Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

On the countdown to the biggest Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in history, the Bundall complex was unsurprisingly a hive of activity on Monday as both buyers and vendors completed their preparations for the seven-day extravaganza.

“This is the most exciting week for any horse lover in the world. We’ve got the sales, the races, the polo, the showjumping, and horses on the beach. It all happens here,” said Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch.

“Year on year, the sale has built upon itself. Vendors continue to bring their best early maturing yearlings who are ready for this sale. There’s so much quality on the ground this year, and the results (of the sale) give a lot of confidence in the produce to buyers. It’s a happy hunting ground for buyers. This is where you buy a Golden Slipper winner, or a Winx, or even a Melbourne Cup winner. Buyers know they are likely to get success from here.”

Winx (Street Cry {Ire) with 25 Group 1 wins, Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) with 10 Group 1 wins, Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) with 10 Group 1 wins, and Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) with seven Group 1 wins headline the incredible collection of Group 1-winning graduates from this sale.

Successful and emerging stallions Snitzel, Pierro, Savabeel, Written Tycoon, Pierata, Stay Inside, Farnan, Zoustar and Capitalist were all sold at this sale.

Gallery: Some of the high-class multiple Group 1-winning graduates from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

The importance of setting a tone

“This sale is so important for the whole year as the first sale of the yearling season. It is the economic barometer for the year, and we know how important it is to get the sale running well because it sets the tone for the rest of the sales calendar," said Bowditch.

Table: Key statistics from the past decade of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

The highest median price in the last 10 years was set in 2022 at $180,000 across 1013 horses sold, while last year’s sale had a bigger catalogue with 1132 horses sold at a median of $150,000.

Over the past 10 years, the average has climbed from $134,000 in 2015 to a peak of $240,000 in 2023, dropping slightly to $212,000 in 2024.

Economic factors might play a part in 2025

The latest Reserve Bank economic outlook in November 2024 stated, “The outlook remains highly uncertain. A slower than expected pick-up in household consumption could result in continued subdued output growth, a sharper deterioration in the labour market and a swifter return of inflation to target. Ongoing tightness in the labour market and weak productivity growth present upside risks to inflation.”

Will the economic conditions have an impact on the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale?

“This is the best catalogue we’ve put together and it’s a perfect storm for buyers at all levels of the market with so many horses in each budget range. Vendors understand the economy and are willing to meet the market. We are hopeful that buyers will keep their list long and do a lot of due diligence before the sale tomorrow, so they will be ready to take opportunities when they present themselves during the sale,” said Bowditch.

There's an old saying, 'The problem with opportunity is that it wears overalls and looks like work,' and for those buyers who do the work, this might be the year that they find a hidden gem.

And are the buyers doing the work?

“So far inspections across the sale ground are slightly down, but the feedback on the horses is very complimentary. The good horses (at the top end) are getting as many parades as previous years and there seems to be an insatiable thirst for quality with buyers at that end of the market. But the middle and lower-level horses are getting less inspection, so that’s where I see strong opportunities presenting themselves for buyers who do their homework.”

Exciting and new; the first-season sires

Every year, the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale is the first time buyers get to look at the best yearlings from the first crop of the latest collection of stallions.

“Home Affairs is at the top of the group with more yearlings (catalogued) than any others. There’s plenty of quality among the first-season sires this year. Stay Inside, a Magic Millions graduate and Golden Slipper winner, has great-moving horses who should sell well.

“Then there are others like the great international racehorses such as St Mark’s Basilica, Pinatubo and Palace Pier. It’s a fantastic year for first-season sires, and buyers will gain a lot of confidence from the great start last year’s crop have had. Australia’s young stallions are going really well,” said Bowditch.

“Some of the best international sires have huge numbers here, like Wootton Bassett and Too Darn Hot, and of course there are our homegrown stars like I Am Invincible and Snitzel. The sale is a huge melting pot of the best stallions, and creates such an opportunity for buyers.”

The very top of the market

Last year, the Gold Coast sale saw 23 seven-figure lots. What about this year? “Last year, I guessed 12,” laughed Bowditch who refused to make a prediction for 2025.

