Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
At A Glance:
Clearance for Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale improved to 85% (81%), while the aggregate decreased to $34,154,500, down from 2025 ($47.5 million) and 2024 ($51.7 million). There were 177 horses catalogued on the first day (down from 204 in 2025), including supplementary entries and four stallion shares.
The average was down at $249,303 ($363,164), while the median decreased in 2026 to $110,000 ($160,000).
In 2026, seven lots sold for $1 million or more, down from 14 last year and from nine in 2024.
The top lot at $2.8 million was Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) who was bought by Yulong’s Devil Night Syndicate.
Top Buyers: Katsumi Yoshida was the day’s top buyer by gross, spending $3.4 million on three mares. He was also the leading buyer by average with the three mares averaging $1.13 million.
Top Vendors: Newgate Consignment headed the vendors by aggregate, selling 17 lots for $7.065 million. By average (two or more sold), Yarraman Park Stud finished the day with six lots sold for an average of $811,667.
Top Sire: Snitzel led the stallions by gross with $3.4 million from six lots. Proisir topped the averages chart with two sold at an average of $1.43 million.
Decades-long friendship rewarded with $2.8 million for Legarto
It was an emotional parting for the connections of five-time Group 1 winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) within the first half an hour of the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, but the New Zealand Champion 3YO Filly rewarded them one final time when being knocked down to the Devil Night Syndicate for $2.8 million.
It was an exceptional high water mark for vendor Attunga Stud, whose previous top price at the Gold Coast’s breeding stock sale was $1 million achieved by Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel) in 2019 when selling to Tom Magnier and James Bester Bloodstock. It means all the more to Attunga’s proprietor Brian Nutt to have achieved the figure for a close friend.
Legarto (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We were just so delighted to have the privilege to sell a mare like Legarto,” said Nutt. “(Legarto’s owner) Philip Brown and I go a long way back, back to the late 80s and 90s when I worked for Wrightson Bloodstock. So when I heard that she was entered in the sale, I gave him a call to see if he would let us present her.
“To have a mare like that (Legarto) in your draft was something that doesn't happen very often.” - Brian Nutt
“To have a mare like that in your draft was something that doesn't happen very often. It was a great price for her, it was right up at the very high end of our expectations, so Philip and his partners were delighted with it.”
Legarto, offered as Lot 408, was the first of their 10 race fillies and mares through the ring on Tuesday, and, 20 lots later, the second - R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic victress O’Ole (Ole Kirk) - continued the excitement, selling for $1.5 million to Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida. Nutt had presented the filly on behalf of Bjorn Baker, with whom the farm has also forged a strong relationship with.
O’Ole | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“She was a lovely type, and a very precocious 2-year-old,” he said of O’Ole. “Like Legarto, she had a great temperament. She was a very good physical specimen and we were hoping that she might be a seven-figure filly, and that she was, so once again we were very happy to have her in our draft.
“A big thank you to Bjorn Baker, who's been a great supporter of Attunga Stud over the years, and in a day and age when trainers often have their own draft of race fillies, Bjorn's always provided Attunga with some quality race fillies to sell.”
“In a day and age when trainers often have their own draft of race fillies, Bjorn (Baker)'s always provided Attunga with some quality race fillies to sell.” - Brian Nutt
Brian Nutt | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Baker’s relationship with the stud had also been well rewarded on Sunday at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, where Attunga Stud sold the first foal out of Baker-trained dual Group 3 winner Renaissance Woman (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), who spelled at the stud all throughout her career. The I Am Invincible colt sold to Fernrigg Farm for $400,000.
“Renaissance Woman was purchased by my brother-in-law, and Bjorn trained her, and kept her to breed on with,” Nutt said. “We mated her to I Am Invincible on a foal share with Yarraman Park Stud. Being the only I Am Invincible in the sale on Sunday, he certainly generated a lot of interest and sold very well.”
At the final fall of the hammer on Tuesday, the operation had sold seven lots for a combined $5.01 million.
Top Lots
| 408 | Legarto (NZ) | Proisir | Devil Night Syndicate | Attunga Stud | $2,800,000 |
| 454 | Snitzanova | Snitzel | Private Harry Syndicate | Ciaron Maher Racing | $1,800,000 |
| 465 | Stretan Angel | Harry Angel (Ire) | Arrowfield Stud | Yarraman Park Stud | $1,600,000 |
| 411 | Lilac | Justify (USA) | Katsumi Yoshida | Yarraman Park Stud | $1,500,000 |
| 428 | O' Ole | Ole Kirk | Katsumi Yoshida | Attunga Stud | $1,500,000 |
| 503 | Captured by Love | Written Tycoon | Sheng Geng | Newgate Consignment | $1,500,000 |
| 420 | Memo | Capitalist | David Redvers Bloodstock/Widden Stud | Newgate Consignment | $1,100,000 |
| 541 | Bellazaine | Zousain | Newgate Bloodstock/Scone Bloodstock Services | Newgate Consignment | $900,000 |
| 423 | Miss Celine | Magnus | David Redvers Bloodstock/Widden Stud | Vinery Stud | $800,000 |
| 440 | Quintessa (NZ) | Shamus Award | Sheng Geng | Newgate Consignment | $800,000 |
Te Akau trio light up Gold Coast ring
Te Akau Racing parted with three of their top race fillies on the first day of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, through the draft of Newgate Consignment.
