Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Cynics are often heard talking in this game about how spending at the top end is at best a frivolous exercise done by the mega-rich without the results to show for it. They’d be wrong.
Sure, like all horses, the cohort of seven figure yearlings has it’s failures, but when you look at the group compared to the general population, they outperform - with 48 black type horses since 2020.
And no more so than the 2024 cohort who have just turned three.
In 2025, there were 42 yearlings who sold for $1 million or more across Australia and New Zealand. This compares to 41 individuals sold in 2024, and 48 sold in 2023.
The outstanding precocious results of the 2024 group
The last three collections of seven figure yearlings have included at least one Group 1 winner, with Schwarz selling in 2022, and Switzerland selling in 2023. There’s a good case to be made that the 2024 group of million dollar plus yearlings has the potential to be the best one yet with two Group 1 winning juvenile colts among them.
Gallery: Group 1 winners who were seven figure yearlings.
From 41 horses, 39 have been named, and 24 of them raced at two. That’s 58%, when across all the foals born in Australia that seasons, only 19% have raced at two.
Given that investors at this end of the market are hoping to buy a long term breeding prospect, such as a stallion, the 2024 graduating class of millionaires has already achieved this. Twice. In fact, it was almost thrice!
Return To Conquer
Snitzel’s Return To Conquer has all the credentials of a ready-made stallion. He’s an unbeaten Group 1-winning juvenile. Sold by Blue Gum Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $1.3 million to Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis, the 3-year-old colt is currently in their Cranbourne stable. He is the second foal of Vaujany (Lonhro) an unraced full sister to Group 2 winner Ghisoni, dam of Listed winner Renosu (Exceed And Excel).
“He’s in Melbourne, and he’s getting ready to trial in a couple of weeks. The goal is the Coolmore and races like that,” said Ellis. When asked how he thought the New Zealand juvenile form would stack up against the Australians, Ellis laughed. “It stacked up well with Imperatriz.”
Return To Conquer | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
In 2025, Ellis purchased a Snitzel colt from Glenlogan Park’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft for $1 million, and he’s already been named Gold Chalice. “He’s coming along really well and I couldn’t be happier with him.” The just-turned 2-year-old colt is out of Harlow Gold (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who is a Group 1-placed full sister to Listed winner Diwali (NZ) and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Weissmuller (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) and Listed winner Travolta (NZ) (Handsome Ransom).
Devil Night’s impressive exploits
Winning the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes put Devil Night (Extreme Choice) in headlines and secured his position at stud. Purchased by Highway Farm for $1.4 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Kingstar Farm, Devil Night races in the Yulong colours.
“He’s being aimed at the San Domenico, and is due to trial next week. Once through that, we’ll have an idea on where to go with him next. Maybe the Golden Rose, or onwards to the Coolmore in November, but that’s a long way off. He’s unlikely to do a lot of racing if that’s the pathway, and it’ll just be managing him to get there,” said Yulong’s Sam Fairgray.
Devil Night | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The son of Extreme Choice had three starts at two, placing in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g) on debut, winning the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes and running fifth in the G1 Golden Slipper. With earnings already just over his purchase price, everything from here is upside for Yulong.
Devil Night is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Our Playboy (Sebring) and is out of unraced Mischief Night (Shamardal {USA}) who is a half-sister to Yulong’s successful sire Pierata and Group 3 winner Ashokan (More Than Ready {USA}).
Wodeton leads the rest
G1 Golden Slipper placed colt Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) leads the group of the others from the 2024 graduating class who have already shown their racing class at this early stage. The group also includes Listed winning filly Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible), Group 3-placed colt Farcited (Farnan) and Listed placed Boa Vista (Snitzel).
Wodeton | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Incredibly, Wodeton went within a whisker of being the third Group 1 winning colt from this cohort, running second in the G1 Golden Slipper to Marhoona (Snitzel) by 0.14l. Purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $1.6 million from Segenhoe Stud, the 3-year-old colt was a winner on debut in January, then placed in the G2 Silver Slipper, G2 Todman Stakes, G1 Golden Slipper and was fourth in the G1 Sires’ Produce.
The 2025 cohort of seven figure yearlings
With such lofty achievements from the 2024 cohort, who have only just turned three and have plenty of racing ahead of them, what about this year’s group of 2-year-olds?
There were 42 yearlings who sold for $1 million or more in 2025, headlined by the Home Affairs filly from Group 1 winner Sunlight (Zoustar) who topped the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when bought by Mitsu Nakauchida for $3.2 million. She was exported to Japan in February 2025, only a couple of weeks after the sale, and it was announced recently that she’s been named Lia La La. The name reportedly refers to the Hawaiian word for sunshine.
Lia La La as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Lia La La is one of seven from the group who don’t have a nomination for the G1 Golden Slipper of 2026, another being the $1.4 million I Am Invincible filly from Group 1 winner Pippie (Written Tycoon) who has also been exported to Japan.
The other five with names including Gold Chalice, who we covered earlier in this piece, and $2.3 million filly Secrets Within (I Am Invincible) who is being trained by John Sargent for Laguna Racing. The daughter of Group 3 winner Eloping (Choisir) is a full sister to Group 1 winner In Secret.
Moscatel (Snitzel) was purchased by Resolute Racing, Kestrel Bloodstock, and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for $1.6 million. She is out of Group 2 winner Sweet Sherry (Bel Esprit) making her a half-sister to G2 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Eneeza (Exceed And Excel).
Moscatel as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster went to $1.2 million for Rocket Girl (I Am Invincible) and she is being raced by Mr E Ritchie. She is a daughter of Group 3 winner Missile Mantra (Smart Missile).
Queen’s English (Snitzel) was purchased by Hilldene Farm and James Bester Bloodstock, and she is going to be trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman. A $1 million purchase, she is out of Group 1 winner English (Encosta De Lago).