“The catalogue has some of the best yearling fillies you’ll ever see to go to market. There are fillies out of Avatange, Away Game, Sunlight, Eloping, simply the best in the world. Well-bred fillies out of great mares, creating salivating prospects for any racehorse breeders out there.

“And the depth in colt market is huge too with plenty by those strong sires and great types who will garner plenty of confidence. Each could be the horse who is someone’s next blue-chip investment.”

Table: The top lots over the last decade at the Magic Milions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

A Group 1 winner from 10 horses, and a R. Listed Magic Millions placegetter to boot, far exceeds the general population in terms of statistical performance. Every single horse on this list who has raced is a winner. These horses represent huge risk and getting a stallion who is standing at stud makes the entire list worth the risk.

Coolmore’s love affair with the Gold Coast

In 2024, Coolmore Stud sold the sale-topper, a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly who made $2.1 million to the bid of Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis and is the first foal of Te Akau’s amazing nine-time Group 1-winning mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) who was NZ Champion 2YO in 2017/18 and trained on to win 16 races and over NZ$2 million. She’s a half-sister to Listed winner Asathought (So You Think {NZ}), out of Listed winner Asavant (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Now named Avantaggia, the sale-topper is currently unraced. Avantage’s second foal is Lot 182, an I Am Invincible filly.

“It’s one of Australia’s premier sales and when you look at the list of graduates out of the sale, there’s consistently a high number of Group 1 winners. The quality of the catalogue keeps going from strength to strength, and this year’s catalogue is one of the best I’ve seen,” said Coolmore Stud’s Tom Moore.

“All the buyers are here, trainers, syndicators, bloodstock agents, we’ve seen everyone. You’d expect the sale is going to be incredibly strong. The demand for quality stock globally continues to get stronger and stronger and this sale has a proven record.”

Coolmore's Home Affair with selling here

Coolmore Stud, who sold the 2024 R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) at the 2023 Gold Coast sale, will offer a draft of 51 yearlings in 2025.

“From our perspective, we are bringing some of our best credentialled yearlings out of high-class mares to this sale. We love selling here as well as buying here and we’ve had great results doing both (at the Magic Millions Gold Coast). This year will be no different to any other with the amount of quality stock on offer.”

Among the Group 1-winning mares with yearlings in the Coolmore draft are the aforementioned Avantage filly, while Home Affairs filly Lot 1007 is the third foal of triple Group 1 winner and $6.5 million earner Sunlight (Zoustar) whose first foal is Listed winner Dawn Service (Justify {USA}) who sold for $1.4 million at this sale in 2023. Snitzel filly, Lot 441, is out of Group 1 winner Global Glamour (Star Witness) whose first two foals are winners, while Lot 574 is a Wootton Bassett colt out of G1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner La Bella Diosa (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}).

A further trio of Home Affairs yearlings out of Group 1-winning mares are Lot 225 a colt who is the third foal of G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Booker (Written Tycoon), Lot 681 a filly from G1 Flight S. winner Montoya’s Secret (High Chaparral {Ire}), and Lot 893 a colt from Group 1 winner Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock) making him a half-brother to Group 1 winner Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Gallery: Some of Home Affairs' yearlings on offer out of Group 1-winning mares, images courtesy of Magic Millions

“We’ve been looking forward to offering the first crop of Home Affairs yearlings to the market for a long time. He is a stallion that we are incredibly excited about, and one that we have shown great faith in from the very start. This is no more evident than this week as we offer progeny out of mares like Sunlight, Champagne Cuddles, Montoya’s Secret, Sea Siren, Jazz Song and so on,” said Moore.

Economic conditions might impact

James Harron’s colt partnership bought seven horses in 2024 for just over $6 million and was the fifth leading buyer at the sale and has purchased horses such as G1 Golden Slipper winner and now successful sire Capitalist, and dual Group 1 winner and young sire King’s Legacy at this sale.

“We’ve seen a strong number of horses here, there really is something for everybody. Over the period of last week, we’ve seen the number of people inspecting continue to increase through the week and it’s become quite busy, which one would think is a positive sign. One always tends to look globally when making some assumptions on our own market, and the markets held up well, whether it be Ireland, America or France, which should give some confidence, albeit, I think it’ll be a bit more selective this year.

