Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

At A Glance

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The opening session of the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale grossed $3,880,000 compared to $4,490,000 last year, with the clearance rate dropping from 73.4 per cent to 67 per cent.

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Average of $34,035 was slightly down on the same session from last year ($35,370). The median price of $28,500 was slightly higher than the $27,000 in the same session last year.

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Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch says “the QTIS system is probably being under-valued in the ring.”

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Hulbert Racing secured the top lot of the day, a Better Than Ready colt for $140,000 from the Lyndhurst Stud draft. This price matches the top lot from last year's opening session.

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Lyndhurst and Eureka Stud, home of Better Than Ready and Spirit Of Boom respectively, topped the vendor list in the opening session.

Challenging at Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale

The expected challenges at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale came to fruition during Monday’s opening session, with the clearance rate below 70 per cent by the close.

On Monday night, the sale gross was at $3,880,000 at an average of $34,035 and median $28,500 with a clearance rate of almost 67 per cent.

That is well down on the $4.49 million traded during the opening session last year, where the clearance was 73.4 per cent at the same time.

The average price on Monday was only slightly down on the $35,370 from last year, while the median was a touch above the $27,000 from last year due to the number of pass ins at the lower end of the sale.

The top price of $140,000 was the same as the opening session last year.

“There’s no secret the clearance rate is not at a level we think is acceptable. Vendors had a tough day,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.

“The positives are that if a good quality horse with a pedigree walks in the ring, looked the part, vetted well, those horses sold well because there was competition.”

Bowditch said he hoped buyers would have a close look at results on Monday, marry that up with the performance of graduates from this sale and take advantage of the way the market is during Tuesday’s second session.

“There’s a lot of value out there to be found,” he said.

“The QTIS system is probably being undervalued here in the sale ring. What QTIS can provide participants is quite extraordinary and the market didn’t participate to the level that QTIS allows them to today.

“In saying that, (Tuesday’s session) is probably a little stronger and we will work on passed in lots overnight.

“I would expect buyers will see vendors have a great willingness to sell their product and should come back tomorrow and sink their teeth into horses with better gusto than they did today.”

The Hamo brother tops session and goes to same connections

Hulbert Racing topped the leaderboard on the opening day of the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale, going to $140,000 for a colt by Better Than Ready.

The colt was offered through the Lyndhurst Stud draft and is from the unraced Press Statement mare News Release, making him a brother to the Hulberts’ promising 2-year-old The Hamo.

The Hamo was one of the early season trial stars in Brisbane and as a result was sent out one of the top fancies for the $500,000 Magic Millions The Debut (Colts and Geldings) in January. He showed very good speed to lead that race until the 200 metre point, but he just laboured a little late and finished third.

The Hulberts went to $80,000 to secure him from this same sale 12 months ago.

It is the family of international Group 1 winner Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) and his sister Milanova (both by Danehill {USA}), who was famously sold to Coolmore at the 2008 Inglis Australian Weanling and Breeding Stock Sale for $5 Million.

Will Hulbert is just returning from a trip to Las Vegas to watch the Brisbane Broncos last weekend, so his father Peter supervised the bidding on Monday.

“We had $140,000 for him, so thank God there wasn’t another bid on him because we would have been dead in the water,” Hulbert said.

“All the owners in The Hamo have bought into him.

“He’s bigger than The Hamo at the same stage. A couple of mates saw him down there and said he’s a dead ringer for Better Than Ready. That sounds all right to me.”

The Hamo has had two week pre-training at Killora Lodge and is scheduled to arrive back in the Hulbert stables on Tuesday with a view to return to racing in May.

Lyndhurst Stud topped the opening day vendor list, with nine selling (four passed in) for a gross of $458,500.

North Pacific colt sought after

Gold Coast trainer Paul Shailer teamed up with Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) to buy the second highest-priced lot of the day, a North Pacific colt from the draft of Warrandale Stud for $110,000.

The colt is from the Ferocity mare Saluting, who has had six to the races and all have been winners.

“He’s a really nice horse,” Blaxland said. “I remember North Pacific as a yearling when he sold in Melbourne. He was always a beautiful yearling and I’ve had my eye on them all year. This one fits the bill.

“I thought he was one of the top colts in the sale, the mare has had a few that can run and he comes off a good farm in Warrandale.

