Daily News Wrap

Magic Millions Tasmania catalogue released

Magic Millions announced on Thursday that the catalogue for the 2026 Tasmania Yearling Sale had been released online. The 2024 catalogue has already produced three stakes winners with Yum (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Sanniya (Stratosphere), and Zany Girl (Needs Further).

“I have enjoyed working with the breeders in Tasmania who have really got behind the sale and supported it like never before,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said in a press release.

“We have a great line up of yearlings - a number of significant lots by high class stallions - buyers will be impressed.” The sale will be held on Monday, February 23 at Quercus Park on the outskirts of Launceston and includes 125 yearlings.

“The sale each and every year churns out a number of black type performers both across Tasmania and the mainland - recently the sale has done a remarkable job with a number of good winners in Hong Kong led by Bundle Award.” Bundle Award (Shamus Award) has won seven races including the G3 HKJC Queen Mother Memorial Cup and over HK$12 million (AU$2.3million). He was sold by Alva Stud for $110,000 to John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) in 2022.

James McDonald is the World’s Best Jockey again

James McDonald has won the Longines World's Best Jockey title for the second consecutive year and third time overall. The New Zealand-born, Australian-based jockey also won the Longines World's Best Jockey Award in 2022.

The awarding of the Longines World's Best Jockey title is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group and Grade 1 races as established for the year by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. The scoring incorporates races from December 1 of the previous year until November 30 of the current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second and 4 points for placing third.

McDonald held a sizeable lead throughout much of the 2025 competition, partnering the winner of no fewer than 12 of the 100 qualifying races, including the Longines Hong Kong Cup (Romantic Warrior), the Longines Hong Kong Mile (Voyage Bubble) and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Via Sistina). He finished with a total of 184 points, ahead of Mickael Barzalona with 132 points and William Buick with 114 points.

Vale Bill Gibbins

Racing Victoria were saddened to announce the death of Warrnambool philanthropist and Jericho Cup visionary Bill Gibbins on Wednesday aged 77. “Universally loved and highly respected, Bill's contribution to both racing and the community cannot be understated,” Racing Victoria CEO Aaron Morrison told punters.com.au.

Gibbins founded a transportation company that he sold to Linfox in 2006. He dedicated his time to preserving Australia’s heritage and conceptualised the idea of the Jericho Cup to immortalise the Australian Light Horse in World War I who held a race in 1918 on the eve of a battle to confuse the enemy of their intentions. He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 due to his philanthropic works, particularly his donations to Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia and Wheelchairs for Kids, as well as his services to racing. He was a Life Member, along with wife Iolanda, of the Warrnambool Racing Club.

“Thanks to Bill's vision and passion, we now run Australia's longest flat race, the Jericho Cup, a recognised and much-anticipated event on the annual racing calendar. Bill contributed over $1m of his own money to fund the first four Jericho Cups because that was exactly the type of person he was – he stood up for what he believed in.

“He was passionate about Australia and its heritage and recognised the importance of remembering our service men and women, something that I'd like to personally acknowledge and respect.”

Lucia Valentina’s final filly to debut on Friday

Trainer Kris Lees will debut 3-year-old filly Erin Jo (NZ) (I Am Invincible) on Friday at Randwick Kensington, and there’s a hint of sadness as she is the penultimate foal, and last filly, of his Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel). “Yes it makes it a little more special,” Lees told racenet.com.au.

“We'll ride her conservatively from that wide gate and see what she offers. She's got a nice future but whether that's at 1300 metres at her first start we'll have to wait and see.” Erin Jo was a $700,000 purchase by John Singleton at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from Elsdon Park.

Lucia Valentina had a colt by Per Incanto {USA}) following this filly and he’s an unnamed 2-year-old. He was sold by Elsdon Park at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $550,000 to Neville Parnham and Ridgeport. Lucia Valentina died in August 2024. Her Snitzel filly Luella Cristina won twice and placed in the G1 Levin Classic.

Blonde Star gains Devonport Cup entry

In winning the open handicap at Launceston on Wednesday night, Imogen Miller-trained Blonde Star (Starcraft {NZ}) has earned a ballot free entry into the Listed Devonport Cup on January 7. “Her first-up run was adequate, and the mile we thought suited her better. We know it was a good race, but we were really confident she’d be hard to beat,” stable representative Brendon McCoull told tasracing.com.au.

“Her form certainly now warrants going the way of the Devonport Cup. We’ve been aiming that way, and I think it’ll be a good race this year, but she’ll be one of the better chances.” Blonde Star now has seven wins from 21 starts, including three of her past four starts.

Apprentice Jabez Johnstone rode a treble on the card on In The Ocean (Foxwedge), Stars In The Night (Cardinal Virtue), and Launnie Nights (Pentire {GB}).

Group 1 half-sibling wins juvenile event at Geelong

Thursday’s meeting at Geelong was abandoned after two races due to high winds. The opening race on the card for juveniles was won by Yulong-owned 2-year-old colt Golden Pulse (NZ) (Tivaci) from two I Am Immortal fillies who filled the minor placings. They are Eternal Joy and Got Tickets. “He's always sort of been asked a bit in his jumpouts and just had a think about it,” Mark Walker’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said.