“The sale should hold quite well, but potentially it’ll be more selective than recent years, given the economy. There’s no question that will play some sort of part in terms of the depth of buyers, and it’s a large catalogue too. It’s a matter of working through a slightly different economic picture than we’ve had recently. We’ll learn a lot over the next week, and people will have to ebb and flow, both vendors and buyers.

“The positive signs are that bloodstock has held well internationally and there’s good foot traffic around the sale complex yesterday. We were queuing up for horses yesterday, so there are plenty of people in town and out looking at horses.”

In 2023, Harron’s colt partnership bought four colts at the Gold Coast, and all have black type being G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Bodyguard (I Am Invincible), Group 3 winner Espionage (Zoustar), Listed winner Highness (Snitzel), and Group 3-placed Customized (Capitalist).

“The important things to remember is that prizemoney is increasing, and the quality of racing is outstanding. The demand from on-sale markets is also strong, whatever area you are playing in. We are dealing with a real asset class now, and it needs to be approached as such.”

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 504 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x In Her Honour (Arg) (Exchange Rate {USA}), colt - on account of Newgate Farm

This colt is already an exotic offering, hailing from a strong Argentinian family and being sired by rising star Wootton Bassett (GB), who had a record-breaking Northern Hemisphere season in 2024 with his first crop of foals born from his relocation to Coolmore. He collected four individual juvenile Group 1 winners in the space of a few months to bring his lifetime total to 13 Group 1 winners, highlighted by his son Henri Matisse (Ire) steamrolling the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Juvenile just after this catalogue went to print.

Intense For Me (Arg) (Fortify {USA}), half-brother to this colt’s dam, added a timely Group 1 win to the bottom half of the pedigree with victory in the G1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini, the pinnacle of Argentinian racing, last month. The 4-year-old colt has demonstrated exceptional versatility as he ages, collecting eight wins - four at Group level - from 1400 metres to 2400 metres.

Wootton Bassett has already started to make a mark with his first Australian juveniles, led by winning sons Pallaton and Gallo Nero, and as of yet untried $1.6 million colt Wodeton, whose recent trial announced him as a serious contender for the 2-year-old Triple Crown. This colt is a representative of his sire’s second crop at a $71,500 (inc GST) service fee, and that is likely to be the last time he would be available at such a low price, given his fee more than doubled this spring to $192,500 (inc GST)!

Lot 806 - Lonhro x Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible), colt - on account of Bell River Thoroughbreds

Another exciting offering is this colt, from the last crop of Darley’s beloved Lonhro, who still provides exceptional quality as a sire. He received a big bump to his pedigree at the end of November, when his dam’s three-quarter-sister Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) stormed home in the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield. Only attaining a stakes placing at her previous start, Another Prophet made a remarkable rise through the grades, seeing as her only previous win had been breaking her maiden at Sale as an autumn 2-year-old.

Bell River Thoroughbreds generally retain members of this family, racing Another Prophet and her G3 Dark Jewel Classic-winning half-sister More Prophets (Smart Missile) in their blue and checkered colours. Dam Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible) also took out the G2 Rubiton S. in their silks. Her unraced daughter Prophet's Lass (Farnan) has been retained to race after passing in at the Gold Coast last year, and has headed to the stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy.

More Prophets delivered her first foal, a colt by Home Affairs, this past spring and subsequently visited Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan, who already has the makings of a quality stallion. Prophet’s Thumb also visited Farnan, having produced a filly by Darley’s exciting young sire Anamoe.

Lot 424 - Zoustar x Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom), colt - on account of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm

There’s no such thing as too many stakes performers, but this colt’s page is already bursting at the seams with black type before close relation Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) decided to expand her section again.

This colt’s dam was no slouch herself, winning the G3 Champion Fillies S. and foaling this colt’s full brother and $1 million yearling Brereton, who won the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at his second start and picked up back-to-back wins in the spring for new trainer Tony Gollan. Fuddle Dee Duddle’s (Red Ransom) half-sister Bella Orfana (Star Witness) is the dam of G1 The Everest heroine Bella Nipotina, who added a third in the G1 Champions Sprint and a gritty win in the $3 million Russell Balding S. after this catalogue went to print.