“I thought he was pretty fair buying at that.”

Shailer has recently made the move back to the Gold Coast and he’s looking to make a mark in his own right after being a fixture at the Gold Coast Turf Club for a number of years.

“Paul has 40 boxes in the new Traintech set up at the Gold Coast he’s getting a good team around him,” Blaxland said.

“He ran Chris Waller’s Queensland operation at the Coast for a long time and I think he will make a huge fist of it up here with the owners and cattle he’s getting around him.”

Bruce seeks QTIS dollars at both ends of the market

Jack Bruce’s quest to have more QTIS horses in his stable came to fruition with the acquisition of two yearlings today by Queensland’s top two stallions.

The first was the Spirit Of Boom colt from the Real Saga mare Weekend Saga which fetched the day’s third highest price at $90,000 from the Eureka Stud draft.

“After having completed my inspections I felt that colt fitted in with the top five lots of the sale,” Bruce said.

“He was an absolute standout and being by Spirit Of Boom, I knew he would be popular and I thought I may find it difficult to buy him.

“He was one I wanted to have a good crack at purchasing and I was fortunate enough to do so.

“He’s a very, very good type, great mover, the right physical for a Spirit Of Boom and those horses are hard to come by so I’m quite lucky to have secured him.”

A few lots later, Bruce secured a Better Than Ready filly for just $31,000.

She is from the Savabeel mare Across The Ditch (NZ) and was offered for sale by Yarramalong Park.

“Her dam is a half-sister to (Group 2 winner) North Star Lass. She’s a runner by Better Than Ready, is strong physically and I thought she moved well and had plenty of up and go about her.

“She fitted what I like to see in those Better Than Readys and another case of me being strong on one I wanted and I can’t believe I got her for the price I did.”

Bruce has stables at both Deagon and the Sunshine Coast and has been keen to grow his stable since arriving in Queensland two years ago.

He said the QTIS program is very important to the success of a Queensland-based stable.

“That’s a huge drawcard for the QTIS March sale,” he said.

“First of all good horses come from this sale – the honour roll says that. I’m a Brisbane-based trainer and I need to take advantage of the QTIS scheme for my client base. If you can have a 2-year-old up and running, you can have an enormous amount of success in Queensland.”

Eureka also sold the day’s fourth-highest priced lot, a Spirit Of Boom colt from Stolen Love (NZ) (Savabeel) who sold to Nick Walsh Racing and Brett Green for $87,000.

Eureka finished second on the leading vendor list for the session, with 11 selling (two passed in) for a gross of $412,500.

Lifetime honour for Basil Nolan

Raheen Stud’s Basil Nolan was honoured on Sunday with Life Membership of Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association (TBQA).

Nolan has been a long time TBQA President and for the past decade and has filled the same position for Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA).

Nolan has been in the breeding industry since he left school in 1964.

“I’m very humbled,” he said.

“We’ve fought a few battles in the time I’ve been there… we’ve won a few and lost a few.

“The last decade has been oustanding for the (Australian) industry. Prizemoney has forged ahead and the introduction of race fields legislation has obviously had a lot to do with that.

“From a Queensland perspective, I’m most proud of the QTIS scheme and how important and lucrative it’s become to the local industry here.

“We struggled for a long time in Queensland, but I feel (Racing Minister) Grace Grace has been marvellous.

“We had to fight for a long time to show how important the industry is for the Queensland economy, not just with direct jobs, but indirectly as well. Grace understands that and I think she’s done a hell of a job.”

While he might have been humbled on Sunday, Nolan conceded the start of this year’s QTIS sale had not been what he and others might have hoped for.

“It’s tough going today. I’ve been at better sales. Put it that way,” he said.

Raheen has 25 horses catalogued for this sale and on Monday sold seven for $168,000, but passed in another nine lots.

Top buyers

Vendors by aggregate

Vendors by average (2 or more sold)

Sires by aggregate

Sires by average (2 or more sold)

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Inducted into the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame for his contribution to racing as both an owner and breeder, Perks has a long list of accolades to his name.

Responsible for breeding the likes of last year’s G1 Toorak H. winner Attrition (Churchill {Ire}), G1 Champagne S. heroine Go Indy Go (Bernardini {USA}), G1 Victoria Derby winner Warning (Declaration Of War {USA}) and dual Derby hero Rebel Raider (Reset), Perks is no stranger to stakes success.

