Day 1 sale-toppers: Resolute Bloodstock makes statement with $1.8M Away Game filly

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

The auction began with a sense of caution, with several lots by Champion Sire Snitzel garnering most of the early attention, however the bidding became fast and fierce later in the afternoon with Written Tycoon, I Am Invincible and first-season sire Wootton Bassett (GB) stealing the show with three lots soaring past $1.5 million.

Lot 185 - Written Tycoon x Away Game (Snitzel), filly - $1,800,000

Ciaron Maher was rather nostalgic after partnering with John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock to secure the regally bred daughter of Champion Sire Written Tycoon out of his former star mare Away Game (Snitzel).

After a successful career on the track, which included multiple Group 1 placings and victory in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Away Game was sold to Yulong Stud for $4 million at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, who offered the filly for sale today.

Maher was overjoyed to be partnering with American John Stewart, sighting similarities between Away Game and her daughter.

“I'm rapt, I thought clearly she was one of the fillies of the sale,” Maher said.

“Away Game took her and her owners – who were from the States as well, funnily enough – on a great ride and hopefully this filly can take John and Chelsey on a similar ride.

“She’s a beautiful filly, (from a) great farm and hopefully she can be as good as her mum.

“There is similar movement (to Away Game). She probably has a little more substance than Away Game, who was relatively neat. She was an over-achiever on the track, and it looks like she is going to be an over-achiever in the breeding barn as well.”

Away Game foaled a full brother to Lot 185 this season and was served by fellow Yulong stallion Pierata.

Lot 196 Wootton Bassett (GB) x Battleofwinterfell (USA) (Declaration Of War {USA}), Colt, $1,700,000

Following an unprecedented record-breaking performance in the Northern Hemisphere and an exceptional commencement to his stud career in Australia, Wootton Bassett (GB) was destined to attract significant attention at the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sales. Consequently, Lot 196, a colt out of stakes-placed American mare Battleofwinterfell (USA) (Declaration Of War {USA}), emerged as the highest-priced colt during the opening session, selling to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for $1.7 million.

Currently recognised as the Champion European 2YO Sire of 2024, Wootton Bassett, who shuttles for Coolmore, is making a remarkable impact in Australia with his first crop of 2-year-olds. Namely, metropolitan winners Pallaton and Gallo Nero, both of whom are poised to make their presence felt in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic this Saturday on the Gold Coast.

“We went a little bit over what we thought but we thought he was the best colt in the sale,” Hawthorne said.

“We probably went $200,000 over than what we thought but we wanted the colt and there’s nothing worse than getting beaten by a short margin and seeing those big colts come out and win big races.

“Wootton Bassett is flying. We just thought we’d get in and get one. He’s a lovely moving colt, a great athletic colt. Anthony Freedman will train him. He was Anthony’s pick of the sale, and he was my top colt, so we sort of aligned. He will race in the red and white colours of Jonathan Munz and partners.

“It’s a family that has a lot of speed. He’s just an athlete, he just moved like a dancer.

“We haven’t bought here in a while, so we wanted to get back into the market. We want to sell down some shares in him, but we don’t care if we don’t. We were rapt to get him.”

Battleofwinterfell was brought to Australia in 2021 by John Muir, the owner of Milburn Creek. Unfortunately, she produced only two foals before her untimely passing in 2023. Her first foal is a 2-year-old filly by Capitalist, which was sold by Milburn Creek at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year for $45,000 to Elite Thoroughbreds.

Lot 182 - I Am Invincible x Avantage (Fastnet Rock), filly - $1,600,000

American John Stewart, under his banner of Resolute Bloodstock, triumphed in an intense bidding war for Lot 182, securing the bay filly for $1.6 million. The second foal of Champion New Zealand 2-Year-Old Avantage (Fastnet Rock) by Yarraman Park's Champion Sire I Am Invincible, she was bred by Katom and presented by Coolmore Stud.

Avantage fetched a whopping NZ$4.1 million when sold to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier via New Zealand Bloodstock’s online platform Gavelhouse Plus in 2021.

There was much anticipation surrounding Lot 182, with her half-sister, a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB), topping last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast sale when selling to David Ellis for $2.1 million, now named Avantaggia.

“She was a lovely filly and she’s been that since she was a foal,” Tom Magnier said.

“John Stewart, he’s a great friend of ours and he’s been a great supporter of us down here and I wish him every success with this filly.

“It is a great page and a great family, and I hope she becomes a successful broodmare. She’s very nice.

“We had a reserve on her and we were happy to keep her up to a level. Fair play to Magic Millions for getting the overseas people involved in the sales. She was one of our nicest fillies of the year.”