Bella Nipotina was a $80,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale acquisition for Lindsay Park Racing, Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA), and Mt Hallowell Stud, and has gone on to amass more than $20 million in prizemoney (including bonuses). Closer to home, this colt’s full brother Space Rider was a $500,000 purchase for Mick Price Racing and Breeding, TFI, and Dermot Farrington Bloodstock at last year’s edition of the sale and won his first start in late December by 3.2l at Eagle Farm. He has been entered in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic next weekend. Bella Orfana has a yearling filly by Trapeze Artist who is yet to appear in a sales catalogue.

Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos

The Ciaron Maher-trained Cherish Me (Brazen Beau) made a bold statement on debut, charging home from near last to thrash a strong field in the $150,000 Geelong Diamond (1100 metres) on Saturday and in the process booked herself a spot in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

A $280,000 Magic Millions purchase by Louis Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Segenhoe Stud, Cherish Me put the writing on the wall after an excellent Cranbourne jump-out over 800 metres when let balance up early before finding the line to win under minimal pressure. It was almost a case of déjà vu on race day as Thomas Stockdale let the filly find her feet early, settling well back, before sweeping down the outside for an eye-catching 2l victory.

“She trialled similarly to how she raced just then; she sat off and she's got a really smooth, long action and can build and go through her gears,” stable representative Jack Turnbull said post-race.

“So well found by Louis Le Metayer, Astute Bloodstock, similar group to A Little Deep and it looks like we've got another smart filly."

French bloodstock agent Louis Le Metayer has a proven track record for finding top-class horses, both tried and from the yearling sales, most notably sourcing Group 1 The Galaxy winner Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}) and G1 Australian Cup winner Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}).

Gallery: Some of the top-class horses sourced by Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Astute Bloodstock has also had a fruitful partnership with Ciaron Maher over the years, combining for winners such as G2 Furious S. winner Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) and recent Listed Chautauqua S. winner A Little Deep (Deep Field). Le Metayer is hopeful that Cherish Me will be the next stakes success for the combination and astonished at the filly’s natural precocity.

“It’s a dream result to start with,” Le Metayer said. “Credit to the whole Ciaron Maher team, we’re delighted. We hope she is a very good filly. It was a great way to win.

“We never really put our horses under much pressure when they are young, and we generally tend to ignore the early races, but she just did it under her own steam. She just wanted to do it, so we just kept going.

“She obviously has the natural talent and the natural precocity, but she is a big strong girl so, we think she is only going to improve.

“We have never seen her lengthen like that at trackwork or in any of her gallops because we have never really pushed her, she just did it naturally which is lovely to see.”

Le Metayer shared that the filly came through the run unscathed and would now have one more start before having her third and final run this preparation in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield in mid-February.

“She is going to go to the Blue Diamond at her third start,” Le Metayer said.

“We are just thinking about what is going to be her next start. It may be the Blue Diamond Prelude or the Chairmans. Ciaron was saying he may try to plot the same path as Loving Gaby through the Chairman's Stakes but nothing is set in stone.

“So, she will only have three starts this prep. She will go out after the Blue Diamond.

“She looks like a stakes filly, for sure. She needs to step up and be very competitive at her next start to warrant going to the Blue Diamond but the good thing is we have time on our side, the Blue Diamond isn’t until February 22nd.”

All the ingredients for greatness

Cherish Me was a standout filly at the Magic Millions last year according to Le Metayer, who felt the filly ticked all the boxes.

“We bought her here at the Magic Millions from the Segenhoe draft and she was our favourite filly,” he said.

“She has a phenomenal physique, she’s by a proper sire – a champion sprinter and she has proper female family so, all the ingredients were there. Luckily for us when we bought her, the stallion probably wasn’t the flavour of the month, and we were able to buy her without breaking the bank.

“It was also the farm she came from. We’ve had a bit of lucky buying from Segenhoe. We’ve bought shares in Tiz Invincible who came from Segenhoe and then obviously Amelia’s Jewel was born at Segenhoe. We’ve had a bit of luck from that farm and actually both the fillies we bought last year were from there.”