Monday’s double was the cherry on top for the Perks/Gluyas combination who was also represented by a winner on Saturday’s Murray Bridge Magic Millions Raceday. Bred by Perks’, Proven Correct (Justify {USA}) was an impressive winner of the opening event on the card.

He is the sixth foal from the stakes-producing Zabeel (NZ) mare Carolina Bella who was another astute purchase by Adrian Hancock’s, Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on behalf of Perks.

Offered at the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale under the Stonehouse Thoroughbreds banner, Proven Correct fetched $100,000 to the bid of his trainer and Perks subsequently elected to stay in as a part-owner of the horse.

Patience pays off

A quick chat with Perks revealed his patient approach to breeding and going against the typical ‘early speed’ fashion in Australia.

“I have more mares that tend to get over ground than I do 2-year-old producing mares. What I have done in the past is look for mile type mares and then go to more staying type stallions because there's a lot more stakes money available for horses competing over a mile-plus”.

Perks’ feature winner on Monday’s card is from the G3 SAJC Sires' Produce S. winner Elegant Eagle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) who was a three-time winner over distances of 1400 metres to 1800 metres. Purchased at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale by Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA) on behalf of Toorak Thoroughbred Trust for just $75,000, Elegant Eagle is an exemplary example of Perks’ style of mare while not spending a fortune.

Offered at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Air Assault (Justify {USA}) failed to meet his $100,000 reserve and was subsequently retained by Perks and syndicated with a group of friends. With earnings exceeding $280,000, Air Assault is now a three-time stakes winner.

The 10th foal from Elegant Eagle, Air Assault is the mare’s third stakes winner alongside G3 SAJC DC McKay S. winner Essay Raider (Bernardini {USA}) and G1 Champagne S. winner Go Indy Go (Bernardini {USA}). Retired from stud duties last year, Elegant Eagle has an Omaha Beach (USA) yearling colt on the ground whom Parks noted will be retained to race.

Lovely Lookin’ (American Pharoah {USA}) was a dominant winner of the second event on the Adelaide Cup Day card when taking out a Class 2 H., in impressive fashion. The filly is the first-foal from Perks’ own stakes-winning homebred mare in Gogo Grace (New Approach {Ire}) whose only other living foal is a 2-year-old colt in training with Danny O’Brien under the name of Hot Too Go (Too Darn Hot {GB}).

A winner of three of her six starts to date, the progressive filly was retained by Perks and partners to race and looks destined for better racing.

A team approach

The Thoroughbred Report caught up with Chris Watson, General Manager of Mill Park Stud whom Perks has enjoyed a long association with as the home of Perks’ breeding stock. While both horses were not offered under the successful Mill Park Stud sales banner, Watson noted that both winners on Monday’s card were born and raised on the farm.

Speaking of Perks’ approach to producing talented racehorses, Watson was quick to highlight the teamwork required to get to this point.

“The type of pedigree and race performance is paramount, we (Mill Park Stud) do a lot of work together with Harry (Perks) and Adrian Handcock with mating and marketing these horses to the right sales and working out which ones are kept to race”.

With seven Toorak Thoroughbred Trust yearlings set to go under the hammer at next week’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Watson was optimistic for his horses ahead of the sale.

“Harry’s horses are lovely types, they’re clean, sound horses, I think generally his horses should be well-placed in the marketplace and most buyers should find them to be attractive propositions to look at.”

Noting that Adelaide doesn’t necessary bring the lofty prices of sales such as Magic Millions Gold Coast sale where his stock averaged a healthy $250,000, Perks’ noted Lot 50 as one of the highlight horses of his batch being a Frosted (USA) colt from the four-time winning half-sister to Air Assault in La la Luchie (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}).

This colt is the third foal of La la Luchie whose only foal to race in Cherokee Brave (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) is a winner, while her 2-year-old colt Oodnadatta (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was a strong third in a Cranbourne trial at his first-time out.

Another relevant feature in next week’s sale is Lot 233, an Earthlight (Ire) colt from the granddam of Monday’s impressive winner Lovely Lookin’. A family featuring plenty of black type including the late Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), this colt is from Starmon (NZ) (Monolith) whose stakes-performed horses include Gogo Grace and Star Status (Medaglia D'Oro), both by international sires.