“He is a colt; he was having a real think about the fillies out the back and in the parade ring, which probably put a fair few people off. Beau (Mertens) just gave him a really nice educational (run) in behind the speed. One of the horses had a run and Hayes' are always well-drilled, so for him to put them away, it's promising.”

Golden Pulse is a half-brother to 3-year-old filly La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) who won last year’s G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes in New Zealand, and has run twice in Australia for the same stable this season. He was sold by Waikato Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $160,000 to YLP Racing.

“Thrilled to get another winner for Yulong, that's our second runner for them for a second winner,” Gleeson added. “He's got a good brain in terms of out on the track, it's just whether he can keep it together off the track. But I'm sure that (win) is going to really help him grow up and furnish.”

Dracarys juvenile wins again at Cairns

It’s early in the season for a 2-year-old to win twice, and Scott Cooper-trained 2-year-old filly Alberta Bound (Dracarys) achieved that on Thursday at Cairns. She won at the same track a fortnight ago, having placed on debut in Townsville.

The daughter of winning mare Alberta (Magic Albert) was purchased from Oakwood Farm’s Capricornia Sale for $45,000 by Leon Morton and she ticked over that in prizemoney with Thursday’s victory.

Lonhro’s day at Coffs Harbour

Lonhro sired a quartet of winners as grand-sire at Coffs Harbour on Thursday. Iron Man (Exosphere), whose sire is by Lonhro, won for trainer Stirling Osland to take his record to four wins and over $390,000. Baby Ryan (O’Lonhro), whose sire is by Lonhro, won his maiden by 2.5 lengths for trainer Brett Bellamy,

Terry Evans-trained 3-year-old gelding Mars Landing (Admire Mars {Jpn}) won his maiden, and he is out of Lonhro mare Heloise. Rounding out the quartet, John Shelton-trained Mum Knows (Pride Of Dubai) won her maiden, and she is out of Lonhro mare Kirk Ella.

Doubles for Epaulette and Invader

Epaulette sired a double at Gosford on Thursday with David Pfieffer-trained Detendu taking his record to two wins from 13 starts. Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained Still Alice made it three wins from 16 starts.

Invader had a double at Cairns with Sharlee Hoffman-trained gelding Sowito Siren who made it five wins from 16 starts. Injada made it three in succession for trainer Bodine Bailey and has a record of five wins from 29 starts.

Doubles for Crawford and Fownes at Happy Valley

Caspar Fownes moved to within three of Trainer’s Premiership leader Mark Newnham with a double at Happy Valley, while newcomer Brett Crawford also had a double. Crawford won with Ninja Derby (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Genius Baby (Too Darn Hot {GB}), and notably the pair are both out of Fastnet Rock mares. “It has obviously been really good. I couldn’t be happier – coming into a new place, new environment, obviously being given some nice support, which is key to anything,” Crawford told scmp.com.

Fownes won with Perfect General (Zoustar) and Joy Of Spring (Deep Field). “(Perfect General) has been off for a long time so it was great for him to do that first up. We certainly weren’t helped by the draw but he’s a nice horse and we just decided to push on and make our own luck,” said Fownes.

“The key now is that they pull up well – if they do then you know you’ve got a very good horse moving forward. I believe he’s got what it takes to compete in the higher classes.”

Record price for Inglis Digital USA

Brotha Keny (Mo Town) parlayed a recent stakes victory into a record-sized payday for his connections on Wednesday during the Inglis Digital USA December sale with his US$550,000 (AU$831,000) hammer price being the highest in the online auction platform's history and propelling a top overall gross of $869,250 (AU$1.3 million), the company said in a press release late on Wednesday.

The 3-year-old gelding sold to Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock, as agent for Michael and Jules Iavarone, TCC Stables and Morplay Racing. Brotha Keny entered the December sale off a victory in the Zia Park Derby just eight days earlier, swinging wide and charging down the stretch to win by a half-length for trainer William Morey and owners Lance and Steve Kinross.

“This is the type of horse you dream of owning, and they don't show up on the open market very often, so fair play goes out to Inglis Digital USA for recruiting him,” David Meah said. “He's been a model of consistency this year ever since he got back on the dirt. Numbers don't lie, and his are trending in a very positive direction.”

220,000gns Desert Spring tops final day at Tattersalls

After Tuesday's blockbuster session, this was a lower-key ending to the December Mares Sale, which this year has been abbreviated to three days. Presumably the rise of the online sales has accounted for some of the mares who would previously have been catalogued for what used to be the final session on Thursday. With or without online sales, numbers will almost certainly, for now at least, continue to contract – for mares in production and inevitably the number of foals born across Europe.

The leading lady proved to be Denford Stud's 91-rated Desert Spring (lot 1086), who will leave the Gosdens' stable to continue her training in France with Mario Barrati. Alex Elliott was the agent in the hotseat, and bought her on behalf of a partnership for 220,000gns (AU$466,000).

“She ran in a stakes race last time, she is a winner, and bits have happened since she was catalogued,” he said. “We will try to make her a stakes winner and bring her back to the market then.”

Against last year's record-breaking trade, this year’s Day 3 had a 47% decline to 2,437,100gns (AU$5.1 million) in turnover. The clearance rate dropped to 78% from 89% last year, and the 10,000gns (AU$21,200) median and 15,622gns (AU$33,000) average represented reductions of 38% and 37% respectively.

“In recent weeks at Tattersalls we have enjoyed record-breaking yearling sales, sustained demand for horses in training and December Foal and Breeding Stock sales which have produced figures second only to the extraordinary 2024 renewals which broke all records. On the face of it, we have a strong market with British and Irish breeders being well rewarded for consistently bringing some of the finest bloodstock to be found anywhere in the world to Park Paddocks, but this hard-earned success comes in spite of rather than because of government support of a genuine British success story.”

For the mares overall, however, the average for the three days was up by 13% to 140,661gns (AU$299,000) and the median rose by 7% to 40,500gns (AU$64,700), while the aggregate of 82,337,515gns (AU$174.5 million) was down by 2%.

The eight days which constituted the December Sale as a whole – from yearlings through to foals then breeding stock – saw turnover of 128,183,700gns (AU$271.5 million) (-5%), with 1,364 horses sold at a fractionally improved average of 92,925gns (AU$197,000) and a median of 35,000gns (AU$74,000) (+9%).

Mahony continued, “Overseas buyers have always been drawn to Tattersalls by the cream of British and Irish bloodstock and we work tirelessly to promote our sales internationally, but domestically the industry continues to be buffeted by external political forces which make it uncomfortably reliant on overseas investment and participation.

“Just as we court overseas buyers, domestic involvement needs to be nurtured and encouraged in order for the industry to thrive in the long term and the current direction of political travel in this country is a cause for concern. The rural economy is clearly not a priority at present and the two budgets under the current Labour government have increased taxation and business costs in every sector of society.

“While government has accepted the racing industry's case with respect to betting duty, the wider industry dynamics remain perilously uncertain. We are fortunate that the lure of Newmarket as the Headquarters of European racing continues to resonate globally, but we must also work to ensure that government does not allow the status of a globally admired industry to be eroded through neglect.”

John O’Kelly finishes up as Tattersalls auctioneer

Widely regarded as one of the most gifted and entertaining auctioneers in the business, John O'Kelly brought the curtain down on his time on the rostrum at Tattersalls during the Sceptre Sessions on Tuesday evening.

Speaking ahead of that momentous night, O'Kelly commented, “I am stepping down from the rostrum at Tattersalls, I am not retiring as an auctioneer. There will hopefully be opportunities that present themselves and we will go forward from there.

“I have always told my kids to find out what they want to do in life and then find someone who is prepared to pay you to do it. I have had a job that is not a job, it's a way of life. You get up every morning with a smile on your face. You are selling horses and you're selling dreams. It really is dream stuff. The sales ring here at Tattersalls is magnificent.”

He added, “I started here in December 1993. I worked at Goffs from 1980 until 1990 and then between 1990 and 1993 I was freelance. It was in 1993 when Tattersalls asked me to come on board. I have been associated with the company so long that it's very easy to say, 'oh, poor me, I'm not selling here anymore, I'll go elsewhere.' But really, it's a good firm. But it's a tough one having to stop auctioneering. They've asked me to stay on to inspect yearlings and be an ambassador.”

It is Tattersalls policy that auctioneers do not continue beyond their 65th year. By that metric, the company's chairman Edmond Mahony, will also bid adieu to the rostrum this week.

“I'm maturing like an old wine! People become presidents of countries much older than 65 but I can understand why this policy is in place at Tattersalls. But listen, it was discussed. I put my argument forward but ultimately it was the board's call. I'd love to carry on, as I'm doing with a heavy heart, but I fully appreciate their policy and I wish them the best in the world. I'll still miss it.”

Share in Siyouni available on Tattersalls Online

A share in Siyouni headlines the catalogue for the Tattersalls Online December Sale, which takes place on December 10-11. A total of 126 lots will be offered, including 55 horses in and out of training, 20 foals, 19 broodmares, 18 yearlings, six breeding rights, four stores, two point-to-pointers and two stallion shares.

Aga Khan Studs homebred Siyouni is the sire of 46 Group winners to date, including the multiple top-level scorers Laurens, Paddington, Sottsass and St Mark's Basilica. The Haras de Bonneval resident will stand at a fee of €150,000 (AU$265,000) in 2026. The shareholder will receive one nomination to the stallion in 2026, two nominations in 2027 and in every other year thereafter.

Also on offer is a breeding right to Darley's exciting young stallion Palace Pier, the sire of this year's G2 Lowther Stakes heroine Royal Fixation from his first crop of 2-year-olds. Other stallion investment opportunities include breeding rights to A'Ali, El Caballo, Lope Y Fernandez, Sergei Prokofiev and Space Blues, as well as a share in Yeomanstown Stud's Supremacy.