Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
With the lower Hunter Valley and areas around Taree currently experiencing heavy flooding, we checked in with several farms in the region to see how they’re faring -and how preparations are going for the upcoming Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Phoenix Broodmare Farm has been worst affected, while Bell River Thoroughbreds and Tamac Stud Farm, though close by, remain largely unaffected thanks to their elevated locations and planning.
Despite facing 420mm of rain in just 48 hours, Phoenix Broodmare Farm, located 11km inland from Taree so affected by the Manning River flooding, is pushing ahead with a quality draft for the sale. Among their headline offerings are the only two weanlings by first-season sire Artorius in the catalogue
Phoenix Broodmare Farm have the only two weanlings by first season sire Artorius in the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, and Damian Gleeson said, “They are both really nice horses, lovely colts, and Artorius sold well in Sydney.”
Lot 104 is out of Melaleuca (Stratum) who won five races and was fourth in the Listed Ethereal Stakes, and she’s a half-sister to Rialya (Kempinsky) who won the G2 Adelaide Cup. Lot 108 is the second foal of Military Magic (Epaulette) who won three in succession and is from the Member’s Joy family.
Gallery: Two weanlings by first season sire Artorius in the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
“It’s hopefully going down now. I’m on the Gold Coast (with the weanlings) but we’ve had 420mm in the last 48 hours and it’s still raining. Four years ago we moved here from Victoria, and it’s in drought there so it’s been an interesting contrast. We have a mix of flats and undulating country, and we follow a weather channel who warned us about this, so we were well prepared and all the horses and cattle are up on the hills.”
“It’s much more pleasant to be here in the sunshine than for our staff who are trudging around in the mud at home. We had two weeks of rain leading into it, so the catchments were already saturated, and this on top smashed everything.”
Phoenix Broodmare Farm have a strong record through this sale and will present six other weanlings alongside the two by first season sire Artorius. “We haven’t gone too bad. We sold Steel Trap who won the David Cole Stakes ten days ago. She actually passed in at this sale, then we sold her as a yearling.
Artorius | Standing at Newgate Farm
“We sold Elliptical here for $200,000 and he made $380,000 as a yearling for his buyer, and then won $1.2 million.
“Ripcord was bought by Luke Fernie from us and he’s won over $1 million, $1 million and $40,000 actually, and we sold a nice So You Think filly to Suman Hedge for $400,000 who ran third at her first start recently and looks pretty special.”
Getta Good Feeling (So You Think {NZ}) is a 2-year-old filly trained by Danny O’Brien for Pinecliff Racing.
“We are selling a Hitotsu who is out of a small mare but is a big strong filly. He’s added a bit of leg to the mare, and a Jacquinot who is a lovely horse. Really lovely, with a great temperament, and is a beautiful type.” Lot 188, the Hitotsu filly is from Ruby Falls (Flying Spur), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock), dam of three stakes winners, and Ruby Falls has been a good producer so far with three winners.
The Jacquinot colt, Lot 115, is the second foal of five-time winner Missed The Alarm (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}). This is a strong New Zealand family which includes Group 1 winner Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Gallery: Other weanlings offered by Phoenix Broodmare Farm in the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
Bell River’s pasture management the key
Located on the Williams River at Glen William, Bell River Farm have taken eight weanlings and six broodmares north to the Gold Coast.
“We are doing well. We are set up to handle a flood, and the horses are not affected. Having a property with beautiful river flats (as part of it) means we manage our pasture so events like this are a benefit not a cost,” said James Ferguson.
“Having a property with beautiful river flats (as part of it) means we manage our pasture so events like this (flood) are a benefit not a cost.” - James Ferguson
“We came up a day earlier than planned (to Magic Millions National) and Jock is staying home to watch over everything. He’s great at keeping things ticking over there.”
As with any property, it’s a team effort to keep the farm running while some staff are at the sales.
“Selling some horses as weanlings is a business decision to spread the risk for the farm, and I’ve never seen a bad weanling sale. It allows us to manage our bloodstock portfolio across the whole business and year, and we can take advantage of timing when a stallion is going well.
“We’ve backed Farnan to the hills and have decided to sell out of some now that he’s doing so well.” Bell River have one Farnan weanling, and a mare in foal to him on offer among their drafts.
James and Jock Ferguson | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Ferguson picked out Lot 132, a filly by first season sire State Of Rest as his pick of the draft. “The State Of Rest is a deadest belter. I’m very happy with the job the mare has done. This is a lovely filly with all the right angles, and will get into any sale next year. Her dam, Nulka, is in the mare sale in foal to Farnan.” She is the first foal of Nulka (Smart Missile), a half-sister to Listed winner Pimpernel (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the dam of G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Gold Town (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}).
“The Home Affairs is a lovely foal from one of our Bell River families. He’s a nice individual who is not too big or heavy, and is the right shape and make for a Home Affairs.
“There’s a bit of hype around him now, so we are taking advantage of that.”
Lot 117, a colt, is the first foal of G3 Dark Jewel Classic winner More Prophets (Smart Missile), a half-sister to G1 Thousand Guineas winner Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) and G2 Rubiton Stakes winner Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible).
With two Spirit Of Boom fillies in the draft, Ferguson picked the one out of Premeditated (Commands), Lot 157, as she is a full sister to this season’s Listed winner Gin Spirit. “Spirit Of Boom is flying, he’s had one of his best seasons at stud so far, so we are hoping to capitalise on that timing. The Premeditated is a straight forward filly, she’s got more length than her full sister but is still very nice.”
Gallery: Weanlings picked out by James Ferguson for the the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
Another with a pedigree update is Lot 236, a Dundeel (NZ) colt. “Gallo Nero, under the second dam, ran second in the Spirit Of Boom Classic last weekend. This weanling is a nice colt, he’s got plenty of substance with Dundeel and Fastnet Rock complementing each other.”
He is the second foal of unraced Swift Chick (Fastnet Rock), who is a half-sister to Chianti (I Am Invincible), the dam of Gallo Nero (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Swift Chick is also a full sister to Group 3-placed Sweet Rockette.
“If I can add one more, the Russian Revolution is a belter. I don’t think you’ll find a nicer first foal, and Russian Revolution is going well at the minute.” Lot 310 is a filly out of winning mare Beyond The Sea (Ilovethiscity) who is a half-sister to Anabaa’s Legacy (Anabaa {USA}), the stakes placed dam of Capitalist’s Listed winner Economics who won his last start in April.
Tamac Stud Farm, close but higher up
On paper, Tamac Stud Farm looks close to the flood zone, but proprietor Mark Taylor said they are up higher.
“If you fly in a straight line from Taree, it’s not that far. We are 180km from Port Macquarie by road, but it’s less than half that in a straight line. We are up on the top of the Great Dividing Range. We’ve had the tail end of all that rain, and the river is in flood lower down.”
The farm will present six weanlings at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, their biggest draft there to date. “The group are out of my best mares and I think it’s a draft that’s appealing to everyone. We are a little player in a big game and have a variety of stallions represented.” With two weanlings by Tassort, and horses by Farnan, The Autumn Sun, Wild Ruler and North Pacific, the draft has plenty of sire power.
Mark Taylor | Image courtesy of Tamac Stud Farm
“We are at Walcha, on top of the great divide. The farm is very high, about 4000 ft above sea level, and we regularly get snow through winter. The horses thrive on it, every paddock is tree lined so there’s plenty of shelter and they can get out of the cold. They have a lot of bone and are good eaters. We get 40 inches of rain, which means we have a wonderful feed base all year round.
“We modelled the farm off New Zealand. I worked for Brian Anderton when I was straight out of school and spent three seasons there. When I came home to the farm, I modelled our place off his farm as it’s the same climate. It’s certainly different to Scone, but is a very productive area. There have been two Melbourne Cup winners and a Slipper winner produced from farms up here. Horses thrive in our area and on our climate.”
Apart from those three years in New Zealand, Taylor has lived on the farm his whole life.
“My father bought the farm in 1960 as a sheep and cattle farm. Then he bought a broodmare for fun. Well, one becomes ten and then more and suddenly you have a stud farm! He passed away fourteen years ago and I've tried to upgrade our stock as much as we can and keep the mares going.”
The Autumn Sun | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
From small offerings at the sales, the farm has produced plenty of winners. “The best bred (of the draft) is the The Autumn Sun from Touchabeel. She’s from a very good family. I bought the mare in New Zealand, along with the dam of the Farnan, and brought them back here.” Lot 249, the colt is the second foal of Touchabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) who was a winner and ran fourth in the Listed Welcome Stakes at two. Touchabeel is a daughter of NZ Champion Sprinter and three-time Group 1 winner Final Touch (NZ) (Kashani {USA}).
Of the two by Tassort, Lot 250 is a colt who is the first foal of Listed placed Trifolium (Krupt) and Lot 99 is a filly out of Redoute’s Choice mare Malakiya. “The Trifolium is a lovely foal for a first foal, and the Malakiya is a half-sister to a good horse in Hong Kong that we sold called Giant Leap.” Giant Leap (Capitalist) has won his last two in succession in Hong Kong.
Tassort | Standing at Newgate Farm
Another with recent winning form is Lot 56, the North Pacific colt. “His dam has done a good job with four winners from as many to race, with Desert Cougar winning yesterday.” Out of Kalahari Princess (Botswanna) who won five times, her four winners have won eleven races between them, led by Lisztomania (Dream Ahead {USA}) who was second two starts ago in the 2025 Country Championships Final and has earnings over $400,000.
