Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
The catalogue for the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale has been released, with 1221 lots entered across Book 1 and Book 2, to be offered over five days of selling in January next year. Commencing on Tuesday, January 13, on the same day as the Magic Millions Barrier Draw, Book 1 will run until the Friday’s super session, with Book 2 taking place on Sunday, January 18.
“We are incredibly proud to present the catalogue for the 2026 Gold Coast Yearling Sale,” said Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch. “This sale is firmly established as the best producing auction in the country. No better example (of that) being the six Group 1 winners from the 2024 sale.
“This sale is firmly established as the best producing auction in the country.”- Barry Bowditch
“From recent legends like Winx, Imperatriz, and Alligator Blood to new pin-up performers Apocalyptic, Autumn Boy, Charm Stone, Cool Archie, Ole Dancer, and Stefi Magnetica - the Gold Coast Yearling Sale delivers year after year.”
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
From the 2024 sale has emerged the likes of G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice), a $1.4 million graduate of Kingstar Farm’s draft, G1 JJ Atkins Plate winner Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}), from the draft of Newhaven Park, and Blue Gum Farm-sold G1 Sistema Stakes winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel).
Continuing the theme
The first yearling sale on the 2026 calendar hopes to continue the string of exceptional performances in recent years from graduates, with 2025 graduates Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}), sold by Riverstone Lodge, and Incognito (Stay Inside), sold by Eureka Stud, taking out the first two juvenile stakes races of the season. The latter posted a season-high price of $1 million for his promising young sire Stay Inside when selling to the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership and Tony Fung Colts.
The same sale also provided this spring’s Listed Maribyrnong Trial winner Eurocanto (Per Incanto {USA}), sold by Evergreen Stud and G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}), sold by Rosemont Stud.
Gallery: Some of the successful graduates out of the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I think we've had a fantastic spring,” Bowditch said. “Whether it be the 2-year-old racing or the 3-year-old racing, I think the graduates out of the January sale in particular are, I would say, exceeding what any other sale in this country is delivering at this point.
“I think the graduates out of the January sale in particular are exceeding what any other sale in this country is delivering at this point.” - Barry Bowditch
“If you compare our sale to any other and look at the results for graduates, whether it be for the amount of colts going to stud, stakes-winning fillies, Group 1 winners, there’s an extraordinary number, compared the amount of horses we sell. It delivers a far better outcome than any other sale in this country.”
The 2024 sale has already produced 35 individual stakes-winning graduates, 29 of which have won at Group level. It has produced several of the spring’s headline acts, including Amarina Farm-sold G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun), triple Group-winning Coolmore graduate Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice), and recent G1 One Thousand Guineas winner Ole Dancer (Ole Kirk), offered by North Bloodstock.
Gallery: Some of the Group 1 graduates from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“While the Gold Coast is renowned for producing short course performers such as Golden Slipper winners, our graduates are stars in the Classic races - from Guineas to Derbies and Oaks.
“And let's not forget Knight's Choice - last year's Melbourne Cup winner!”
Top quality on offer
“Our team has worked hard in bringing together a catalogue packed with athletic yearlings that we think will give their buyers the ride of their life,” Bowditch said.
“Our team has worked hard in bringing together a catalogue packed with athletic yearlings that we think will give their buyers the ride of their life.” - Barry Bowditch
The 2026 catalogue features 239 lots from stakes-winning mares, including the offspring of 31 Group 1 winners - the highlights of which include the first yearling out of Snapdancer (Choisir), and the second and last foal from Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}).
In addition, there are half, three quarter, and full siblings on offer to the likes of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Manaal (Snitzel), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), Farnan, Artorius, Stay Inside, and this year’s top level stars Sepals (Calyx {GB}), Devil Night, and Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard).
A total of 122 individual sires will be represented, 14 of which will see their first yearlings go through the ring, including nine-time Group 1-winning hero Anamoe, In The Congo, State Of Rest (Ire), Sejardan, Top Ranked (Ire), Diatonic (Jpn), and the Magic Millions Gold Coast Group 1-winning graduates Hitotsu, Ellsberg, Artorius, Jacquinot, and Profondo.
The catalogue will also have a distinctly international flavour courtesy of two entrants from the first Southern Hemisphere time bred crop of six-time Group 1 Baaeed (GB), one by Siyouni (Fr), and one by Munnings (USA), amongst a number by Northern Hemisphere sires.
The place to sell
The 2025 edition of the Gold Coast sale saw new records set for the sale’s top lot when a colt by Snitzel out of multiple stakes winner Humma Humma (Denman) sold for $2.8 million to Ciaron Maher from the draft of Widden Stud. That was $100,000 clear of the previous record, only to be smashed again in the same sale when a daughter of first season sire Home Affairs and champion Sunlight (Zoustar) sold for $3.2 million to Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida from Coolmore Stud’s draft.
“There’s no doubt that, for most breeders in Australia, if their horse is ready for an early sale, they are aiming it at Magics in January,” said Bowditch. “So therefore, you're getting a great selection of the best horses from the best Australian breeders with the best pedigrees. It just works.
“You're getting a great selection of the best horses from the best Australian breeders with the best pedigrees.” - Barry Bowditch
“We're super excited, we think we've got a lot of horses this year that can provide plenty of competition at all ends of the market.”
There’s value to be had at all levels; the aforementioned Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice), winner of the G3 Winx Guineas as well as the G1 Melbourne Cup, was a $85,000 purchase for Michael Kirby and John Symons from Elswick Park at the 2021 sale. Of the 2024 Group-winning graduates, savvy buyers could have spent as low as $30,000 to secure G3 Ethereal Stakes winner Spicy Lu (Tagaloa) and $120,000 for impressive G2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Hidden Motive (Capitalist).
Gallery: Some of the value purchases from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Last year’s sale average sat at $214,633, a tick above the previous year’s average, with 1017 graduates finding new homes. A more refined catalogue in 2026, with one less day of selling for Book 2, simply condenses the quality on offer.
“It's not just about selling the big horses, it's about ensuring we have horses that facilitate all ends of the market,” Bowditch continued. “And I feel seriously confident this year's catalogue is doing that better than what we've ever done before.”
“It's about ensuring we have horses that facilitate all ends of the market ... I feel seriously confident this year's catalogue is doing that better than what we've ever done before.” - Barry Bowditch
Inspections will commence at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sales Complex on Wednesday, January 7, and will be punctuated by the Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting on the Saturday, followed by the Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping on the Sunday.
Selling commences on the Tuesday, January 13, with a break for the Magic Millions Raceday on Saturday, January 17, where over $13 million in prizemoney will be on offer.