Gallery: Some standout lots in Mill Park Stud's Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft, images courtesy of Magic Millions

With exciting plans ahead for Air Assualt including a looming G1 SAJC Derby as well as stakes class racing on the cards for Lovely Lookin’, Perks looks to be in for a whole lot more fun to round out what has been a truly remarkable season.

The discussion regarding the proposed sale of Rosehill Racecourse continued on Monday evening with the Parramatta City Council debating a proposal to heritage list Rosehill Gardens to prevent its sale for urban development under a memorandum of understanding between the ATC and the state government.

In a lengthy meeting that extended over two hours on Monday evening, the Parramatta City Council engaged in a robust debate over the future of the Rosehill Racecourse. The discussions revolved around a proposal to heritage list the iconic racecourse, an initiative aimed at safeguarding it from being sold for urban development.

Despite the passionate appeals from councillors, industry participants, and locals, the motion to heritage list Rosehill Racecourse was ultimately overturned. Instead, an amended motion was adopted, focusing on initiating dialogue with the state government concerning the proposed metro station adjacent to the racecourse.

Councillors voiced concerns over what they termed as the "irresponsible and premature" approach towards the racecourse's sale, pointing out the ambiguity and mixed messaging regarding the number of dwellings that such a sale could yield. The need for more detailed information before further discussions could proceed was a recurrent theme throughout the evening.

The council also highlighted its limited role in the matter, noting that the sale of the land falls under the purview of a private commercial transaction between the ATC and the state government.

“Horse racing is a unique industry and a huge provider of employment; the Rosehill racecourse is a massive economic contributor to the region by expenditure and jobs,” Waller stated.

He likened the community gatherings at race meetings to those in Sydney’s Hyde Park, emphasising the racecourse’s role in bringing together people of all ages, genders, nationalities, and religions.

Waller urged the ATC to engage more closely with the City of Parramatta Council and the broader community, highlighting the venue's potential as an extensive exhibition centre. He also suggested that “there are other areas around the racecourse that can be utilised better, so I see a partial sale as a positive outcome for the club.”

Next step, back to Members

While this evening’s decision to turf the proposal to heritage list Rosehill racecourse might seem like a blow to the industry’s fight to protect one of its most valuable assets, the decision now ultimately lies with the ATC members. Former ATC chair Matthew McGrath was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald on the eve of the council meeting suggesting that if prominent trainers such as Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller maintained their fierce opposition, the deal would struggle to pass.

“They might get 2000 voting. But I think the silent majority will vote ‘no’. The silent members are the problem, not the noisy ones,” McGrath said.

The council meeting also touched on the broader issue of the housing crisis in the area, with the Camellia-Rosehill Place strategy, adopted in August 2022, being discussed as a potential framework to address the crisis by providing up to 20,000 new homes.

In the wake of the meeting, the council plans to further engage with the ATC, the NSW Premier, and other relevant stakeholders, emphasising the importance of integrating the proposed metro station into the broader urban development strategy to ensure the economic vitality of the Parramatta region.

The future of Rosehill Racecourse, established in 1885 and recognised as a vital part of Australia's racing heritage, now stands at a crossroads.

Cover imge courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) showed she had returned to her home state in good order and was ready for her clash with the boys in next week’s G1 Golden Slipper after toying with her rivals in a 800-metre trial at Hawkesbury on Monday.

Lady Of Camelot won the G3 Widden S. in February before being the best of the on-pacers when second to Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) in the G1 Blue Diamond.

On Monday Blake Shinn allowed her to settle off the speed, before asking her to let down in the straight, where she careered away to win by 2.8l.

Market framers have their guard up with her from a Slipper point of view and she trimmed up to $13 after this hit-out, to be the top-ranked filly in betting for the world’s richest 2-year-old race on Saturday week.

She was one of four winners during the Hawkesbury session for Waterhouse and Bott.

Stakes winner The Instructor (Russian Revolution) won Heat 10 before the unraced Monty The Missile (Smart Missile) won Heat 11.

The Waterhouse-Bott team then had a second 2-year-old winner for the session when the unraced Zoubelle (Zoustar) won Heat 14. It was her second Hawkesbury trial win this time in.

Gallery: Waterhouse and Bott-trained Monty The Missile and Zoubelle take out their respective heats, image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Zoubelle is from the Snitzel mare Itza Snitzi and was a $130,000 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale purchase.