“She’s (Avantage) been a great producer and when you see the filly on the track here, we’re delighted.”

Avantage foaled another filly by I Am Invincible this season and visited Widden Stud’s Champion Sire Zoustar.

Lot 216 - Stay Inside x Bleu Zebra (I Am Invincible), colt - $1,000,000

Lot 216, a colt by Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside from Bleu Zebra (I Am Invincible), who is a half-sister to Cap D'Antibes S. winner Fox Swift (Foxwedge) was another to break the seven-figure mark after being knocked down for $1 million to James Harron Bloodstock in partnership with Aquis Farm’s Tony Fung.

Offered by Eureka Stud, it was a dream come true for breeder, Brian Siemsen from Black Soil Bloodstock and the best result the Queensland-based farm has ever realised in a yearling sales ring.

“It was our best seller ever, yearling wise,” Eureka’s Bloodstock Manager Harry McAlpine said.

“We have always wanted to sell at that sort of level, and he’s been an amazing colt from day one, not that you think you can sell at that kind of level off that service fee.

“Mr Brian Siemsen from Black Soil Bloodstock said to me a couple of years back, it was his dream to sell a million-dollar yearling and he’s done it!”

The colt comes from a family boasting plenty of speed, being closely related to notable sprinters White Moss (Mossman) and White Sage (Reset).

“He’s a gorgeous horse. All the team loved him,” Harron said.

“He’s a real Magic Millions-type colt and the aim would be to have him back here next year. He’s the right type of horse to try it.

“He comes from a great farm and a very exciting first-season sire.

“He was one of our top picks of the sale. We had to push hard and that is the sort of marketplace we’re in. The good ones are well-found.

“He didn’t put a foot wrong all week.”

Eureka Stud are renowned for producing tough and talented horses including, Group 1 winners Apache Chase (Better Than Ready), Pippie (Written Tycoon), Tinto (Red Dazzler), Temple Of Boom (Piccolo {GB}), Show A Heart, Scenic Peak (Scenic {Ire}), Just Now (Semipalatinsk {USA}), as well as Eureka’s flagship stallion Spirit Of Boom. It’s exactly the kind of farm Harron was looking to buy from.

“We love seeing horses coming off farms with rich histories and these horses are suited to Australian conditions,” Harron said.

“She (Bleu Zebra) was a decent, fast mare and a city winner here in Queensland and by a Champion Sire who is becoming a good broodmare sire.”

Bleu Zebra had a filly by Pinatubo (Ire) this season and visited Eureka Stud’s Don Corleone.

Lot 187 - Snitzel x Baaqyah (NZ) (I Am Invincible), filly - $950,000

Lot 187, a filly by Snitzel out of the I Am Invincible mare Baaqyah (NZ) was simply irresistible for Sheamus Mills, who forked out $950,000 for the flashy chestnut offered by Newgate Farm.

“I love the idea of a Snitzel out of a Vinnie mare,” Mills said.

“I thought she had the really good attributes you see in both stallions. Just on paper, Vinnie and Snitzel - it doesn’t get much better than that. So, hopefully you put two stars together and you get a star.

“She’s bred to be fast, and she looks fast.”

Mills was also attracted to the filly’s attitude and energy during his inspections in the lead up to the sale.

“I just love the way she handled the week,” he said.

“She paraded just the way I like to see, those horses that have that aggressive energy but keep it fairly confined. I also like to see horses that don’t seem to tire, she was one of the few. We didn’t end up with a very long list actually and she was certainly one of the fillies that handled the stress well.”

The filly was bred by SF Bloodstock, Henry Field Bloodstock and Hollymount Stud and it was Newgate Farm’s best result for the session. Baaqyah had a filly by Snitzel this season and was served by Capitalist.

Lot 76 - Snitzel x Villami (Foxwedge), colt - $850,000

On the back siring another two Group 1 winners this season in Lady Shenandoah and Switzerland, Arrowfield’s Champion Sire Snitzel was once again in hot demand, with Lot 76 from the draft of Segenhoe Stud being the subject of spirited bidding. The Fairway Thoroughbreds-bred colt is the second foal of speedy stakes-winning mare Villami (Foxwedge) and was eventually knocked down to Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock.

Go Bloodstock has had an exceptional 12 months on the track, with the famous yellow silks recently taking out the G1 Railway S. with Port Lockroy (Better Than Ready) after claiming the G1 Golden Slipper with Lady of Camelot (Written Tycoon) back in March.

Speaking following the purchase, Steve O’Connor the Director of Go Racing, spoke of Sir Owen Glenn’s enthusiasm for the striking colt who hails from the family of multiple Group 3 winner Galapagos Girl (Dehere {USA}) and VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).

