Bowditch: ‘It was a very confident day of selling’ with 550k Snitzel filly on top

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

At A Glance

•

With one day of super selling, down from two days in 2024, the clearance rate hit 72 per cent with 221 of the 371 weanlings catalogued being sold. This compares to a clearance rate of 81 per cent in 2024 where 244 of 374 horses sold.

•

The aggregate of $17,602,100 was down from last year’s gross of $18,827,500 but with less horses sold. The average improved - $79,648 up from $77,162 - as did the median - $44,000 up from $41,000.

•

The highest priced weanling was a Snitzel filly sold by Highgrove Stud to North Bloodstock for $550,000, and she is a full sister to WA sire Splintex. Last year saw the record for a filly set with an $800,000 I Am Invincible filly.

•

Last year’s sale saw 12 weanlings making at least $200,000 whilst today 26 horses made that amount and beyond.

•

Regarding stallions with at least two sold, Snitzel led the averages with two sold at an average of $450,000, while Anamoe was the leading first-season sire with six sold for an average of $265,000 and he led the sires by gross overall with sale receipts of $1.59 million.

•

Pinhookers Kaha Nui Farm equalled with Trilogy Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock with both groups spending $850,000 on four weanlings each, while Yulong led the averages buying two weanlings at an average of $355,000.

•

Newgate Consignment led the vendors by gross, selling 11 weanlings for $1.7 million, while Highgrove Farm, vendors of the sale topper, led the vendors by average, selling three weanlings at an average of $280,000.

Bowditch very happy with weanling market

“It was a very confident day of selling, any type of quality horse that walked in the ring, there was plenty of thirst for those quality horses.” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said

“If you look at the numbers I think a slight increase in average from last year, we didn't have a dispersal this year, we had an increase in horses at $200,000 or more and about the same at $100,000 and above.”

“We are really pleased with how today went, it was a real confident start for a very very important week for the industry.

“It was a very diverse buying bench. I think the Kiwis played a really strong part in the market and the locals – the end users and the pinhookers got involved and played their part. There was also some good money from Hong Kong as well.”

“All in all we’re really pleased with the market that was here. The clearance rate was slightly disappointing – but it was a very strong market for quality horses.

“I think over the next 24 hours a good number of those passed in horses will be sold and that’s what we will be working on as we move forward to our big day on Tuesday,” Bowditch added.

Zoustar a potential Champion sire in waiting strikes

Zoustar continues to cement his position as one of Australia’s most commercial stallions, with his progeny in hot demand in the sale ring and dong the job on the track. At the 2025 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, two weanlings by the Widden Stud sire were offered and sold for $500,000 and $220,000 respectively, averaging a tidy $360,000.

Yu Long Investments were the successful purchaser of the $500,000 colt and they have had significant recent success with Zoustar, notably through Growing Empire, a Group-winning and multiple Group 1-placed colt who was recently retired to Yulong Stud for the season 2025 season at a service fee of $22,000 (inc GST) and Clean Energy who was a $2.6 million yearling and has been successful at Group 3 and Listed level.

Building on that momentum, Yulong returned to the well, purchasing Lot 241 for $500,000 from the draft of Holbrook Thoroughbreds. The colt is the fifth foal from Thai Noon (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), and is a half-brother to Steinem (Frankel {GB}), a winner at Group 2 and Group 3 level. Yulong are obviously big fans of this family as Steinem was purchased by Yulong under the Panthalassa Syndicate banner at the 2024 Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $800,000.

Yulong’s Sam Fairgray explained that the colt is likely to be re-offered as a yearling next year.

“Zoustar is obviously a fantastic stallion on the track and in the sale ring. He’s a lovely colt, a half-brother to Steinem, who we bought last year,” Fairgray said.

“At this stage, we will bring him back here to sell as a yearling. We’ve done that previously and we think this colt is going to keep growing and developing into a very, very nice individual.”

Fairgray was also impressed with the colt’s overall quality and presence.

“He’s a very attractive colt, with plenty of strength and substance about him. He moved really well. He’s what buyers will be looking for as a yearling.

“We’ll take him back to Victoria now, grow him out and prepare him for a yearling sale next year.”

On the broader strength of the sale, Fairgray commented:

“Nice horses are selling really well. First-season sires are selling well, and the top physicals are selling extremely well.”

Anamoe’s progeny impress

Anamoe captivated the racing public throughout his glittering career, winning 14 races across three seasons, including an extraordinary nine at Group 1-level. Retired to Darley Stud in 2023 at a service fee of $121,000 (inc GST), he covered an elite book of 149 mares in his debut season.

At the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, eight lots by Anamoe were offered and the buzz ahead of the sale proved justified, his progeny were highly sought after in the ring.

Six of the eight sold for an aggregate of $1,590,000, and an impressive average of $265,000

The top-priced weanling by Anamoe, a filly that sold for $360,000, was secured by Ciaron Maher, a long-time admirer of the champion racehorse. Maher has supported Anamoe from the outset, sending several of his own mares to the Darley stallion in his first season.

Will Bourne the Head of Bloodstock for Ciaron Maher placed the winning bid for the filly, who was offered by Newgate Consignment. She is the first foal out of Kiki Miss (Sepoy), a stakes-winning juvenile who claimed the Listed Debutant Stakes.

“There is a bit of hype around the stallion,” Bourne said.

“Ciaron loved him as a racehorse, and he actually sent mares to him himself and supported the stallion before he even had foals on the ground.

