Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
With 371 weanlings catalogued for Sunday, it’s the beginning of a big week at the Gold Coast. There have been 61 withdrawals across the 43 vendors presenting weanlings. Baramul Stud will travel the largest draft of weanlings north, with 35 catalogued - which equates to almost 10 per cent of the catalogue - followed by Amarina Farm, who have a 26-strong draft.
Changes in metrics
The weanling sale enjoyed peak figures in the pandemic boom of 2021, and last year saw an attractive clearance rate of 81.6 per cent with the 253 weanlings sold averaging almost $74,000. Last year’s sale topper was an I Am Invincible filly out of Single Blonde (Not A Single Doubt), who was purchased for $800,000 to race by Hill 'N' Dale Farm and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA).
“The horses have been parading since Wednesday and there’s a good amount of people here with the number of inspections being steady,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“The horses have been parading since Wednesday and there’s a good amount of people here with the number of inspections being steady.” - Barry Bowditch
“The quality of horse here is extremely strong, and reports thus far are that potential buyers are finding plenty of horses that meet their criteria, be that to pinhook or as end users. The sale in recent in years has been an outstanding source of graduates, with eight stakes winning 2-year-olds already from 2023. Most yearling sales can’t compete with those figures, so buyers wanting to race horses are finding quality horses early on.
“The weather is fantastic. It’s creating a great vibe. It’s 26 and I haven’t seen a cloud in three days.”
| Aggregate | $18,861,500 | $22,261,000 | $22,298,000 | $31,711,000 | $8,043,500 |
| Average | $74,551 | $81,842 | $88,484 | $101,638 | $40,830 |
| Median | $40,000 | $50,000 | $52,000 | $50,000 | $23,000 |
| Catalogued | 383 | 478 | 402 | 464 | 384 |
| Withdrawn | 72 | 105 | 91 | 112 | 89 |
| Passed In | 57 | 101 | 59 | 40 | 62 |
| Sold | 253 | 272 | 252 | 312 | 197 |
| Clearance Rate | 81.6 | 72.9 | 81 | 88.6 | 76.1 |
Table: Aggregate, average, and clearance rates over the last five editions of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale
The dip in aggregate - and rise in clearance, due to a smaller overall book size - can be seen across the sale’s other metrics, and likely contributors include both the growing prevalence of digital auctions for trading bloodstock and economic pressure changing the way a lot of industry participants breed and their approach to trading stock.
At the current count, the 2024 Australian foal crop comprises 11,666 foals, down almost 900 from 12,561 foals in 2023, which is more consistent with figures in years before - excluding a foal crop boom in 2022 with 13,320 foals reported.
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Varying catalogue sizes over the last few years have seen the weanling sale metrics vary considerably, but cataloguing almost 100 less weanlings in 2024 compared to 2023 saw the aggregate only dip $2.4 million, and the average and median remain at nearly double that of the 2020 sale. A condensed book run over one day of selling this year will hopefully maximise metrics before buyers move on to examining broodmares and yearlings.
Young stallions in demand
The weanling catalogue features the progeny of 100 stallions, including 15 sires who have their first crop of foals walking through the Gold Coast ring on Sunday. Newgate Farm’s Tassort, whose eldest crop are currently three and feature Group 1-winning Manaal and Group 1-performed Ameena, has 14 of his offspring in the catalogue, one more than Queensland’s leading sire Spirit Of Boom.
| Tassort | 14 |
| Spirit Of Boom | 13 |
| So You Think (NZ) | 11 |
| Better Than Ready | 10 |
Table: Sires with 10 or more weanlings catalogued in the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale
This is Tassort’s first crop conceived on a $38,500 (inc GST), which he remains at this season. Four of his weanlings have been withdrawn, leaving 10 for buyers to peruse.
Anamoe, In The Congo, and Top Ranked (Ire) lead the first season sires together with nine each; between them, they span the breadth of commercial service fees on offer in the country.
G1 Epsom Handicap winner Top Ranked, who dead-heated in the event with fellow first season sire Ellsberg, has covered two triple digit books of mares from his base at Raheen Stud, who offer Lot 309, his son from Betty Whitegold (Scissor Kick), a half-sister to Listed winner and Group-placed Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth). This colt’s third dam is the blue hen Gold Anthem (Made Of Gold {USA}).
| Anamoe | 9 | $121,000 |
| In The Congo | 9 | $33,000 |
| Top Ranked (Ire) | 9 | $7700 |
| Best Of Bordeaux | 8 | $27,500 |
| Hitotsu | 7 | $22,000 |
| Jacquinot | 7 | $33,000 |
| Stronger | 7 | $13,750 |
Table: Sires with more than five of their first foal crop catalogued in the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale
Anamoe’s daughter out of Listed Bill Carter Stakes winner Eawase (Sebring) was snapped up for $340,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale earlier in the month, and no doubt there will be plenty of interest in his Magic Millions offerings. Amarina Farm offer a lot of considerable interest in Lot 98, a half-brother to Prestige Ole (Ole Kirk), winner of the VOBIS Gold 2YO Plate in March.
The G1 Golden Rose winner In The Congo excited with a $190,000 result at the same sale. Burnewang North Pastoral are offering a filly, Lot 277, who is the first foal of speedy Zoustar mare Zou De Moon, carrying the same Redoute’s Choice cross as Group 1 winner Schwarz (Zoustar).
The Gold Coast will be the first time to see the weanlings of some of these young sires; an important time as decision-making for the breeding season draws closer.
Gallery: Some of the weanlings by young sires offered at 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
Recent graduates
The Magic Millions weanling sale has long been a popular hunting ground for pinhookers and end users alike; in recent years, unbeaten stakeswinner Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) was sourced from Newhaven Park for $600,000 by Silverdale Farm and Shrone Bloodstock, and was sold to Arrowfield Stud the following year for $1.8 million. Likewise, Listed winners Stay Focused and Wonder Boy, both by Cosmic Force, are graduates of the 2022 edition of the sale.
“This is a sale with a proud history of producing future stars – whether in the sale ring, on the racetrack or in the breeding barn,” Bowditch said.
“This is a sale with a proud history of producing future stars – whether in the sale ring, on the racetrack or in the breeding barn.” - Barry Bowditch
“From Golden Slipper winners like Pierro and Stay Inside to champion sire Zoustar and Group One winners Pinstriped, Tropical Squall, Veight and Ellsberg – the National Weanling Sale is the industry benchmark for success.”
The sale has produced eight stakes winners amongst the juveniles this season, including G3 Breeders’ Plate winner King Kirk (Ole Kirk), Group 3 winner and G1 Blue Diamond Stakes-placed Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon), and triple Listed winner Shining Smile (Spirit Of Boom).
The eight stakes winners, plus The Playwright (Written By) who was withdrawn by Newhaven Park Stud, are spread across eight different vendors; Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Rosari Farm, Phoenix Broodmare Farm, Milburn Creek, Widden Stud, Yarraman Park, Edinburgh Farm, and Robyn Wise.
| Baramul Stud | 35 |
| Amarina Farm | 26 |
| Newgate Consignment | 19 |
| Burnewang North Pastoral | 17 |
| Kenmore Lodge | 17 |
Table: Catalogued lots by vendor in the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale
