Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

At A Glance

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For the second day in succession five yearlings smashed through the seven-figure ceiling, headlined by a $1.7 million filly by I Am Invincible out of Widden Stud’s multiple stakes-winning mare Madam Rouge.

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Another continuing trend on Thursday was a decline in the average to $282,298, which is marginally below the $297,259 average at the same point during last year’s sale. The median also dropped a point to $210,000, $10,000 below the figure 12 months prior.

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The current gross at the conclusion of Day 4 sits at $205,230,500, a slight decline when compared with the 2023 figure of $207,784,000, while the clearance rate of 85.63 per cent is down from 88.15 per cent at the corresponding juncture last year.

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Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, in partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds, rocketed to the top of the buyers' charts on Friday, having purchased 22 yearlings at a total gross of $8,370,000 at the conclusion of four days of selling.

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Day 4 also saw a change at the top of the leading vendors by gross pile, with Segenhoe Stud now taking over from Newgate Farm. Segenhoe, who has sold seven-figure lots on behalf of the likes of John Camilleri and Peter Walsh this week, now sits atop the gross sales figure with $16,075,000, while also maintaining a high average of $574,107, an ultra-impressive metric given 28 of their 29 offered lots have found buyers.

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I Am Invincible retained his grip on the leading sire by gross standings, which was greatly helped by the sale of one of his daughters for $1.7 million on Day 4. Extreme Choice, while being down the order for sires by gross, holds an impressive average of $709,500 from his 10 lots sold, behind only Northern Hemisphere-based stallion Frankel.

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Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett continues to impress with his first crop of Southern Hemisphere yearlings, improving his total gross to $14,300,000 while commanding an average of $461,290. The shuttle stallion is also still responsible for the current sale topper at $2.1 million.

#1. Hill ‘n’ Dale arrive with gusto

There was an international flavour to the top lot through the ring on Friday’s fourth session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds teaming up with Jes Sikura of Kentucky-based stud Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) to secure the first foal out of Group 2 winner Madam Rouge (Zoustar), a filly by I Am Invincible, for $1.7 million.

The seven-figure filly represents a first foray into the Australian market for American outfit Hill ‘n’ Dale, whose roster of 12 stallions is spearheaded by Curlin (USA) - the sire of 22 Grade 1 winners.

Hill ‘n’ Dale’s Jes Sikura was one of a number of people high-fiving others on the Waterhouse-Bott table as a round of applause broke out in the Magic Millions auditorium moments after auctioneer Clint Donovan brought the gavel down at $1.7 million.

He was visibly delighted to have secured the daughter of I Am Invincible and was quick to thank Johnson, whose relationship with Hill ‘n’ Dale was pivotal in bringing the group of successful purchasers together.

“We really didn’t have too much intention to get involved in anything when we came over here but I have to give complete credit to Will Johnson,” Sikura said.

“He’s always at the top of his game, he finds the nicest horses in every sale and it wouldn’t have happened without him, especially without Gai and Adrian putting together such a good group.

“Will and I met a couple of years ago when I came down here for the mares’ sale and eventually started doing a bit of business together. He’s got vast connections, he’s a great agent and whenever I’ve had a filly, I’ve presented it to him.

“We’ve gone into a couple of things together and had a little bit of luck, so we’ve stayed friends ever since. I love doing business together.”

Johnson, whose grin could be seen from as far as Surfers Paradise, was quick to echo Sikura’s thoughts.

“It’s great to have Jes in Australia and it’s great to have that international investment from downtown Kentucky,” he said.

“A massive thank you to John Sikura and his family and a massive thanks to Gai, Adrian and Bruce Slade for getting to work because, as we know, these are expensive fillies, so you have to be organised.

“It’s exciting times ahead.”

The $1.7 million sale wrote another chapter in the story of Widden Stud and Madam Rouge, with the leading nursery having bred her, sold her as a yearling, retained a share in her to race and then bought out some of their partners to secure her from the Magic Millions National Broodmare sale for $2.7 million back in 2022.

#2. Walsh records best ever result

On a day in which a further five yearlings fetched $1 million or more, Amelia Park Racing and Breeding’s Peter Walsh was another to smash his previous record sale when his Zoustar colt, who he bred in partnership, out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Lady Cosmology (Universal Ruler), sold to the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for a cool $1.3 million.

