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.

Sponsored video

Triple Time | New in 2024 Frankel’s best miling son and a power-packed expression of pure Frankel speed. $22,000 inc GST at Kelvinside

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).

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Described by his trainer James Cummings as “just a really exciting colt” after he copped a bump at the 300 metres, accelerating from the 250 metres to claim success in the G2 Run To The Rose, Traffic Warden did a great job at his first run since incurring a bleeding ban when a game second in the G1 ATC Sires Produce S. in early April.

Leading throughout to win the G2 VRC Sires Produce S. in March, Traffic Warden shapes as one of the most promising 3-year-olds in the country with Cummings telling the media that “I was absolutely convinced we hadn’t seen the best of him last prep.”

“He is putting it together and there is still further improvement there. He will arrive in the Golden Rose ready to fire.”

Racing in the Godolphin blue, Traffic Warden hails from a family with plenty of local history; one represented by its first Australian big-race winner when the imported mare Tarien (GB) (Tehran {Ire}) won, for the Tommy Smith stable, two races now run as Group 1 races, the George Main S. and the Rawson S.

She was also first across the line in the G1 Doncaster H., in an unfortunate piece of history becoming the first winner of a major Australian race to be disqualified due to a positive swab.

Family's first Australian result

The family’s first Australian-bred Group winner was Hartshill (My Heart {Ire}) who took out the 1974 running of the G1 Golden Slipper S.

Eight years later saw the first of many feature race wins recorded by another of this family’s members, the champion mare Emancipation (Bletchingly).

And it was not long after Emancipation’s retirement that the family was represented by another Group 1 winner, the G1 AJC Sires Produce S. and G1 VRC Oaks heroine Diamond Shower (Zephyr Zip {NZ}).

These high-class mares enjoyed varying degrees of success at stud; whilst Hartshill failed to make an impact, Tarien is ancestress of four stakes winners.

All eight of Diamond Shower’s foals won with the Group winners Double Your Bet (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}) and Diamond Dane (Danehill {USA}) the best of those. Another six of her descendants have won at stakes level.

But the family fortunes really took off with the six-time Group 1-winning Emancipation who kicked off well, her first foal Royal Pardon (NZ) winning the G2 Frank Packer Plate and finishing second to Horse Of The Year Research (Imperial Prince {Ire}) in the G1 AJC Derby.

He was the best of her three winners from five foals to race and her daughters and descendants have kept her name in lights; Emancipation the ancestress of 20 stakes winners including the Group 1 horses Railings (Zabeel {NZ}), Virage de Fortune (Anabaa {USA}), Rumya (NZ) (Red Ransom {USA}) and Stratum Star.

Bring in Dextrous

Whilst some branches of this family have died out, others are still going strongly and Traffic Warden is a grandson of one of its most successful female members, the G2 Sandown Guineas and G3 Vanity S. winner Dextrous (Quest For Fame {GB}).

She is the first link to Godolphin for this family, her Group 3-placed multiple city winning dam Many Hands (Handy Proverb) bred by Bob Lapointe’s Muskoka Farm, racing in the Woodlands Stud cerise.

Many Hands, whose dam was a half-sister to Emancipation, remained in the Ingham family’s ownership throughout her breeding career, one which saw her well-represented by seven winners. Three of those were stakes placed though Dextrous was her star winning five of her 10 starts.

When Woodlands was acquired by Darley in 2008, Dextrous was in foal for a second time to Commands. The last foal out of her bred by Woodlands was the G1 AJC Champagne S. winner Skilled and the first bred by Darley the G2 Theo Marks S. winner Ambidexter.

Dextrous continued on with her good work, her next foal Sidestep named Australian Champion 2-Year-Old Colt with his two wins at Group level; that horse going on to sire a Golden Slipper winner in Kiamichi.