Cherish Me is the fifth winner from metro-winning mare Hold Me Closer (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), making her a half-sister to G3 Caulfield Classic winner Thought Of That (So You Think {NZ}), whom Maher also trained, and G2 Bill Stutt S.-placed Daily Bugle (Press Statement).

Hold Me Closer is a half-sister to Listed winner and G1 Golden Slipper-placed How Funny (Rory's Jester), dam of Listed winner Jester's Girl (Commands), dam of Listed winner Assimilate (Sebring). She was bought by Chris and Jane Barham off Tarcoola Stud when in foal to Darley stallion Brazen Beau, topping the Inglis Digital Late June Online Sale in 2022; the resulting foal being Cherish Me. The Barham’s are most notably the breeders of G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner and sire Merchant Navy.

Hold Me Closer was then reoffered for sale in foal to So You Think (NZ) at the 2023 Inglis Chairmans Sale but failed to meet her reserve of $260,000.

She now has a yearling full brother to Thought Of That and is in foal to Newgate’s King’s Gambit after missing the previous season.

Interestingly, both stakes-performed half-brothers have been best-performed over further than a mile, however Le Metayer believes the 2-year-old filly may be best served at sprint trips given her electric turn of foot.

“She is built like a sprinter, and she may get to 1400 metres but I doubt she will get further than a mile,” Le Metayer said.

“Her half-brothers were a different shape and different style as well.”

A perfectly timed update

The impressive victory has also provided a timely pedigree update for vendor Murrulla Stud at the upcoming Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Lot 1231 is a bay filly by King's Legacy out of Inspiring Woman (So You Think {NZ}), who is a half-sister to Cherish Me.

Murrulla will sell as agent for Andrew Baddock of Baddock Bloodstock. Baddock, the former long-time manager of Gooree Stud, who bred and reared the filly for a client, says he is very excited to be heading to the Gold Coast on back of Cherish Me’s stylish debut victory.

“The timing has been perfect,” Baddock said.

“The upgrade couldn’t be any better. Cherish Me looks a real live Blue Diamond hope and this filly is a lovely, big, forward type who should be very well-received.”

Fresh off finishing inspections for the day, Le Metayer is excited for the sales season to begin on the Gold Coast.

“We are going to try and buy 10 yearling fillies from Magics to Easter,” he said.

“We just want to stay focused on the fillies, which is what is working for us. We don’t have the big clientele for the colts, the top colts are very expensive. Hopefully we can get four good-quality fillies this week, that would be wonderful.

“We’re looking forward to the sale. I think the good horses are going to bring their money and there might be some opportunities in the middle market, there always is. They’re always expensive if they are no good but if they are good, it doesn’t really matter what you pay for them.”

The Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale kicks off Tuesday, January 7 from 10am local time with over 1400 yearlings to go under the hammer over six days.

Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Purton’s winning run continues

When Douglas Whyte retired from the saddle in February 2019 with a record 1813 Hong Kong wins and 13 Champion Jockey titles, almost no one thought the record would be in danger a scant six years later.

But for those paying attention, Zac Purton announced himself as a contender as early as 2013/14 when he knocked Whyte from his championship run. Purton then won his second title in 2017/18. Purton made it three in a row, winning in 2018/19 and 2019/20, then again in 2021/22 with his fifth title. Six and seven came in the next two seasons, and he’s on track for an eighth this season.

“Two wins is always a good result, but a couple of things didn’t quite go right in races – I had a few people taking me on, making it hard but that’s Hong Kong,” Purton told hkjc.com.

He has been riding in Hong Kong since September 2007. His double on Sunday was on Circuit Jolly (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Packing Angel (NZ) (Shocking).

Dubai World Cup carnival for Lor

Trainer Frankie Lor will contemplate a bold trip to Dubai with 6-year-old gelding Sword Point (American Pharoah {USA}) after he remained unbeaten on dirt on Sunday. “There is the 2000-metre Group 1 (Dubai World Cup) on April 5 and the 1600-metre Group 2 (Godolphin Mile on March 30) as well, both on the dirt, but I’ll have to speak to Derek (Leung) and see what he thinks,” Lor said.