“I mentioned to Ciaron that there was a very nice Anamoe filly here and he said to go and buy her.”

Another notable Anamoe fan is Mark Treweek of Lyndhurst Farm in New Zealand, who secured Lot 38, a colt out of I Am Speedy (I Am Invincible) for $180,000. The colt boasts a strong speed pedigree, being out of a daughter of the sharp Speedy Natalie (Al Maher).

“I loved Anamoe as a racehorse, and he is a first-season sire who we always thought was going to be popular sales-wise,” Treweek said.

“He has got really nice types here and he was the best colt for us at this sale.

“He moves well, has a good temperament, and is a really nice colt.”

When asked about his overall thoughts on Anamoe’s progeny, Treweek was enthusiastic.

“I really like them. They are pretty level across the board, the size of them can be a bit up and down, but he is definitely stamping them and they are nice types.

“He ticked a lot of boxes for us and we are very happy to get hold of this colt.”

Kiwi buyers make bold statement

New Zealand buyers made a strong impression at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale, with a host of familiar names active in the ring. Among those landing purchases were familiar names such as Riversley Park, Kaha Nui Farm, Carlaw Park, Lyndhurst Farm, Woburn Farm, Hallmark Stud, Bleakley Bloodstock, Sean and Emma Clotworthy, Kilgravin Lodge, Leanach Lodge, and Cavan Bloodstock - underlining the confidence Kiwi operations continue to show in sourcing young stock from Australia.

Respected pinhooker Sam Beatson of Riversley Park added a standout to his bloodstock portfolio with the purchase of a striking Toronado (Ire) colt for $260,000.

He is the second foal from Illuminaire (All Too Hard) who was multiple stakes-placed as a juvenile, and traces from the family of Illuminates (Strategic) who was a sharp 10-time winner including at Listed level four times.

“Obviously the stallion is doing a great job in Australia and Hong Kong,” Beatson said. “He is just a lovely moving, good quality colt with a great head and girth. He had a great temperament, every time I saw him he never turned a hair.

“I am very happy with what we ended up with.”

Toronado has made a serious impact in the sales ring this year including having his first seven figure yearling sell at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, and Beatson noted the challenges in securing his stock.

“It has been very hard to buy his progeny this year at the yearling sales, so I thought I might try and get in a bit earlier and pick up a weanling.

“When I saw this colt, I knew he was the one I wanted, and I was lucky enough to get him.”

As for plans for the colt, Beatson is keeping options open.

“We haven’t made a plan yet. We could take him to a yearling sale or a ready-to-run sale, we’ll see how things go. We have options.”

Another significant Kiwi purchase came from Nicky White of Kaha Nui Farm, who secured Lot 117, a powerful Home Affairs colt out of the smart sprinting mare More Prophets (Smart Missile).

More Prophets was a six-time winner from 1100 to 1400 metres and claimed black-type success in the G3 Dark Jewel Classic and Listed Mona Lisa Stakes. She hails from a high-class family as she is a half-sister to Another Prophet (Brazen Beau), winner of the G1 Thousand Guineas, and Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible), winner of the G2 Rubiton Stakes and Listed Fireball Stakes.

“He’s definitely one that I thought was right up there in the complex,” White said.

“It’s not often that you get one where the type and pedigree align, he is one of the better ones here in that regard.

“He is a big, strong colt that isn’t too big, he’s not too small, just a nice medium, strong-boned, athletic, powerful colt.”

When asked about the purchase price and whether she would have to go that far to secure the colt, White was satisfied.

“I’m comfortable with that. We’ll get him home to New Zealand and hopefully he will come out the other side how we want him to.”

The lone Too Darn Hot brings heat to the ring

The excitement surrounding Too Darn Hot (GB) and his meteoric rise through the stallion ranks shows no signs of slowing. At the 2025 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Lot 62, a classy filly was the only offering by the sire in the entire catalogue, she was met with strong competition before ultimately being secured by Mark and Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm in New Zealand for $300,000.

The filly is out of the three-time-winning mare Kirini (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), who boasts a pedigree with significant depth. Kirini is a half-sister to Miss Admiration (Sebring), winner of the G3 Colin Stephen Handicap and multiple Group 1 placegetter in both the Australian Oaks and Schweppes Oaks.

Mark Treweek was pleased with the purchase and is clearly impressed by what Too Darn Hot is producing.

“The sire is doing a phenomenal job, we have been looking for the right one by him for quite a while and really like this one,” Treweek said.

“We would have loved to get her a little bit cheaper. The vendor was pretty strong on his $300,000 reserve, and fair enough, if I owned her, I would have probably wanted at least that also.”

When asked about the filly’s pedigree, Treweek noted the strength and commercial appeal of the family.

“It is a really strong damline, with very strong broodmare sires. Overall, she is by a very fashionable sire who is doing a great job.

“She gives us great options sales-wise. I would love to sell her in New Zealand, but we will see how she grows out, and we’ll pick the best sale for her.”

“Progeny by Too Darn Hot are not going to get any cheaper, and simply, you either pay the money and buy them or you don’t. We did this time.”

Too Darn Hot will return to Darley Australia in 2025 after not shuttling for the 2024 season. His service fee has been confirmed at $275,000 (inc. GST), reinforcing his status as one of the most in-demand stallions in the Southern Hemisphere.

Top 10 lots MM National Weanling Sale 2025

Vendors by gross

Vendors by average (2 or more sold)

Buyers by Gross

Buyers by average (2 or more bought)

Sire by gross

Sire by average (2 or more sold)