenhoe Stud) has had this horse on top for a long time and when we saw him at the farm, we liked him a lot and he’s been very professional here at the sale.

Magnier, who spent almost as much time in the presence of media on Wednesday than he did away from it, lauded over his purchase, telling The Thoroughbred Report how highly he rates his acquisition.

“He was the star colt of the week and we’re delighted to get him,” he said.

“He’s got quality, he’s got pedigree, he’s got looks and everybody on the sales ground has been talking about this horse all week.

“Obviously this horse goes to Chris (Waller) and Chris will work his magic.

“Snitzel is very good for us at the moment with Shinzo and hopefully a couple of the 2-year-olds (we’ve got) look exciting as well.”

The colt is out of Warranty, a winning daughter of All Too Hard, who was twice placed at Listed level during her racing career. There is plenty of depth to the page, he is a close relation to talented mare Street Gossip (So You Think {NZ}), who won the Listed Princess S. in 2023.

Also represented on the page is the G1 Railway S. winner Gathering (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), the G1 Saratoga Derby winner In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the G3 Gold Coast Guineas conqueror Florentina (Redoute’s Choice).

Lot 349 - Extreme Choice x Wanted Lady (Wanted), colt, $1.6 million

The James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership stepped into Lot 349 in a big way, going all the way to $1.6 million to acquire him out of the draft of Milburn Creek.

Outmuscling their rivals to secure a flashy son of Extreme Choice, Harron ensured that, in a very business as usual fashion, he would be taking home one of the glamour colts of a major yearling sale in Australia.

With progeny of Extreme Choice in short supply, this colt boasts an impressive pedigree to match his attitude, coming from a family boasting a number of stakes-performed horses.

His dam, Wanted Lady (Wanted), is a half-sister to the Listed James HB Carr S. winner Missy Cummings (Magnus), who would go on to produce the G1 Canterbury S. winner Mizzy (Zoustar). Missy Cummings is the grandam of the Listed Burgess Queen S. winner Laced Up Heels (Toronado {Ire}), with her victory in 2022 making her the first horse to defeat Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}).

Speaking following the hammer crashing down, breeder Luke Wilkinson spoke of his delight at the result, one that is sure to stand amongst the upper echelon of purchases across the entire sale.

“It is a dream for a breeder. For a commercial breeder it is the thing of dreams. I can’t put it into words.

“I paid $100,000 and got yelled at by Mick (Price) for paying too much for him (Extreme Choice, as a yearling). It took a while to sell him and when he raced he’s obviously won a Blue Diamond and went to stud.

“When he went to stud I was able to get a lifetime breeding right.

“I love the horse and he was great for my career and I loved him to death. I have always supported him and sent extra mares. Lucky that this mare has been in foal to him three times and this is the best one by a long, long way.

Lot 332 - Snitzel x Vaujany (Lonhro), colt, $1.3 million

If there was any doubt at the level of intent from Te Akau Racing to transfer their dominance in New Zealand across the Tasman to their Cranbourne stable, those questions have been thoroughly disarmed throughout this sale, with David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) going to $1.3 million to purchase Lot 332, a colt that he hopes can go and compete amongst the elite 2-year-olds in 12 months' time.

With interest from all corners of the auditorium, Ellis, who has been amongst the biggest spenders in the opening two days of selling, outlasted rival bidders to take home the son of Snitzel, who was offered by Blue Gum Farm in Victoria.

Discussing his acquisition with The Thoroughbred Report in the immediate aftermath of the hammer crashing, Ellis couldn’t help but gush over the newest member of the Te Akau Racing team.

“We thought that he was just one of the most beautiful colts you’d (have seen) in 10 years.

“He’s a ripper and it was interesting that John O’Shea was the underbidder and came up to me and said, ‘This is the best Snitzel I have ever seen, can you go back to New Zealand quickly please’. He’s a pretty good judge, too.