Sword Point had to survive a steward’s enquiry after jockey Andrea Atzeni stated that Caspar Fownes-trained runner-up Capital Delight (Capitalist) clipped the winner’s heels at the top of the straight. “When the steward told me there was an objection, I didn’t know why, but I saw something happened at the turn when I watched it back. But we won by a good margin and I didn’t think (Capital Delight) would win.”

“I’m not sure yet (on which Dubai race) because I think 1600 metres might be a bit short for him. Sword Point likes the dirt so we will see if his rating is enough to go to Dubai. Maybe we need to race again to get more points.”

Sword Point has won six of his 32 starts, with two wins in Australia and third in the G2 Tulloch S. before arrival in Hong Kong. A $750,000 purchase by Chris Waller Racing and Guy Mulcaster Bloodstock from Coolmore Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he now has earnings over HK$15.1 million (AU$3.1 million).

Gallery: Images courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

He is a son of Group 3 winner Jazz Song (Fastnet Rock) whose Home Affairs filly is Lot 537 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Jazz Song is a daughter of Group 1 winner Absolut Glam (Snowland).

Packing Angel spruiked for Classic series

Jockey Zac Purton believes 4-year-old gelding Packing Angel (NZ) (Shocking) has what it takes for the Classic series including the prestigious Hong Kong Derby after his win over 1400 metres on Sunday at Sha Tin. He’s now won two in succession with five starts in total.

“He’s got a long way to go on ratings, but he’s a young horse on the way up. He’s improving all the time, and it was a pretty soft win in the end. There’s a bit more there,” Purton said.

Trainer Francis Lui was more circumspect. “I think he’ll get maybe six or seven points and be (rated) around 70, so maybe he won’t make the Classic Mile. But he could go to the other 4-year-old series races if he keeps progressing. He’s a nice horse. He’s young and keeps improving,” Lui said.

The Hong Kong Classic Mile is run at Sha Tin on January 31 and is followed by the Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 2, and the Hong Kong Derby on March 23.

Packing Angel was purchased by Bay Of Plenty Bloodstock as a weanling at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale from Westend Bloodstock for NZ$11,000 and was on-sold at the NZB National Yearling Sale by Cambria Park for NZ$160,000 to Tartan Meadow Bloodstock. A trial winner in New Zealand in January 2024, he was exported to Hong Kong where he’s done all his racing.

By Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, Packing Angel is one of four winners for Out Of The Barn (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret {GB}). The unraced Out Of The Barn is a half-sister to Listed winner Conspectus (Woodman {USA}) whose full sister Laetitia is the dam of Group 3 winner and G1 Golden Slipper-placed Stryker who went to stud, and of stakes-placed Seeking Attention (Exceed And Excel), the dam of Listed winner Buckinghamshire (Lonhro). Out Of The Barn’s final foal is an unraced 3-year-old full sister to Packing Angel named Out Of The Picture (NZ).

Chris So has a couple of 'good ones'

Hong Lok Golf (Grunt {NZ}) stayed unbeaten in winning at his second start on Sunday. “He's a good horse. He drew wide (gate nine) and I didn't think there was much pace in the race, so I was worried. But he showed he's a good horse. He was three-wide all the way. It was impressive. I expected him to run a good race, but I wasn't confident,” trainer Chris So said.

“Those horses (Hong Lok Golf and The Boom Box) when I bought them, I expected them to be good horses - especially this one. It seems like I've got a couple of good ones.”

Hong Lok Golf was bought by John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) for $60,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from Yulong, who stand Grunt (NZ). Hong Lok Golf is the third foal of unraced Sky Island (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who is a half-sister to dual Group 2 winner Maraahel (Ire) (Alzao {USA}) who ran third in the G1 Hong Kong Cup with five other Group 1 placings. Sky Island has an unraced 3-year-old filly by Alabama Express, an unraced 2-year-old filly by Alabama Express, and a yearling colt by Lucky Vega (Ire).