“Sir Owen came out yesterday and looked at the shortlist and this was his top pick of the horses that we looked at,” O’Connor said.

“He’s looking for a good colt to support our broodmares. We have full confidence buying a son of a champion stallion out of a good, young mare off a farm like Segenhoe who are doing it week-in-week-out with 2-year-olds.

“We won the Slipper (with Lady Of Camelot in 2024) and then hopefully this colt can take us back next year.”

For a young mare, Villami has done an outstanding job in the sales ring with her first foal by Zoustar selling at the Gold Coast last year for $1 million to James Harron Bloodstock’s Colt Partnership.

“I remember her (Villami) as a yearling. She was a beautiful yearling and is a proven mare on the track,” O’Connor said.

“We love buying from young mares and we had a lot of success with Russian Revolution, Wild Ruler, In The Congo. Hopefully he’s the one who can take us back to all of those good races.”

Villami had a filly by Anamoe this season and visited Champion Sire Zoustar in mid-November.

Lot 224 - Zoustar x Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice), colt - $800,000

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing made significant strides on the first day of Magic Millions 2025, acquiring 11 yearlings through various partnerships. They collaborated with Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Kia Ora Stud to purchase Lot 224, a colt by Zoustar out of the Group 1-winning mare Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice), for $800,000, marking their highest expenditure on the opening day of the event.

Presented by Widden Stud, the bay colt was bred by Robert Anderson, who campaigned the dam Bonaria. The colt's pedigree also includes notable Group 1 winners Merchant Navy, Jolie Star (Zoustar), and Darley stallion Paulele.

“Magical. He was a lyrical sort of horse the way he moved and carried himself and he’s got a lovely pedigree,” Waterhouse said.

“It’s a lovely mix. Robert Anderson bred him at Widden, he’s a great breeder and he’s been doing it a long time, so it’s very nice to get him.

“We had a partnership in place and that’s how we were able to secure him.”

Pressed if she thought the colt would make a 2-year-old, Waterhouse responded: “All the good horses are 2-year-olds, and they go on to be three, four and 5-year-olds.”

The cross has already proven a success with the stakes-placed Miss Aria (Zoustar), who races in Anderson’s silks, being a full-sister to the colt.

Lot 37 - Snitzel x Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), colt - $625,000

Te Akau principal David Ellis continued the love affair with Champion Sire Snitzel, purchasing Lot 37—a GSA Bloodstock-bred colt out of G1 Australasian Oaks winner Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ})—for $625,000 from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds.

Ellis indicated he was drawn to the bay colt’s exceptional New Zealand family which includes Horse of the Year and Champion Middle Distance Horse in Hong Kong Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and G3 New Zealand Cup winner Gobstopper (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

“It’s a terrific New Zealand family that we bought from Jonathan Munz, one of the great breeders in Australia,” Ellis said.

“We’re thrilled to have a colt who is out of a Tavistock mare, they are going really well at stud, out of a Zabeel mare. You just can’t get better than that and he was a really precocious type that we can see winning about now (next year).

“I think he’ll be a 1600-metre colt in time.”

Tavistock (NZ) is the broodmare sire of eight individual stakes winners including superstar Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), G1 Telegraph S. winner Mercurial (NZ) and Group 2 winner Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock).

The future looks bright for the son of Snitzel, with Te Akau having a wonderful history of success with yearlings purchased at Magic Millions. Just from last year’s sale Te Akau has produced dual winner Cool Aza Rene (NZ) (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}), whom Ellis bought for $55,000, and the extremely exciting Listed Counties Challenge S. debut winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel).

Lot 87 - Snitzel x Warranty (All Too Hard), colt - $600,000

Newgate Farm has had incredible success with the progeny of Snitzel, purchasing a share in three Group 1 winners, now sires, Wild Ruler, In The Congo and Russian Revolution. So, it was no surprise to see Henry Field go to $600,000 for Lot 87, a powerfully built chestnut colt by the Champion Sire.

The Fairway Thoroughbreds-bred colt, who was offered by Segenhoe Stud, is the third foal from the stakes-placed, three-time winning mare Warranty (All Too Hard), a three-quarter sister to the dam of stakes-winning mare Street Gossip (So You Think {NZ}). It’s a family that traces back to Group 1 Railway S. winner Gathering (Tale of The Cat {USA}).

“We thought he was a very sharp, mature colt, raised by a very good farm in Segenhoe and bred by a very good breeder in John Camilleri,” Henry Field said.

“Very straightforward animal from a fast mare. We’ve had a lot of success buying Snitzels - we’ve bought three or four Group 1 winners by Snitzel.

“We thought he was a really sharp horse, who we thought would go early and we like him a lot.”

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