Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
At A Glance:
Clearance improved significantly to 85.35% (78%) for Book 2, and the aggregate increased to $6,374,500, ahead of 2025 ($4,849,500) and 2024 ($5.8 million). 133 horses sold this year compared to 121 in 2025.
The average lifted to $47,571 ($40,078), while the median lifted in 2026 to $35,000 ($30,000).
Top Buyers: Parnham Racing Stables who spent $657,000 across 10 lots.
Top Vendors: Darling View Thoroughbreds heads the vendors by aggregate, selling 12 yearlings for $817,000. By average (two or more sold), Mungrup Pty Ltd ended on $79,375 for eight yearlings.
Top Sire: Playing God led the stallions by gross with $1,685,000 from 19 lots, and also topped the averages (two or more sold) at $88,684 across 19 lots sold.
1. Gingerbread Man colt worth a few oysters for Fernie
With metrics rising across the board in a buoyant Book 2 on Friday, it was a colt by Yarradale Stud’s Gingerbread Man who came out on top amongst 16 lots selling for six figures. It was a significant jump up from last year’s Book 2, where only nine lots sold for $100,000 or more.
Offered by Yarradale Stud, the colt is the fifth foal from winning Ad Valorem (USA) mare Lady Valorem, who has already produced seven-time winner Red Fifty Three (Gingerbread Man). The gelding earned over $450,000 for connections, including trainers Grant and Alana Williams, and performed multiple times at stakes level including running fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy.
Further back in the family is G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Stevie Wonderboy (USA) and Grade II-winning US$1.7 million ($2.41 million) earner Somelikeithotbrown (USA) (Big Brown {USA}).
Lot 207 - Gingerbread Man x Lady Valorem colt | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Peter and Luke Fernie emerged victorious from the bidding duel on this occasion, laying down $190,000 for the chestnut colt, exceeding last year’s Book 2 top price by $5000. Luke Fernie admitted it was stretching their budget a little, but he was happy to go the distance for this colt in particular.
“I owed the breeder’s daughter some oysters from 12 months ago and I have never met a 7-year-old who likes oysters, so I thought I better spend $190,000 on one of their horses to keep her happy!,” he quipped.
"I owed the breeder’s daughter some oysters from 12 months ago ... so I thought I better spend $190,000 on one of their horses to keep her happy!" - Luke Fernie
“He just really stood out to us. There were a couple of lots yesterday that we went to big money on and then pulled out because we had this guy in mind. We also know that the breed doesn't often sell for the amount that he did, but when you look at a horse that has everything in the right spots and they vet out clean, you're never going to have an easy job on your hands to buy them at the same time.
Luke Fernie | Image courtesy of Racing WA
“They had $70,000 on him as a reserve and he obviously well exceeded that. The people underbidding me are good judges and they've also bought a lot of good horses in their time, so I'm pretty happy that there was the right people on the job. It probably stretched my budget, but at the same time, I'm happy that I stretched it to make it for him.”
2. Playing God and Lightsaber reign supreme
Western Australia’s reigning Champion Sire Playing God was yet again at the forefront of bidding at the Swan Valley complex on Friday, with 19 lots averaging just shy of $90,000, which is the same as the whole catalogue average for Book 1 in 2025. Of the 16 lots to sell for $100,000 or more in Book 2, eight of them were by the Darling View Thoroughbreds resident.
His top lot was joint second for most expensive in Book 2; selling for $180,000, Lot 237 is a full brother to city winner Nickelplay and juvenile city performer Guarantor. Offered by Darling View Thoroughbreds, the colt went the way of trainer Daniel Morton.
Lot 237 - Playing God x Nickel Queen colt | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Like all the trainers, we do a lot of homework, and the ones that we take home are the ones that we love,” said Morton. “You have to love them to want to take them home and justify spending big money on them. We look at (the yearlings) a lot of times - by the time I make my shortlist, I have probably seen them six times. It’s not an exact science, but you try to stack the numbers in your favour and hope that you get a good one.”
"We do a lot of homework, and the ones that we take home are the ones that we love." - Daniel Morton
Morton walked away from the sale with 10 lots, six of which were bought from Book 2, for a total spend of $1.06 million - four of his purchases were by Playing God.