Amelia Park bred and raced Lady Cosmology, and Walsh, who also bred and races star Western Australia mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}), confessed to feeling quite overawed by the whole occasion.

“I’m pretty emotional, it’s the best (price) I’ve ever got,” he said. “I’ve had a great year, I’ve sold one for $900,000 and one for $750,000.

“A lot of credit goes to Sharon King, who bred the mare, and Peter O’Brien from Segenhoe. They worked together and picked Zoustar for the mating.

“I’ve got partners in this in Robert Miley and Michael Brennan and they’re ecstatic too. Rob couldn’t make it because he’s just got back from America, but Monkey is here so I’ve got a drinking partner tonight. We’re all very thrilled.

“He’s a beautiful horse and I would like to keep something in him if I can.”

The $1.3 million result became the seventh million-dollar lot of the week for Segenhoe Stud, who ended Day 4 as the leading vendor by gross with a total of $16,075,000 from 28 horses sold.

#3. Fabulous result for Farnan

Kia Ora stallion Farnan became the third first-season sire this week to sell a yearling for a seven-figure sum on Friday, when his colt out of the G1 Galaxy H. winner I Am Excited (Snitzel) sold to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Kia Ora and the Farnan Partnership for $1.2 million.

Waterhouse and Bott masterminded Farnan’s glittering career on the track, which saw him land the stallion-making G1 Golden Slipper S. en route to being crowned Champion Australian 2-Year-Old.

The Waterhouse-Bott team have signed the docket for four yearlings by Farnan so far this week, but there was no doubt in the latter’s mind as to which one was the best credentialed.

“His progeny at this sale have been great across the board, but this is the one we wanted to be strongest on,” Bott said.

“We actually created a partnership to try and target the progeny of Farnan specifically this year. Obviously, Kia Ora are standing him and wanted to back us on that concept.

“We have so much belief in him, he was our last Golden Slipper-winning colt and that is a great indicator for his success at stud.”

Another record for Bell River

Friday’s $1.2 million price-tag was yet another record sale for the colt's vendor Bell River Thoroughbreds, and a jubilant James Ferguson, standing together with his father Andrew, couldn’t hide his delight at hitting seven figures for the very first time.

“To hit the million-dollar mark as a commercial farm competing against guys that do it as a hobby is pretty special,” he said.

“I’m sitting here with Dad and my younger brother led the horse through - the three of us wouldn’t be able to do it without one another.

“It’s so hard this game and it has been a 20-year journey to get to this stage. It’s phenomenal to be here.”

The Ferguson family have enjoyed a long association with I Am Excited, having been part of her ownership group that raced her to a total of five stakes wins on the track.

Sending her to a first-season sire for her maiden cover was a calculated risk according to Ferguson, who has an immense belief in Farnan’s credentials to be a huge stallion success.

#4. 'Hard work' for Field and Newgate

After being crowned leading vendor at this auction 12 months ago, signing for 18 yearlings for a combined total of $10,100,000 million, there has been a noticeable reduction in the spend of the Newgate, China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy colts syndicate over the past four days of selling at Magic Millions.

With only one day of trade left in Book 1, which comprises only 90 yearlings, the group have signed for 11 yearlings for a total spend of $6,120,000, which has them tracking well below last year’s total at the close of trade on Day 4.

While delighted with the line-up of yearlings he has secured, Newgate’s Henry Field confessed to missing out on a number of other yearlings on the shortlist in what he perceives to be a red-hot market at the very top end.

“We’ve bought 11 really nice running horses,” he told The Thoroughbred Report. “We’ve missed out on a couple that we really loved, but that’s a horse sale.

“We have built our business on buying colts that are athletic, running horses and buying type over anything else. We have bought some lovely looking colts a bit under the radar, but they’re athletes, and that’s really how we’ve done so well over the years.

“Certainly, the market at $500,000-plus has been super strong, while $200,000 and below has been a fraction soft. All in all it has been an excellent trade.”

Having been crowned leading vendor by gross at the last two editions of Magic Millions’ flagship yearling auction, Newgate has unsurprisingly been very busy on the selling front, with 44 horses sold for a gross of $15,515,000 thus far.