Dextrous, who died in 2020, saw out her stud career with a bang, her final foal being the G1 VRC Oaks and G2 Wakeful S. winner Willowy (Kermadec {NZ}) who recently produced her first foal, a filly bred to Southern Hemisphere time by Juddmonte star Kingman (GB).

Godolphin have another four of Dextrous’ daughters at stud with the 9-year-old Goulburn maiden winner Efficiently (Exceed And Excel) one of those. Her first foal didn’t make it to the track and Traffic Warden is just her second.

Also dam of a 2-year-old filly who has been named Immerse (Frosted {USA}), Efficiently foaled a full brother to Traffic Warden last spring, subsequently missing to Blue Point (Ire). She was aboard a plane heading to the UK a couple of weeks ago, on the list to be served by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Darley’s Alastair Pulford is excited about Traffic Warden’s prospects, describing him as “a great mix of his sire Street Boss and his dam sire Exceed And Excel.”

“Both stallions are big, strong horses and he has their strength,” he said, noting that the colt has impressed from day one.

“He is an impressive individual with plenty of presence and quality about him and he has always been that way.”

The Street Boss/Exceed And Excel cross has certainly worked well, 31 of the 42 runners being winners with Traffic Warden one of the five stakes winners. He vies to become the second Group 1 winner bred this way with the G1 Winterbottom S. winner Elite Street the first.

Good families are the key to success

Good families have been key to the Godolphin success around the world, Pulford noting that “we are lucky in that we can race all the horses we breed so we can pick and choose, we can keep the better members of the best families and cull the slower ones.”

“That way we can nurture those families, give them every chance to keep them going, to keep them improving.”

“And we are lucky to have a few of those sort of families,” he said, pointing out the Camarena (Danehill {USA}) clan as another success story; Darley currently home to one of its best members in Bivouac.

It is hard, he said, to put a finger on exactly why some families excel over others.

“It certainly isn’t random when you see a mare like Dextrous do such a great job regardless of which stallion she went to.”

“She was a very good race mare for Woodlands and she was by Quest For Fame who was a high class stallion.”

“It is just strong genetics and when you get a great mare you have to treasure her and her daughters.”

Pulford recalled a conversation with an enthusiastic student of pedigrees years ago.

“He said he didn’t care how many generations back it was, but if there was class in the family it would come through. And Emancipation was certainly all class.”

“I think that is an important element in any pedigree.”

Aside from Efficiently and Willowy, Darley have Dextrous’s daughters Flexible (Hallowed Crown), Deft (Exceed And Excel) and Serendipitious (Sepoy) at stud.

The stakes-placed Sandown winner Flexible is the youngest of those, the 7-year-old served last spring by Willowy’s sire Kermadec with her first foal being a filly by him.

Twice successful at Canterbury, the 10-year-old Deft foaled an Anamoe filly a couple of weeks ago and a Palace Pier (GB) colt last spring. Her first three foals are all fillies by Lonhro; Juggle a now retired winner whilst her 3-year-old Chiffonade and 2-year-old Proficient are both in the Cummings stable.

A Moe maiden winner, the 11-year-old Serendipitious missed last spring after foaling a filly by Microphone. Her 3-year-old is called Sitar (Epaulette) and her 2-year-old Chance (Frosted {USA}).

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

It’s early days with the 2023 $1 million yearlings, having only stepped into the spring of their 3-year-old season. There were 48 horses who sold for more than $1 million across Australia and New Zealand in 2023 (horses born 2021) with four of those making more than $2 million.

Superluminal (I Am Invincible) was bought for $2.7 million by Tom Magnier and the colt won at his second raceday start recently over 1400 metres. He is the first foal of Group 2 winner Anaheed (Fastnet Rock).

Clean Energy (Zoustar), the full sister to Group 1 winner Sunlight, was purchased by Yulong for $2.6 million. She is unbeaten in two starts at two, including the Listed Bill Carter S.