Mitch Pateman secured one of Playing God’s six-figure Book 2 lots when outlaying $140,000 for Lot 222 out of Measured Response (So You Think {NZ}), a half-sister to Group-performed Listed winner Vezalay (Shamardal {USA}).
“She was one of the main ones we wanted,” Pateman said. Pateman had had a hand in the training of the filly’s full brother Beyond Measure and saw the same ability in the filly on Friday. “We were pretty excited to try and get her, and we are glad that we did.”
Lot 222 - Playing God x Measured Response filly | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Fellow Darling View resident Lightsaber came out on top amongst the first crop sires with his first yearlings to step into the ring, and the hunger for them continued in Book 2, where he had three sell for $100,000 or more - making him second only to Playing God by number of six-figure lots.
His Book 2 offerings amassed $708,000 for 14 sold, making him again second only to Playing God by aggregate, and averaged $50,571, helping him to top the first season sire selections. His average was almost the same as Book 1, where nine of his offspring averaged $53,056 with a top price of $160,000.
Lightsaber’s top lot on Friday was Lot 261 out of Listed Geelong Classic fourth Reliable Dame (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), from the close family of Listed WATC Jungle Classic victress Rose Of Choice (Choisir). The filly went to the bid of Millfields Park and Vernon Brockman, who secured her for $170,000, making her the top priced filly on Friday.
Lot 261 - Lightsaber x Reliable Dame (NZ) filly | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
3. Magic Millions WA 2YO winning connections snap up Zousain colt
The connections behind the last two winners of the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic were on deck for Book 2 of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale on Friday, and they weren’t leaving without Lot 198 from Mungrup’s draft.
The son of Zousain is the third living foal from Konditori (Oratorio {USA}), making him a half to three-time winner Red Tori (Playing God) and from the family of G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Sakana.
Lot 198 - Zousain x Konditori colt | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wally Daly’s Yenrise Pty Ltd signed the docket for the colt to the tune of $180,000, which is a touch more than Daly paid for this year’s 2YO Classic winner Maria Lucia (Rommel) or what Maureen Daly signed for 2025’s winner Do I Feel Lucky (Dirty Work), who cost $105,000 and $100,000 respectively.
Both were bought at the same venue from the draft of Mogumber Park, whose owners Colin Brown and Fiona Lacey bred the pair, and are trained by Sean and Jake Casey.
4. Records tumble in huge Book 2 at Perth
Friday was an “outstanding day” for Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch and the Magic Millions team, and with good reason too.
“It was a record sale for Book 2,” Bowditch said, referencing an increase in gross of nearly $1.5 million from last year’s Book 2 sale and increases in metrics across the board. “It was a very healthy average of $47,000 and a clearance rate that was exceptional around 85%.
“To be able to sell 16 horses for $100,000 or more was an outstanding effort. There was a great appetite for the quality horses here today.”
"There was a great appetite for the quality horses here today." - Barry Bowditch
The strong selling on Friday contributed to a total sale gross of over $21.4 million, with a cumulative clearance rate above 86%.
“The depth of the market right through the sale, in particular the local market, which picked up some 122 horses today,” said Bowditch. “All in all, it’s been a great two days. I have to congratulate the breeders here in the west. They’ve allowed us to sell great product on their behalf.
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“So many here now investing in better broodmares and stallions are reaping the rewards and that’s been reflected here in the market. It’s been a record sale. Well in excess of $21 million and we’re thrilled to be able to achieve that on behalf of the industry here in Western Australia.
"So many here now investing in better broodmares and stallions are reaping the rewards and that’s been reflected here in the market." - Barry Bowditch
“We look to continue to build on these results and to see the breeding industry remain vibrant and successful.”
Attention now turns to the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, which takes place on Monday.
