Pedigree Boosters: Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

The catalogue for the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale was released on November 12, 2024. Since then, a host of yearlings that will go through the ring at Bundall have had their pedigrees enhanced, which is important information for vendors and buyers alike.

Lot 668 - Home Affairs x Miss Iano (Equiano {Fr}), colt - on account of Lime Country Thoroughbreds

A highlight lot from the first crop of dual Group 1 winner Home Affairs is this half-brother to talented G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon), who added to Yulong’s long list of Flemington carnival victories with his win on Melbourne Cup Day.

Despite not being seen publicly since his last start fourth in the Listed Merson Cooper S. in late November, Tycoon Star appears high in the ballot order for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic next weekend. He was a $400,000 purchase for Lindsay Park Racing at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year, with Yulong rejoining his ownership post-sale, after having acquired him as a weanling for $350,000 from Milburn Creek.

Esteemed judge James Bester Bloodstock paid $280,000 for this lot as a weanling from Pepper Tree Farm’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. Yulong may be keen to add this relation to their roster, seeing as the Panthalassa Syndicate purchased his dam Miss Iano (Equiano {Fr}) for $310,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, in foal to Written Tycoon. She has since produced a full brother to Tycoon Star.

Lot 755 - I Am Invincible x Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom), colt - on account of Yarraman Park Stud

There were emotional scenes at the Gold Coast this time last year when Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible) was knocked down for $1.2 million to Tony Gollan and Jennifer Acton, widow of Outback Barbie’s (Spirit Of Boom) late owner Alan Acton. Gollan prepared Outback Barbie to four Listed wins and victory in the $1 million Magic Millions QTIS Open H., and the fairytale continued when Hi Barbie debuted in late November.

After decimating a Doomben trial by 7.25l, Hi Barbie overcame a Heavy 10 track to take out the Listed Phelan Ready S. by 0.95l at her first start. She holds a nomination for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic next weekend, pending vet clearance after she pulled up in the G3 BJ McLachlan S. last month with a cardiac arrhythmia.

I Am Invincible needs no introduction as a sire, and the match with Outback Barbie has already proven fruitful, so this colt will no doubt be popular for parades leading up to sale day. Outback Barbie unfortunately lost her Snitzel filly this spring, but she returned to I Am Invincible in November.

Lot 790 - Victor Ludorum (GB) x Pleiades (Redoute’s Choice), filly - on account of Emirates Park

It’s rare that a descendant of such a prolific Godolphin family is available as a yearling, and this filly packs a powerful pedigree already, being closely related to G1 Thousand Guineas winner Flit (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and Champion 2YO Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}). The family also features dual Group 1 winner Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), but the black-type update comes a lot closer to home.

Half-brother Pisces (Frosted {USA}) was already stakes-placed, having finished second to Bittercreek (Snitzel) in the G3 Red Anchor S. in October. He upgraded that result in his next start, just after the catalogue went to print, with a 2.5l victory in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. at Caulfield. James Cummings had a high opinion of the 3-year-old gelding and has mile targets in mind for the autumn.

An unbeaten Group 1 winner as a 2-year-old who trained on to win a Guineas as a 3-year-old and still be competitive as a 4-year-old, Victor Ludorum (GB) has six offspring from his first crop available on the Gold Coast. He provides access to a fresh strain of Shamardal (USA), which has recently seen success with Darley barnmate Blue Point (Ire), whose first Southern Hemisphere stakes winner Icarian Dream claimed the G3 BJ McLachlan S. last month. Shamardal has proven very successful with mares from the Danehill (USA)-line, producing the likes of Private Eye (Al Maher), Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}).