Market hungry for Peters Investments mares on Magic Millions Digital

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

Twilight Tale tops digital sale for Peters Investments

The draft from leading Western Australian breeder and owner Bob Peters’ Peters Investments provided the top lot for the first Magic Millions Digital sale of the year, when twice Listed-placed Twilight Tale (Savabeel) sold to Go Racing and Blandford Bloodstock for $115,000 on Wednesday.

The 4-year-old won both of her first starts in early 2025 before scoring placings in the Listed WATC One Thousand Guineas and the Listed Natasha Stakes, then rounded out her first preparation with a fifth in the G3 West Australian Oaks.

What likely turns bidders’ heads the most is her pedigree; Twilight Tale is out of talented racefilly Dreamaway (More Than Ready {USA}), who beat leading West Australian sire Playing God when winning the G1 Western Australian Derby, during a preparation where she won five stakes races in a row. Dreamaway is a three-quarter-sister in blood to Celebrity Miss (More Than Ready {USA}), the stakes-winning dam of G1 Oakleigh Plate victress Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice).

“We found the platform very easy to use," said Go Racing's Albert Bosma upon the completion of the sale. "We actually had two of us watching the bidding on separate devices as it was closing and were amazed how responsive it was, even though we were bidding from rural New Zealand.

“The quality of the horses on offer demanded that we had to take the sale seriously.”

“Recently we've been doing our best to reduce numbers with so many young horses coming through, so sometimes these well-bred and performed mares are the ones that put their hands up to be moved on,” noted Liam Peters, bloodstock agent and grandson of Peters himself.

Bob Peters recently celebrated another homebred Group 1 victory over the Perth racing carnival when Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) won the G1 Northerly Stakes.

Davidson Racing snap up well-related Regal Statue

Another Peters Investment mare was the second top lot in this week’s Magic Millions Sale; 6-year-old race mare Regal Statue (Nicconi) made $90,000 to the bid of Davidson Racing in Queensland.

The daughter and last foal of multiple Group winner Avenida Madero (Metal Storm) can boast three stakes-winning siblings, including her full sister G1 Winterbottom Stakes winner Graceful Girl (Nicconi) and G2 Western Australian Derby victor Respondent (Haradasun).

Widden Stud will offer Graceful Girl's first foal, a filly by Zoustar, as Lot 330 in the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“It was great to see them get good results in the sale and we wish all their connections the best of luck," Liam Peters added. "We will be definitely keeping an eye on their careers going forward."

All 10 of Avenida Madero’s foals to reach the track have been winners, and Regal Statue herself has been a winner of three to date, and was beaten just three lengths in the Listed Jungle Mist Classic in November.

Peters Investments also provided the fifth top lot for the sale when Astro World (Pierro), a winning daughter of Listed WATC One Thousand Guineas victress Awaken (Dream Ahead {USA}), sold for $42,500 to Allan Carver. A granddaughter of G2 Western Australian Oaks winner Fatal Attraction (Zabeel {NZ}), Astro World is also from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Typhoon Tracy (Red Ranson {USA}) and sire Danasinga.

Quietly Arrogant purchased by Litt

Last season’s G2 Skyline Stakes runner-up Quietly Arrogant (Capitalist) rounded out the top three lots in the digital sale, selling to Litt Racing for $65,000.

A $400,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate of Newgate Farm when purchased by the China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock, and Trilogy colts partnership, he was placed in the care of Peter Snowden, whose son Paul trained Quietly Arrogant's father to G1 Golden Slipper Stakes glory.

Quietly Arrogant won the $150,000 Sunshine Coast Gold Nugget at his second start and returned in the autumn for his Group 2 third. He did not appear in the spring and was gelded ahead of a summer return, before being entered in the sale.

The colts partnership also parted with 3-year-old colt Lyon (Zoustar), son of Solar Charged (Charge Forward), which makes him a full brother to champion mare Sunlight and stakes winners Sisstar and Clean Energy. An $850,000 purchase at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the colt has only trialled for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, with the stable indicating he may appreciate being gelded. Shaky Bloodstock secured him for $60,000.

There was further strong interest in the Arrowfield Training Centre’s five-time winner Rematch (Real Impact {Jpn}), who sold for $32,500, and Star Thoroughbreds’ four-time winner Mannerheim (Dundeel {NZ}), who sold for $22,500.

"The results of the sale were great," Star Thoroughbreds’ Denise Martin said. "We are very thankful of Bryce (Bevan) and his team for such a smooth process and positive outcome."

“As soon as entries closed, the entire bloodstock team worked hard canvassing buyers for this sale, and this work was reflected with who participated not only from across Australia but multiple countries,” Magic Millions Head of Digital Bryce Bevan said.

“From this point forward, we are running auctions on a fortnightly basis and the whole team is determined to carry this momentum forward for the rest of the year.”

Attention now turns to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for the next 10 days, but entries open on Thursday for the next Magic Millions Digital Sale, which will run from January 23 to 28.