Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
On Tuesday, the highly anticipated two-day 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will kick off. The catalogue is packed with some superstars off the track, young mares and proven mares.
Among them, the star of the show may be the three-time Group 1 winner Zougotcha (Zoustar), who will be offered from the Chris Waller Racing draft. The daughter of Zoustar has the status, race record and physique to make a substantial impact on Tuesday.
Zougotcha will be joined by the likes of the triple Group 1 winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar), a winner of the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes, and other Group 1 winners including Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), Socks Nation (Sioux Nation {USA}), Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}), Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High), and Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}).
Zougotcha | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
In this piece, The Thoroughbred Report will reflect on some of the sale-toppers and top-priced mares in past years. We will explore what they have done since and whether their families have continued to thrive.
The top five 2024 purchases and where they went
Five lots made more than $2 million in 2024, and all five were race fillies who hadn't been to stud yet, led by multiple Group 1 winning sprinter Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) who was purchased by Yulong for $6.6 million. She is currently in foal to Pierata. Yulong also purchased G1 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun) for $2.5 million, and she was also served by Pierata.
G3 Gimcrack winner Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar), a half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), was purchased by Coolmore Stud for $3.5 million. She was served by I Am Invincible and her first foal is due in the spring.
G1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Madame Pommery (No Nay Never {USA}) was another maiden mare, and she was bought by Coolmore Stud for $2.7 million, and is in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB).
Rounding out the top five was maiden mare and G1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who was purchased by Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida for $2 million. She was exported on July 1, 2024. The Japanese Stud Book has her as not covered in 2025.
Sunlight: A Gold Coast darling
Champion mare Sunlight (Zoustar) has long been a star of the Magic Millions Gold Coast stage. Initially sold for $300,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Aquis, McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Blue Sky Bloodstock, the daughter of Zoustar quickly cemented her reputation as a top-class performer.
As a 2-year-old, she claimed the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes, and the G2 Magic Night Stakes. Her dominance continued at three with Group 1 victories in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, William Reid Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, ultimately earning her the title of Australia’s Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.
Sunlight | Image courtesy of Sportpix
She returned to the Gold Coast in 2020, where she was a headline act at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, selling for $4.2 million to Tom Magnier of Coolmore Stud.
Her record in the breeding barn has maintained the high standard. Her first foal, Dawn Service (Justify {USA}), was sold for $1.4 million at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing in partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds, and has already made a successful start to his racing career, winning twice including the Listed Exford Plate.
Her next colt, by Wootton Bassett (GB), fetched $1.4 million when sold to Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Now named as Central Coast, he has shown early promise, running an eye-catching third at the Warwick Farm trials on May 13.
Central Coast as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
At this year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Sunlight’s Home Affairs filly reached a new high when selling for $3.2 million to Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida.
Sunlight has since produced a weanling by Justify (USA), and was served last spring by both Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, although she unfortunately missed.
The Sunlight family’s association with the Gold Coast has been significant and ongoing. Sunlight’s dam, Solar Charged (Charge Forward) a dual Group 3 winner herself, was sold through the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2014 for $650,000 to Widden Stud and Qatar Bloodstock. Her daughters continue to shine, Clean Energy (Zoustar), a full sister to Sunlight, has become a Group 3 and Listed winner and was purchased by Yulong for $2.6 million as a yearling, while Sisstar (Zoustar), another full sibling that was purchased for $600,000, also claimed black-type success with six wins including the G3 Red Roses Stakes.
Sisstainable | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Her first foal is named Sisstainable (I Am Invincible), she has been a maiden winner in Brisbane and has been multiple Listed placed, she sold to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and the Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $450,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
This family is very current and one gets the feeling that it's strong history with Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling and Broodmare sales is not over yet.
Away Game strikes early again - this time in the ring
The outstanding Snitzel filly Away Game has made dual visits to the Gold Coast ring and has made an impact both times. Originally at the 2019 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale, she was purchased by Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock for the significant sum of $425,000 from the draft of Mill Park Stud.