It was Zoustar’s second 2-year-old trial winner for the session after Growing Empire won Heat 13 for the Ciaron Maher stable.

So You Think daughter impresses

Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing colours were in the winning list after So You Think’s (NZ) daughter Tuileries powered home from second last to win Heat 6 over 970 metres.

Tuileries is from the Bernardini (USA) mare Hediard and counts Espadon (Danehill {USA}) as her third dam. Espadon is a half-sister to Cox Plate winner Rubiton and the G1 Goodwood winner Euclase (both by Century).

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly was a $360,000 purchase for Snowden Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) at last year Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

The first of the 2-year-old heats was won by the Team Hawkes-trained Agenda Setter (I Am Invincible), a $250,000 Inglis Easter purchase last year, who hasn’t raced since running sixth to Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) at Randwick last October. The brown or black colt has now won both trials since returning to training this year.

Fastnet Rock colt Tenbury Wells was a narrow winner of Heat 7. He is from the multiple Listed-winning Savabeel (NZ) mare Dowager Queen (NZ), who also placed three times at Group 1 level, including in the VRC Oaks.

Tenbury Wells is prepared by Brad Widdup, who also had the 3-year-old Pierro filly Joint Mission win a Maiden trial during the session.

Busy morning for Godolphin

James Cummings had several notable stable runners step out this morning.

Stakes-winning mare Red Card (Ribchester {Ire}) showed all her customary speed, taking out Heat 3 of the session over 1000 metres.

Red Card is the winner of seven races in 15 starts and was a first-up winner at Rosehill in February.

She found the front in the trial and coasted home to a comfortable win over talented stablemate Stanislaus (Exceed And Excel), with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Wollombi (Extreme Choice) an eye-catcher in third.

Caulfield Guineas-winning stablemate Golden Mile (Astern) ran third to the imported Matthew Flinders (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the opening heat of the session.

Golden Mile is the winner of $4.28 million in prizemoney and most recently ran eighth in the G3 Liverpool City Cup behind Phearson (Exosphere).

Group-winning Godolphin sprinter Kallos (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) wasn’t out to break any records when fifth to the Jackie Greentree trained I’m A Shaker (Kobayashi) and the promising Godolphin filly Commemorative (I Am Invincible).

Cummings’ seven-times winner and $1.8 million earner Vilana (Hallowed Crown) ran fourth to The Instructor (Russian Revolution) in what was his first public appearance this time in.

Another of Godolphin’s Group-winning sprinters to have a Hawkesbury hit-out was Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}), who was allowed to coast out the back before beating one home in the heat won by Power Of The Brave (Brave Smash {Jpn}). Ingratiating won the G3 Bletchingly S. last July.

Cover image courtesy of First Light Racing

Lot 162 - Russian Revolution x Tomiko (Duporth), colt, $55,000

Buyer: Shaun Dwyer Jnr Racing

Vendor: Oaklands Stud (as agent)

Shaun Dwyer Junior looks to have shopped wisely during the opening session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch commented on Monday night that buyers should be taking a close look at the results because of the number of great value buys available.

Dwyer seems to have been ahead of the curve on that front after having to go to just $55,000 for a son of Russian Revolution.

The colt is one of 93 lots in the catalogue by BOBS eligible stallions, but he’s also eligible for the rich QTIS bonuses as well.

This colt is by the Duporth mare Tomiko, who was a winner at 1300 metres. She in turn is from the Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Geisha, whose five winners were headlined by the stakes-placed Mineko (Fastnet Rock) and the multiple stakes winner (two x Group 3, one x Listed) Taikomochi (Snitzel).

Tomiko’s first three foals were all by Sooboog and they include the two-time winner Aspired.

Aspired was a $75,000 Magic Millions purchase in January of 2020 from the Kitchwin Hills draft.

After four visits to Sooboog, Tomiko visited Russian Revolution in the spring of 2021 to produce this colt in October 2022.

Russian Revolution stood for a fee of $88,000 (inc GST) last year and covered 185 mares off that mark.

He is the sire of 133 individual winners of more than $15 million from his first two crops of racing age, headlined by five stakes winners in each crop.

Tomiko went to Pierata in 2022, but she died before producing that foal, meaning this colt is the last foal from the mare.