Top Lots
| 207 | Gingerbread Man | Lady Valorem | Yarradale Stud | C | Peter & Luke Fernie | $ 190,000 |
| 198 | Zousain | Konditori | Mungrup Stud | C | Yenrise Pty Ltd | $ 180,000 |
| 237 | Playing God | Nickel Queen | Darling View Thoroughbreds | C | Morton Racing | $ 180,000 |
| 261 | Lightsaber | Reliable Dame (NZ) | Mungrup Stud | F | Millfields Park/Vernon Brockman | $ 170,000 |
| 195 | Playing God | Just Jessie | Darling View Thoroughbreds | C | Vahala Racing/SM & KB Bloodstock | $ 160,000 |
| 258 | Playing God | Rapitorio | Willaview Park | C | Parnham Racing Stables | $ 160,000 |
| 222 | Playing God | Measured Response | Gervase Park Stud\ | F | Mitchell Pateman Racing | $ 140,000 |
| 283 | Lightsaber | Strike for Victory | Kingsgrove Stud | C | Jason Miller Racing | $ 120,000 |
| 317 | Playing God | Awesome Rival | J Farms | C | Morton Racing | $ 120,000 |
| 216 | Splintex | Magnalux | Einoncliff Park | C | Patrick Payne | $ 110,000 |
Buyers by gross
| Parnham Racing Stables | 10 | $65,700 | $657,000 |
| Morton Racing | 6 | $90,000 | $540,000 |
| Peter & Luke Fernie | 4 | $91,875 | $367,500 |
| Bridge Patrol Lodge Pty Ltd | 3 | $71,667 | $215,000 |
| Commercial Bloodstock Services P/L (FBAA) | 4 | $53,750 | $215,000 |
| Jason Miller Racing | 2 | $95,000 | $190,000 |
| Vahala Racing/SM & KB Bloodstock | 2 | $95,000 | $190,000 |
| Tom Wolfe | 3 | $62,500 | $187,500 |
| Mitchell Pateman Racing | 2 | $93,000 | $186,000 |
| Yenrise Pty Ltd | 1 | $180,000 | $180,000 |
Buyer by average (2 or more bought)
| Jason Miller Racing | 2 | $95,000 | $190,000 |
| Vahala Racing/SM & KB Bloodstock | 2 | $95,000 | $190,000 |
| Mitchell Pateman Racing | 2 | $93,000 | $186,000 |
| Peter & Luke Fernie | 4 | $91,875 | $367,500 |
| Morton Racing | 6 | $90,000 | $540,000 |
| Bridge Patrol Lodge Pty Ltd | 3 | $71,667 | $215,000 |
| Parnham Racing Stables | 10 | $65,700 | $657,000 |
| Patrick Payne | 2 | $63,000 | $126,000 |
| Tom Wolfe | 3 | $62,500 | $187,500 |
| Millfields Park | 2 | $56,000 | $112,000 |
Vendors by gross
| Darling View Thoroughbreds | 12 | 1 | $68,083 | $817,000 |
| Mungrup Pty Ltd | 8 | 0 | $79,375 | $635,000 |
| Yarradale Stud | 7 | 0 | $71,429 | $500,000 |
| Willaview Park | 6 | 0 | $76,833 | $461,000 |
| Mogumber Park | 9 | 1 | $45,444 | $409,000 |
| Einoncliff Park | 5 | 2 | $78,000 | $390,000 |
| Greenfields Lodge | 5 | 0 | $69,000 | $345,000 |
| Gervase Park Stud | 7 | 0 | $40,929 | $286,500 |
| J Farms | 4 | 1 | $68,750 | $275,000 |
| Scenic Lodge | 8 | 0 | $32,938 | $263,500 |
Vendors by average (2 or more sold)
| Mungrup Pty Ltd | 8 | 0 | $79,375 | $635,000 |
| Einoncliff Park | 5 | 2 | $78,000 | $390,000 |
| Willaview Park | 6 | 0 | $76,833 | $461,000 |
| Yarradale Stud | 7 | 0 | $71,429 | $500,000 |
| Greenfields Lodge | 5 | 0 | $69,000 | $345,000 |
| J Farms | 4 | 1 | $68,750 | $275,000 |
| Darling View Thoroughbreds | 12 | 1 | $68,083 | $817,000 |
| Ridgeport Holdings | 3 | 2 | $61,667 | $185,000 |
| Kingsgrove Stud | 3 | 0 | $56,500 | $169,500 |
| Clare Downs Stud | 2 | 3 | $56,000 | $112,000 |