She became a brilliant race filly, securing victory in the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes, G3 Widden Stakes, G3 WJ Healy Stakes, R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes. Her quality was further underlined with her placing in three different Group 1 races - the Golden Slipper, Oakleigh Plate and Robert Sangster Stakes.
Away Game | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Then in 2022, Away Game was one of the headline acts at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, fetching $4 million to the Written Tycoon Syndicate.
She started her broodmare career off with a bang, her first foal, a filly by Written Tycoon, was purchased as a yearling for $1.8 million by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and Resolute Bloodstock at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She has since produced a Written Tycoon weanling colt, and was served by Pierata last spring.
Interestingly, Away Game’s dam, Elusive Wonder (Elusive Quality {USA}), was also sourced through this sale ring—secured for $140,000 by Hancock Quality Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Winter Broodmare Sale.
Written Tycoon - Away Game filly | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A Queen on and off the track
In 2021, the arrival of Bob Peters’ superstar mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale generated plenty of excitement. A triple Group 1 winner, Arcadia Queen was consigned by Holbrook Thoroughbreds and, while she initially left the ring unsold, Arrowfield Stud later secured her privately for $3.2 million.
A rare talent with the brilliance to win over 1200 metres and the stamina to dominate at Group 1 level over 2000 metres, she earned just shy of $4 million across a decorated career that included victories in the G1 Mackinnon Stakes, G1 MRC Caulfield Stakes, G1 Kingston Town Classic, G2 Theo Marks Stakes, G2 WA Guineas, and G3 Champion Fillies Stakes.
Arcadia Queen | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her first foal, a colt by I Am Invincible, was sold for $1 million to Hawkes Racing at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and now races as Federalist. Although unplaced in his first three outings, he has performed creditably in elite company, finishing close-up in both the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and G1 Champagne Stakes this autumn.
Arcadia Queen returned to I Am Invincible the following season, with that colt bringing $440,000 when sold to Mulberry Racing at the 2025 Inglis Australian Yearling Sale. After missing to Dundeel (NZ) in 2023, she returned to Dundeel and was served by him in September last spring.
Tofane: Her family is full of big money mares
Another high profile purchase for the Written Tycoon Syndicate in recent times was the brilliant mare Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) for $3.1 million at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Tofane has a yearling colt by Written Tycoon that has not been offered for sale, maybe if he has success on the track he can end up as a home-bred stallion for Yulong Stud. She was left empty the next season, but appears to be in foal to Extreme Choice from a September service last year which looks an extremely commercial mating.
Tofane (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Tofane’s family had been in high demand around the time she went through the ring, with her close relations Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) respectively selling for $2.7 million and $1.4 million through earlier Inglis sales.
The family is still well-regarded, with Tofane’s full sister making $700,000 to the bid of Glentree Thoroughbreds and Badgers Bloodstock at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Baggy Green herself has a yearling colt by Ocean Park (NZ), and a weanling filly by Written Tycoon, and was last season served by Alabama Express.
Coolmore love a top quality mare
Tom Magnier purchased the bonny mare Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where the Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter was knocked down for $2 million.
She has since developed into a fantastic broodmare for Coolmore Stud, with her first foal by Justify (USA), named French Empire, selling for $700,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Her filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) made $800,000 at the 2024 Gold Coast sale, and her Home Affairs filly fetched $1.05 million this year when knocked down to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Champagne Cuddles unfortunately slipped in 2024 and was subsequently exported to the United States, where she was served by Justify to Southern Hemisphere time last September.
Champagne Cuddles | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Mizzy (Zoustar), who was another purchase by Tom Magnier a year later for $2.2 million at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, she has started her broodmare career with her first foal, a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) named Mizzette, being sold for $375,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to Kingsclere Stables.
Now based in New Zealand with Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Mizzette has shown early promise, winning a trial stylishly on the Cambridge Synthetic track earlier this month. Since foaling Mizzette, Mizzy has produced a Farnan yearling filly a Snitzel weanling filly, and she was served by I Am Invincible last spring.