“We’re just thrilled to have horses like this to train in our stable at Cranbourne. He’ll go home, he’ll get broken in (educated) to race this time next year.”

This colt is out of an unraced daughter of Lonhro, Vaujany, with a family enriched in success across the board. Although she never made it to the track, her full sister, Ghisoni (Lonhro), was a successful runner, winning the G2 Surround S.

Also featuring on his page is the late stallion Snippetson, as well as the G1 Galaxy H. victor Snowland and the G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club S. winner Larkspur Run (Shamardal {USA}).

Lot 260 - Ole Kirk x Supara (Domesday), filly, $1 million

Trainer Robbie Griffiths went to uncharted territory to secure Lot 260 on Wednesday, with the veteran horseman signing for $1 million to secure a sparkling grey filly by first-season sire Ole Kirk.

Bids flowed in with consistency as she strutted around the ring, with Griffiths, who trains in partnership with Mathew de Kock, winning out in a hotly contested battle to take her home from Newhaven Park, who enjoyed their first seven-figure result of the sale so far. They didn’t do it alone, with Griffiths de Kock Racing joined by Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) and Brookdale Racing as the winning bidders.

Speaking to The Thoroughbred Report in the aftermath, Griffiths highlighted the quality of the filly, who he believes can reach the upper echelon of racing in the coming years.

“We’ll see how she grows out. Ole Kirk ran as a 2-year-old but more so in the autumn, so whether she could be a 2-year-old in the Blue Diamond series just depends on how she handles her workload.

“Certainly in the autumn you would think so, based on the half (brother, Brosnan) who is already placed in a 2-year-old Group 1, and we’ve seen Written Tycoon get early success with Capitalist and horses like that.

“I can’t see why she wouldn’t be a 2-year-old looking at her shape. She’s got the shape of a 2-year-old, but we’ll just wait and see how it plays out.

“We loved her from first inspection, we wanted her from the get-go, and she was the one we wanted to bring home.

“Ole Kirk was a great horse and she (Supara) has already produced a Group 1 performer so we can’t see why she won’t do it again.

“She comes off a champion farm in Newhaven, they can breed a lot of Group 1 winners, their history says that, so we were more comfortable doing that off their farm.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in the box. Every time I went past to inspect her somebody else had her out, so we knew there was going to be a lot of competition but we were the lucky ones that secured her.

“You’ve got to pay if you want the Group 1 winners and that’s where we’re trying to get to.

“I didn’t know who I was up against but there would have been some pretty serious players wanting a Group 1 filly like her.”

She is out of a proven producer, Supara (Domesday), who has produced the G1 JJ Atkins S. placegetter Brosnan (Snitzel), who himself was purchased for $1.05 million at this very sale back in 2021.

Also present on the fillies page is the G3 VRC Carbine Club S. winner Permaiscuous (Danzero), with a number of winners in the 1400 to 1600-metre range.

Lot 335 - I Am Invincible x Vezalay (Shamardal {USA}), filly, $1 million

There is seldom a shortage of bidders interested in progeny by I Am Invincible, with Highway Farm emerging victorious of a bidding battle, at the cost of $1 million.

Speaking following the conclusion of bidding, Vin Cox, general manager of Yulong Investments, was eager to tell The Thoroughbred Report of his excitement around the expensive filly, one that will undoubtedly be watched as much in time for what she can do as a producer, as well as a runner.

“It is a family that Widden (the vendors of Lot 335) have owned for a long time and a family that I have seen over many years. Everything out of the family has been very good looking from decades ago.

“No exception there (from this filly) and being by the most prominent stallion in the country and a good race-winning mare, it is a formula that works.

“She’s got residual for a long way forward and I think her half-sister with Gai Waterhouse (Zouphoria) is a bit above average so hopefully she can go the right way as well.”