The Boom Box (Spirit Of Boom) won for So on New Year’s Day and is also unbeaten in two starts. Purchased by WBF Thoroughbreds Pinhook Partnership for $65,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, The Boom Box was passed in as a 2-year-old at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale. He is the second foal of Token Of Love (Al Maher) who won six races and placed in the G2 Matriarch S. She has missed the last two seasons.

G3 January Cup headlines Wednesday

Wednesday’s meeting at Happy Valley will feature the G3 January Cup over 1800 metres. A field of 12 has been assembled for the 2025 edition. Last year’s winner Happy Together (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}) is back for another attempt for trainer Frankie Lor who also has Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax (NZ}), who won the race in 2023, and Flamingo Trillion (Wandjina) in the field.

Tony Cruz also has three runners, and all are highly rated, being Five G Patch (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), La City Blanche (Arg) (Cityscape {GB}), and The Golden Scenery (Deep Field).

Cover image courtesy of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia

The launch of TBA Schools, an educational digital platform run by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia in collaboration with Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA), on Monday is a strong step towards a long-term approach to resolving some of the staff shortage issues facing racing and breeding.

“We wanted to provide a resource as an entry point for anyone wanting to learn more about racing, especially with the divide between city and rural people. TBA Schools allows students the opportunity to learn and find a pathway to a future career,” said TBA’s Madison Tims.

Resources based in research

“We did a lot of research around what was possible, and which were the best way to get into schools. We began with a survey in collaboration with PIEFA who already work with school promoting the agricultural industry.”

PIEFA provides an educational platform which works with schools to provide information about agribusinesses, starting with the basics of ‘where does your food come from’ and moving through virtual farm tours, and career pathways in different types of farming.

“PEIFA suggested that we do market research to find out what teachers wanted, and our survey was done with access to PEIFA’s extensive school database. We found that even teachers who didn’t support horse racing were keen to give their students a chance to learn about horses, racing, and job opportunities within the thoroughbred industry.

“Teachers are time poor, and so we have designed TBA Schools as something accessible that aligns with the Australian school curriculum. Teachers can take our resources and use them in mainstream subjects such as maths, English, arts, and science with ready-made lesson plans which are free.

“The new program was designed to connect the industry with schools and students through the Australian school curriculum, giving teachers and parents the confidence that there are career pathways and opportunities for students to work with the horse.”

TBA Schools engages students in meaningful learning; these resources showcase the industry's careers, sustainability initiatives, and the role of innovation and technology, offering students practical insights into breeding/genetics, anatomy, nutrition, welfare, and performance management.

“These educational resources allow teachers from primary school through to Year 12 the ability to incorporate the thoroughbred industry in the classroom. We are excited to have created a new site where these can be accessed for free and we have already had a lot of interest in the teaching materials from educators,” said TBA chief executive Tom Reilly.

Getting the information into schools

It’s one thing to design the resources, but there’s a second challenge in getting schools to use TBA Schools.

“We are working with PIEFA and their database to connect with schools, and from an industry point of view, we are hoping that anyone with children or connections to local school with tell their teachers about TBA Schools,” said Tims.

“The next step is that we want this to grow (from a resource platform). If there are teachers and classrooms who are keen to get involved with racing and breeding, we can organise a farm visit or a day at the races and give students immersive experiences to follow on from their school-based learning.”

The staff shortage issues

Racing and breeding globally are facing a staff shortage problem. It’s been talked about multiple times, including here at TTR:

“I grew up on a dairy farm and it wasn’t until I started studying agribusiness that I realised there were more opportunities across different types of farming and in racing,” said Tims.

“It’s always a challenge to help with staff shortages across all agribusinesses – not just racing - and that’s why it’s so important to enter schools with career possibilities and show students the pathways that are out there. It’s been proven that students are interested in looking at careers early on in their education and they want to see where they can go, and TBA Schools provides them a chance to see into our industry. TBA Schools supplementary information includes posters for your classroom, including a career pathways poster with a variety of options, and hopefully these resources will help bridge that gap.”

Industry assistance

Alongside PIEFA, TBA has received significant input from the wider thoroughbred industry in developing the resources, including the likes of AgriFutures Australia, Ciaron Maher Racing, Chris Waller Racing, Godolphin, and Racing Queensland, who have contributed time, information, images and their research.