They are facing a strong challenge in the battle for the leading vendor by gross title this year, however, with Segenhoe Stud currently beating them to the coveted top spot.

“Selling hasn’t been totally easy this week, but the team has worked really hard and done a great job,” Field added. “It has been a great week, but very hard work.

“Segenhoe has had a massive sale and they’re our neighbours. Both farms have produced a lot of great racehorses that share the same valley, the same water and the same land, so something is working well on the Rouchel Road and if we’re not the leading vendor we’d be delighted if it’s Segenhoe.”

Extreme Choice all the rage

One major positive for Field and the Newgate team at this year’s sale has been the demand for the progeny of Extreme Choice, with the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner selling 10 yearlings for an impressive average of $709,500, behind only the great Frankel (GB) on the leading sires by average metric.

Such excellent statistics come as no surprise to Field, whose belief in the multiple Group 1-producing stallion is unequivocal.

“The Extreme Choices have sold enormously well, but they should have too,” he added.

“He’s the best stallion in Australia statistically and from 80 odd runners he has sired an Oaks winner and Golden Slipper winner. He’s a very special stallion and a remarkable sire.”

#5. Proisir providing the best average return on service fee

Fresh from knocking off multiple champion Savabeel from his New Zealand Champion Sire pedestal, Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir can lay claim to another impressive feat at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - the stallion with the highest average return on service fee.

Table: Top 10 stallion fee returns at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

In the interests of fairness, the above table only takes into account stallions who have had three or more yearlings go through the ring this week, while it also doesn’t include stallions with fees advertised as private or stallions who have only covered mares to Southern Hemisphere time, as opposed to shuttling to the Southern Hemisphere.

The value metric is calculated by dividing the stallion’s average by their 2021 service fee.

Proisir, the sire of six Group 1 winners to date including dual Guineas heroine Legarto (NZ), is followed on the list by Newgate Farm stallion Tassort, whose healthy average and 100 per cent clearance rate has been undoubtedly helped by the way in which his debut crop of 2-year-olds have hit the track this season.

Whilst Wootton Bassett (GB), Farnan and Ole Kirk have all sold at least million-dollar lots this week, the strength in depth of this year’s first-season sire ranks is evidence by the number of freshman stallions in the Top 10 for average return on service fee, with Time To Reign, Hanseatic, Prague, Anders and Graff all featuring on the list.

#6. Magic Millions sets new record for number of million-dollar lots

The number of million-dollar lots at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale has increased each year since 2020, and with the top end of the market in as rude health as ever, it was no surprise to see the auction house set a new benchmark for number of million-dollar lots sold by the close of trade on Day 4.

With one session of Book 1 remaining, a total of 22 yearlings have fetched seven-figure sums so far this week, and while Magic Millions’ managing director Barry Bowditch was delighted to set another record, he was even more delighted with the willingness to meet the market shown by vendor’s during the first four days of selling.

“It’s a record amount of million-dollar lots for Magic Millions, which is great, but we’re not all about the million-dollar lots,” Bowditch said.

“We could sit here and talk about them all day because we like talking about them, but I think the win in this sale is that the vendors have been so motivated to meet the market.

“We’ve had a market here to buy all bar 14 per cent of the horses so far, which is fantastic, and if we can get some passed in lots done before tomorrow night starts, hopefully our clearance rate can hold.

“I think 85-86 per cent in any market is fantastic. We’ve probably been spoiled here the last few years having near 90 per cent clearance rates.”

The 22 million-dollar lots is a staggering increase on the yearlings which sold for seven-figures at this very same auction back in 2015. Interestingly, those two million-dollar lots in 2015 were sold by Newgate and Segenhoe, who are currently fighting it out to be crowned leading vendor by gross at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

The final word

It was a dangerous day to be a hash brown on Friday, with several members of the media room, shamelessly including this author, lining up to sample some of the finest in Queensland at the Magic Millions’ cafeteria before selling got underway on Day 4.

With the brekkie wraps also taking a battering, perhaps the most interesting sales metric by the close of trade on Friday would be the increase in cholesterol by gross.

Top buyers

Vendors by aggregate

Vendors by average (3 or more sold)

Sires by aggregate

Sires by average (3 or more sold)