Railway Man (I Am Invincible) is the first foal of Group 1 winner Booker (Written Tycoon) and was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $2.5 million. While she won at two, she was a Group winner at three, and a Group 1 winner at four. He is placed from three starts at two, and it would be expected that he’d improve at three given his pedigree.

Invincible Claire (I Am Invincible) was purchased by Tammy Rigney for $2 million and is currently unraced.

Spend a lot, get an early idea of class

Of those 48 yearlings who sold for seven figures, 26 raced at two (54 per cent) with 13 of them being winners at that age. Compared to the whole population, this is far exceeding the expectations with 12,841 foals born in 2021 and of those, 2364 (18 per cent) raced in 2023/24 as 2-year-olds.

Of the horses who raced at two in 2023/24, there were 519 winners of 649 races (50 at black type level).

The data shows why buyers spend so much on these horses, because the commercial aim is to win at two and train on to become a Group 1 winner who can return to stud, and these horses are statistically far more likely to do that than the rest of the population.

Across the 2021 born foals, there were 50 stakes-winning juveniles among the 2364 runners (2 per cent), while of the million-dollar horses, there were 3 stakes winners from 26 runners (12 per cent).

When racing is a percentage game, spending more does increase your chances.

Opportunities for Darby Racing with Imperial Force

Imperial Force (Snitzel) was purchased by Coolmore Australia for $1.6 million from Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Sold on Wednesday at the Inglis Digital September (Late) Sale for $285,000, he was bought by Darby Racing, who have enjoyed success in the past with Caballus (I Am Invincible).

Caballus, a $1 million yearling purchase by Tom Magnier at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from Bhima Thoroughbreds, was purchased by Darby Racing in 2023 for $315,000 and won a Group 3 race for Darby Racing post purchase.

“We’ve had plenty of experience buying off the bigger organisations, both locally and overseas. They are looking for the absolute elite colt, and they are happy to let them go if they think they aren’t going to be Group 1 horses.

“There are plenty of levels of racing below that, and while horses (like Imperial Force) are still not cheap, they offer opportunities for our owners. Caballus exceeded our expectations, which was to compete in Saturday grade,” said Scott Darby.

“Imperial Force has a terrific pedigree and is only lightly raced. There’s plenty to come ahead for him and changing systems might help too. He’s already won a 2-year-old race Canterbury and his previous connections tried him at Group level last start. We had a horse in that race who he beat and we have a really good opinion of that horse. It’s a great option for our owners with plenty of upside for our horse.”

Imperial Force, trained by Chris Waller, was second on debut, then won at Canterbury at his second start as an April 2-year-old. He had one more start at two, then resumed at Gosford as a 3-year-old in August, running fifth first-up. In his most recent start, he ran eighth of 13 in the G3 Ming Dynasty H., won by stablemate Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) with Darby Racing’s Last Command (Tassort) also in the field.

“Look at Caballus, you can get lucky too. He’s a Group 3-level horse who might compete up to Group 1. He’s improved with time and in different scenery. It’s all a punt.”

Thanks to Caballus (I Am Invincible), who had a very similar race record to Imperial Force as juvenile, placed on debut and then winning at his second start, Darby Racing are a big fan of the digital sales platforms.

“It’s a lot more open and easier to source horses. Before that we would buy privately and had to do more homework. We can also get good purchasing terms with the sales companies.

“A lot of these horses we are buying now would’ve been done privately before. Being online opens it up for more people and there is more transparency with videos and vet reports. You still have to do your homework as there are never any guarantees, but this takes a lot of the risk out.

“We are big buyers of yearlings, but tried horses with proven form are good options with less wait time for owners too.”

It's a percentage game

It’s an open secret that many of the buyers of million-dollar horses are playing a percentage game. It only takes one good colt in 20 buys for the whole exercise to pay off. For Coolmore, the seller of Imperial Force, they have exciting colt Switzerland (Snitzel) from their 2023 purchases. Already a Group-winning juvenile, he doesn’t need to improve by much to become the next hottest horse in the market and he’s trained by Chris Waller who has five G1 Coolmore Stud S. winners on his resume, including Home Affairs and Shinzo for a similar ownership group.