Across the filly’s page, plenty of quality types exist, including her dam, Vezalay (Shamardal {USA}), who was successful in the Listed Alinghi S., and a promising producer of runners, with the aforementioned Zouphoria (Zoustar) progressing through the grades nicely in the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Excitingly for those hoping to see this filly return to the Gold Coast in 12 months' time to compete for Magic Millions riches, there is ample speed in her damline, including the G3 BJ McLachlan S. winner Sun City, and the Listed SAJC Lightning H. winner Parlophone (I Am Invincible).

Lot 339 - Zoustar x Villami (Foxwedge), colt, $1 million

Plenty of sharp judges took an interest in Lot 339, with the James Harron Colt Partnership kicking off a busy stanza of targeting their trademark early running colts, securing the son of Zoustar for an even $1 million from Segenhoe Stud.

Harron, who operates an exclusive invitation-only colts syndicate that targets building stallion prospects, was happy to invest a significant sum of money into the eye-catching chestnut, who strutted around the ring with a sense of authority.

Speaking following securing the colt, Harron expressed his delight at coming out on top of a number of interested parties to have the winning bid.

“He’s a ripping colt, I loved him from the time I saw him at the farm, I thought he’d progressed really well from the farm to the sales ground and just knocked it out of the park while he was here.

“He’s got a really nice pedigree, he’s the first foal out of a super-fast mare and it’s a really deep pedigree from a great nursery in Segenhoe, which gives us a lot of confidence.”

Lot 339 is out of Villami (Foxwedge), a talented racemare who tasted success in the Listed Fireball S., one of three career victories. Now embarking on her breeding career, this is her first foal, with a seven-figure start setting her off in the right direction.

His grandam, Galapagos Girl (Dehere {USA}), was a quality galloper, winning the G3 Frances Tressady S. on the track, before going on to enjoy a stellar career in the barn, with 10 foals to race being converted into nine winners.

With plenty of talent in her damline, this colt hails from the same family as Lot 392, with further relations including the G1 Goodwood H. winner Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock) and the dual Group 1 winner Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}).

Lot 442 - I Am Invincible x Arcadia Queen (Pierro), colt, $1 million

The first foal of one of the darlings of the Western Australian turf, Arcadia Queen (Pierro), was always destined to be a sought-after commodity at public auction, and the handsome colt was one of the highlights of Day 2, being knocked down to Hawkes Racing for $1 million.

Offered by Arrowfield Stud, the I Am Invincible colt attracted a crowd of onlookers to see him patiently wait his turn to go through the ring, and from the moment bids started flying in it was clear he was going to be perched amongst the top lots of a high-end day of selling.

Arcadia Queen’s exploits as a racemare require little introduction, with her progressing rapidly from success in the G2 WA Guineas into weight-for-age company at the highest level, stamping herself as an equine force with a crushing victory in the G1 Kingston Town S. (now Northerly S.). From there, she would begin her conquest of the eastern seaboard, taking out the G1 Mackinnon S. (now Champions S.) and the G1 Caulfield S. (now Might And Power S.), finishing with eight wins from 16 career starts.

Away from her performances, this colt boasts plenty of relations to talented performers, including the G1 Railway S. winner Regal Power (Pierro), the G2 WATC Derby winner Arcadia Dream (Domesday) and the G3 AJ Scahill S. (now Damien Oliver Gold Rush S.) winner Arcadia Rose (Kheleyf {USA}).

Speaking after the purchase, John Hawkes told of his hope that the colt can live up to his impeccable page.

“You always hope he might be a champion, it doesn’t always work that particular way, but he’s a lovely horse from a great family.

“You just hope he does make the top level but only time will tell.

“He’s just a lovely balanced horse and naturally he’s been well-prepared by Arrowfield.

“He’s a lovely horse for good stable clients, so we’re really looking forward to breaking him in and getting him into the system.

“The top ones, they’re always hard to buy at the Magic Millions you always pay a bit of a premium because of the race.”