“TBA is very grateful to all those who have assisted in this project and look forward to working collaboratively with other parties to ensure these resources are used at schools across the country. We encourage all thoroughbred industry participants to engage with their local school communities through their children, peers and local teachers to use these resources to help teach the next generation of breeders,” said Tims.

Cover image courtesy of Figtree Thoroughbreds, Home Affairs x Gaudeamus (colt)

In this short series, TTR has asked various breeders their top three foals from the 2024 crop. If you would like your foals to be featured, reach out to Lucy at lucy@ttrausnz.com.au.

The farm which produced Group 1 winner and this season’s first-season sire Jonker, Figtree Thoroughbreds has been under new management since being sold by Murray and Sue Murdoch in 2021. Now managed by Ashleigh Webster for new owners Sophie and Scott Weitemeyer, they took their inaugural draft to the Gold Coast in 2024.

Webster selected three of their 2024 born foals for this feature, led by the Home Affairs colt from Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}).

Just like Golden Sixty

The colt is a half-brother to Hong Kong super star Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), and Webster says he reminds her of his champion sibling.

“He’s just really well-put-together, correct with a good length of rein. I worked at Element Hill when Golden Sixty was born and he looks like Golden Sixty did as a foal,” said Webster.

Golden Sixty won 26 of his 31 starts in Hong Kong and, at the time of retirement, a record HK$167 million (AU$34.5 million) in prizemoney. This has recently been beaten by Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) when he won December’s G1 Hong Kong Cup – his third win in the race - to take his earnings to HK$177.3 million (AU$36.6 million).

“Kelly and Michael King purchased Gaudeamus and sent her here to foal down.” Gaudeamus was sold in the Element Hill dispersal sale at the 2024 Magic Millions National Sale for $280,000 to Raphie Bloodstock, and the Home Affairs colt is her 12th foal. As well as Golden Sixty, she has produced G3 Hawkesbury Guineas-placed Rainbow Connection (Choisir) who won three races, and Igitur (Helmet) who won eight races and placed in the Listed Tasmania Derby. All up, Gaudeamus has six winners and her 3-year-old filly Golden Millions (Vancouver) and her 2-year-old filly Social Graces (Wootton Bassett {GB}) are both unraced.

Home Affair’s first crop are selling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he has 63 lots catalogued.

White Slipper filly has exciting big sister

A half-sister to unraced 2-year-old filly Lettie’s Lot (Harry Angel {Ire}) who is nominated to run on Saturday at the Magic Millions meeting, hopefully on the Gold Coast if the turf is repaired in time, is one of Webster’s picks. By Zousain, the 2024 filly is the fourth foal of White Slipper (Sebring) whose yearling colt by Pierata is Lot 1059 in Figtree Thoroughbred’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“She’s a very athletic, correct filly who has a half-sister who will hopefully run in the Magic Millions maiden race on Saturday.” Trained by Stephen Kirkwood at Toowoomba, Lettie’s Lot was purchased by her trainer for $72,500 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and ran second at the trials on December 31.

White Slipper is a daughter of juvenile city winner Anabarbarian (Anabaa {USA}), who is a half-sister to Listed winner Woppitt (Danzero). Zousain’s oldest crop are 3-year-olds, and the sire of Amelita and Drifting has 21 yearlings in the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Cracking first foal

Figtree Thoroughbreds purchased Tones (Exceed And Excel) from Godolphin for $45,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions National Sale in foal to Victor Ludorum (GB), and she has delighted Webster with her first foal. “We bought the mare from the National Sale and her first foal is outstanding. A real cracking bay filly.”

Tones, who disappointed in three starts for Godolphin, is extremely well-related being a half-sister to G3 Newmarket Nell Gwyn S. winner Soliloquy (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and is the dam of 4-year-old gelding Royal Power (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) who was a winner at two and placed in the Listed Goodwood Cocked Hat S. Soliloquy is a daughter of dual Listed winner Dysphonia (Lonhro) who placed in the G1 Myer Classic.

Victor Ludorum’s first Southern Hemisphere crop are yearlings, and he has six catalogued in the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.