Buyers at this level understand that not all these horses will make it (and ‘making it’ is different for each owner with different goals). This means some of these horses are on-sold when they don’t meet the lofty expectations they carry.

Australia has 74 Group 1 races (among 19,236 races run last year), and some of those Group 1 races are not races that the big money stallion prospects would want on their resume, so winning – not just a Group 1 but the right Group 1 – is a risky business.

Who gets to train these horses?

For the buyers of a million-dollar yearling, the next biggest decision is who should they entrust their expensive horse to for training.

“Firstly, we are fortunate to be gifted these beautiful horses with deep pedigrees to train. A lot of them have come through the colt syndicates who have been big supporters of the stable since Peter left Darley, based on the success he had there, with Sepoy etc,” said Peter Snowden’s racing manager Colum McCullagh.

Since leaving Darley, Peter Snowden has trained Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, dual Group 1 winners Russian Revolution and King’s Legacy, Wild Ruler, Pride Of Dubai, Invader and Shooting To Win.

“His work there (at Darley) has warranted him getting these regally bred colts to train, and now thanks to his more recent successes, he is getting fillies with breeders and heavy hitting investors and the likes. There are only so many of these top-priced yearlings to go around each year, and Peter feels extremely grateful to be supported with such horses.

And of the 2023 cohort, Snowden has, in yearling price order, Invincible Claire (I Am Invincible), Bodyguard (I Am Invincible), Media World (Written Tycoon), Everybody Rise (Snitzel), Braveheart (I Am Invincible), I Found You (I Am Invincible), Sakima (Snitzel), Invincible Madison (I Am Invincible), Manos (Snitzel), and High Octane (Deep Field).

“Bodyguard was an outstanding yearling,” added McCullagh. “Honestly he’s the best looking horse we’ve had. If you could paint a picture perfect racehorse it’d be him. He’s in the Heritage on Saturday provided the rain goes away, otherwise the Danehill in Melbourne next week is an option.”

Winner on debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S., he came back in the autumn to win the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g) before running fourth in the G2 Todman S. Yet to run at three, he was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock for $1.6 million.

“Sakima had a great preparation. It was good to get that 2-year-old win on the board (in July). Third in the Atlantic Jewel two starts ago and with more luck in running she could’ve won, then was fourth (in Listed Jim Maloney S.) stuck deep. It would’ve been nice to get a better run in transit, and was a tough run stepping up to the 7 furlongs. We’ve always said she’ll be best in autumn and she’s gone for a break now.”

The stakes-placed winner, Sakima, was purchased by Snowden Racing, William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) and Trilogy for $1.25 million.

“Media World ran very well in the Ming Dynasty, and he didn’t get much luck the start before in the Up And Coming. Looking at him, he’s a first foal so he will get better when he furnishes. We have some bigger fish for him later in spring.”

Fifth on debut in the Listed Merson Cooper S., Media World was a winner at two and was fifth in both his runs this time at three. Yulong purchased him for $1.4 million.

“High Octane runs in the Heritage. He didn’t really get through conditions in Melbourne two weeks ago, so we are mindful that with the rain, we might not be running him. If not, he will follow same path as Bodyguard through the Danehill or Roman Consul into the Coolmore.”

High Octane won the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (c&g) on debut, rewarding his purchaser China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy, with an instant result on their $1.05 million investment. After two more starts at two, he resumed at three with a third in the Listed Rosebud before heading to Melbourne for the Listed Poseidon S. where he ran fourth.

“I Found You is a really nice filly. It’s a pedigree that we’ve had a bit to do with, regally bred, huge price-tag, and will get to stakes class in the future.” I Found You, a $1.3 million purchase by China Horse Club, won on debut as a June 2-year-old and was second in her only other start since then.

“It’s still early for these 3-year-olds with plenty still to come for these horses.”