Lot 301 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x Tiare (Flying Spur), colt, $900,000

Tom Magnier thrust his faith behind world-renowned sire Wootton Bassett (GB), going to $900,000 to secure Lot 301, a colt that has become the highest-priced Tasmanian-bred yearling of all time, in a sensational result for Grenville Stud.

With the dam, Tiare (Flying Spur), who tragically passed away last year, already producing the all-conquering Think About It (So You Think {NZ}), interest was intense from the word go, with a $500,000 opening bid setting the tone as buyers from across the complex clambouring to have a bid-spotter register their interest as the price rocketed upwards.

In the end it was Magnier, whose Coolmore Stud operation stands Wootton Bassett, with the belief in the colt and the pockets to match.

“He’s (Lot 301) great-natured and he did a great performance out (in) the back ring,” Magnier said following the purchase, before turning his attention to Wootton Bassett.

“Whatever he (Wootton Bassett) touches seems to turn to gold. He got great support at the farm, we loved the types, we’re selling a lovely filly later in the week out of Avantage and we couldn’t be any happier with the way he’s going.

“Fingers crossed he kicks the same goals down here that he does in Europe.”

Magnier also commented on the result for vendors Greenville Stud, with the Coolmore magnate heaping praise on the Tasmanian operation, “They’re lovely people, great breeders and in fairness they had that horse looking fantastic all week.

“They’re just lovely people so you’d be delighted for them to get a result like that. I was delighted for them.”

Speaking just metres away from Magnier, Greenville Stud’s Graeme McCulloch spoke of his pride in the colt, and the weight off his shoulders to have seen him go through the ring to such a good home.

“We’re just lucky we had a horse like this (Lot 301) and he turned out such a nice horse,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.

“I’m glad Coolmore have got him, he’ll get every chance there and hopefully he does well on the track and they stand him at stud.

“It’s just a relief to have him sold now and we don’t have to worry about them.

“It’s a big effort, (he) travelled very well, but there’s a lot of work behind the scenes, looking after them over winter when it’s wet and cold. There’s a lot of work that goes on.”

Aside from the aformentioned Think About It, this colt is related to the G2 Gligai S. winner Keen Array (Bel Esprit), who also enjoyed success as a 3-year-old in the Listed Blue Sapphire S. Also present is the G1 Hong Kong Mile winner The Duke (Danehill {USA}), and the G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Sky Field (Deep Field).

Lot 377 - Farnan x Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard), colt, $800,000

Debuting vendors North didn’t have to wait long to make a splash amongst some of the richest yearlings in world racing, with their Farnan colt going to Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou for $800,000.

Even with the colt on his toes in the sale ring, there was no shortage of prospective buyers queuing up to get a bid in, with the Ryan and Alexiou team willing to go higher than anyone else to ensure he arrives at their Rosehill stables.

Speaking following the purchase, Ryan explained 2-year-old targets are at the forefront of his mind with this colt.

“I like Farnan, I like that pedigree. We bought his mother Za Zi Ba as a yearling at (Inglis) Easter and we followed it all the way through and I just reckon it looks so much of a combination of both sire and dam’s family.

“If it doesn’t get up and run it won’t be winning a Derby.

“Snitzel is on the page, and I’ve had a good bit of luck with that family. He was our pick and we thought we’d chase him.

“First-season stallion, $800,000 is a lot of money but he is by a Golden Slipper winner.

“(There’s) no owners (yet), all on spec.”

Asked if the plan was to see him return north in 12 months to compete for $3 million in prizemoney as a runner in the R. Listed Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic, Ryan was succinct, saying simply, “That’s the intention.”

Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard), who Ryan alluded to in his post-purchase comments, was a four-time victress on the racecourse, and a half-sister to the G1 Epsom H. winner Rediener (Redoute’s Choice), as well as the Listed Phelan Ready S. winner Rathlin (Fastnet Rock).

One name that certainly cannot be missed in the damline is Snitzel, the Champion Sire also being joined by fellow stallion Hinchinbrook, along with another Epsom winner in the form of Private Eye (Al Maher).

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