Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Glenbeigh Farm’s draft of six at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from January 7-13 is set to attract plenty of attention after they sold Gallo Nero (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for $370,000 to Hawkes Racing as Lot 523 at last year’s sale.
Gallo Nero’s 0.4l victory in the $160,000 Petaluma H. at Randwick on Saturday was the second for his sire, Wootton Bassett (GB), in Australia, after Pallaton saluted on debut in Sydney on December 21.
Wootton Bassett sired four Group 1-winning juveniles in the Northern Hemisphere in 2024, and he now has a R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender from his first Southern Hemisphere crop.
“He’ll be a champion stallion in years to come in Europe, because (Champion Irish Trainer) Aidan O’Brien has heaps by him,” Griffin told The Thoroughbred Report.
“Coolmore have also supported him heavily with good Galileo mares.”
Wootton Bassett currently stands at Coolmore Australia for a stud fee of $192,500 (inc GST).
Denis Griffin | Images courtesy of Inglis
Griffin was instantly impressed with Gallo Nero’s attitude on farm, adding the way he relaxed before displaying an impressive turn of foot on the rail inside the final furlong over 1100 metres did not come as a huge surprise on Saturday.
“He was a beautiful, kind, laidback horse. A good mover and a happy horse,” Griffin said.
“He was no problem. You could take him anywhere.
“I think he’ll actually be a better 3-year-old. He was quite a big horse, so whatever he’s showing now is just ability.”
“I think he’ll (Gallo Nero) actually be a better 3-year-old. He was quite a big horse, so whatever he’s showing now is just ability.” - Denis Griffin
Gallo Nero is now second in the line of betting at $6 to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, in what will be his second start for Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, on January 11.
“If he goes there, he’ll be (competitive). John Hawkes is a brilliant trainer,” Griffin said.
“He wouldn’t send him if he didn’t think he was a big chance. So, fingers crossed.”
Bred by Kambula Stud and Shane Doyle, Gallo Nero was the first foal of Chianti, a metropolitan-winning daughter of I Am Invincible from the South African Group 3 winner Sweet Sanette (SAf) (Jallad {USA}).
Chianti when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She (Chianti) is a lovely I Am Invincible mare; she’s a beautiful mare,” Griffin said.
“And she has an Anamoe filly foal which will probably be coming here next year.
“She’s really nice as well. She was the first foal by Anamoe.
“He (Gallo Nero) was bred by Kambula Stud. They send up horses for us to prepare for the sales, and we sell for them.”
Gallery: Chianti with her Anamoe filly foal, images courtesy of Kambula Stud
Quality over quantity for Glenbeigh Farm at the Magic Millions Sales
Despite having to reduce his 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft down to six from 11, Griffin is delighted with the quality he has among that number.
“We’ll have five for Book 1, and one for Book 2,” he said.
“There were just a few little injuries, so there was no point bringing them if they’re not right.
“We’re pretty excited. It’s always a good time of the year. The first sale is always exciting.”
Griffin highlighted Lot 267 and Lot 291 as standout offerings likely to draw significant interest from buyers. Lot 267 is a colt by Trapeze Artist out of the juvenile winner in Great Britain Chrisellaine (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Meanwhile, Lot 291 is a filly by The Autumn Sun out of Courtesan (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a half-sister to two-time Group 1-winning stallion Monaco Consul (NZ).
Gallery: Two of Glenbeigh Farm's yearlings on offer at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
“Our Trapeze Artist colt is a lovely strong, mature 2-year-old,” Griffin said.
“He looks ready to race. He’s good-looking with a lot of presence about him. He’s a very nice horse.
“He (Lot 267) looks ready to race. He’s good-looking with a lot of presence about him. He’s a very nice horse.” - Denis Griffin
“(I like) the filly by The Autumn Sun out of Courtesan. The Autumn Sun has really nice fillies – they’ve been winning Oaks and staying races.
“She looks like a real Oaks/Guineas filly. She looks like she’s bred for it.”
Griffin added he was also excited about Lot 767, a filly by Pinatubo (Ire) from the winning High Chapparal (Ire) mare Pattini, who is a half-sister to Woodside Park Stud stallion Vancouver.
Lot 767 - Pinatubo (Ire) x Pattini (filly) | Images courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’ve got a really well-bred Pinatubo filly. Her mum is a half-sister to Vancouver,” he said.
“Vancouver won the Golden Slipper for Gai Waterhouse a couple of years ago, so that’s a good pedigree one.”
Farm goes from strength to strength in short period of time
Griffin only took the keys to Glenbeigh Farm with business and life partner Kerry Stephens in early 2022.
The property had formerly been run by Colleen Buchanan for 20-odd years under the Sefton Park Thoroughbreds banner. Stephens and Griffin renamed the property Glenbeigh Farm in a nod to Griffin’s hometown of Glenbeigh, in the Iveragh Peninsula in Ireland’s County Kerry.
Denis Griffin and Kerry Stephens
Stephens and Griffin received an early morale and financial boost when Skipjack (Rubick) was bought for $200,000 by Dalziel Bloodstock/Moody Racing from Glenbeigh Farm as Lot 674 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Glenbeigh Farm purchased the now 3-year-old gelding – with one win from four starts – for just $26,000 from Noorilim Park at the 2022 Inglis Great Southern Sale.
“Definitely (that sale was good for our brand). He was a pinhook as well. We only paid $26,000 for him as a foal,” Griffin said. “So it was a real good touch.”
Skipjack as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Upon their purchase of Glenbeigh Farm, Griffin and Stephens immediately went about upgrading it to their liking.
Among their work, they re-seeded 70 per cent of the farm, installed a 100,000-litre water tank, and put in a vet crush and horse walker.
“We’re just trying to do everything by the book. You have to keep everything right,” Griffin said. “I suppose you need good clients, that’s the first thing. And the rest follows.”
Griffin said Glenbeigh Farm held high hopes for strong financial returns from their draft of six at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
“I think we should go okay. It’s hard to know until they start parading whether people will like them or not,” he said.
“You might think you have a lovely horse, but a lot of people won’t like it. I guess that’s their personal opinion, isn’t it?
“You might have a good year this year and a bad year next year. That’s just the way it is.”
“You might have a good year this year and a bad year next year. That’s just the way it is.” - Denis Griffin