“We’re delighted with how they sold,” said Newgate’s Henry Field. “They sold very well, they are all beautiful mares and they have all gone to great homes.”
G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas victress Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), who hails from the family of Savabeel’s talented trio of Savvy Nature (NZ), Addictive Nature (NZ), and Essentric Nature (NZ), was the star of the show when she entered the ring as Lot 503.
Captured By Love | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The winning bid was delivered by China’s Sheng Geng for $1.5 million. The same buyer featured prominently at Sunday’s weanling sale, purchasing the only Extreme Choice weanling offered at the venue for $480,000.
It was a full circle moment for the mare; Te Akau Racing Director David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) had purchased her as a yearling for $525,000 in the same Gold Coast ring, where she was offered by Milburn Creek in 2023.
“You always know when you are selling a Te Akau mare that they are going to be a very good sort, and she (Captured By Love) was no different.” - Henry Field
Henry Field | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“There was a lot of competition for Captured By Love,” Field said. “She was a typical David Ellis style of yearling, just a very, very attractive animal who went on to be a Group 1 winner. You always know when you are selling a Te Akau mare that they are going to be a very good sort, and she was no different.”
Earlier in the day, dual Group 1 winner Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) - offered as Lot 440 and touted as one of the highest rated racemares in the sale - was also knocked down to Sheng Geng for $800,000.
“I’m very happy with the price level she (Quintessa) reached,” said Ellis. “I think she’ll be a really good broodmare, and I can’t wait to see her yearlings at the sale.”
Quintessa (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“I think she (Quintessa) will be a really good broodmare, and I can’t wait to see her yearlings at the sale.” - David Ellis
Rich Hill Stud swooped on My Lips Are Sealed (NZ), a Group 3-winning daughter of their flagship sire Ace High from the immediate family of multiple Group 2 winner and notable producer Only Words (End Sweep {USA}) and 10-time winner, multiple Group-winning Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard). Offered as Lot 426, she was knocked down to the stud for $180,000.
My Lips Are Sealed (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The trio assisted in Newgate Consignment finishing the first day of trade as the leading vendors by aggregate, having achieved 100% clearance across the 17 mares offered, for a total a touch over $7 million.
“It was a great day of trade,” Field said. “We sold every mare we offered, and there was ferocious competition across all levels, so we couldn’t be more pleased with how the sale has gone so far. We have a phenomenal draft of mares in foal to offer tomorrow (Wednesday), so I feel like the sale is going to finish up very well for the team.”
Top Vendors by Aggregate
| Newgate Consignment | 17 | 0 | $7,065,000 | $415,588 | $1,500,000 |
| Attunga Stud | 7 | 3 | $5,010,000 | $715,714 | $2,800,000 |
| Yarraman Park Stud | 6 | 1 | $4,870,000 | $811,667 | $1,600,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Racing | 12 | 4 | $4,189,000 | $349,083 | $1,800,000 |
| Newington Farm Premium Consignment | 18 | 2 | $2,585,000 | $143,611 | $425,000 |
| Vinery Stud | 6 | 1 | $2,010,000 | $335,000 | $800,000 |
| Widden Stud | 7 | 0 | $1,347,500 | $192,500 | $575,000 |
| Eureka Stud | 6 | 0 | $1,282,500 | $213,750 | $750,000 |
| Baystone Farm | 11 | 3 | $1,109,500 | $100,864 | $360,000 |
| A Shareholder | 1 | 0 | $735,000 | $735,000 | $735,000 |
‘Young, sexy mares’ set for Zoustar
Widden Stud and David Redvers struck twice early in the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale to add two fast fillies to their broodmare band, both destined for dates with Champion Sire Zoustar in the near future.
The partnership went to $1.1 million to secure Lot 420, Memo (Capitalist) from the draft of Newgate Consignment, and struck again three lots later to secure Miss Celine (Magnus), offered by Vinery Stud, for $800,000.
Memo | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“This is in our wheelhouse,” said Widden’s Antony Thompson after the purchase of Memo, the multiple juvenile stakes-performed winner of the G3 Magic Night Stakes. “When I saw Memo, she reminded me of Humma Humma and that gave us some confidence with the success we’ve had with her.”
“When I saw Memo, she reminded me of Humma Humma and that gave us some confidence.” - Antony Thompson
It’s a good wrap to give a mare, particularly after Humma Humma (Denman) produced the winner of Friday’s $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic with The Next Episode (Snitzel).
“She looks perfect for Zoustar,” he continued. “There is Fastnet Rock in the pedigree which works so well. Capitalist will suit and there are a few other parts of the pedigree that go well with Zoustar. We paid a bit more than we were hoping, but we wanted to buy her.”
Thompson indicated it would be unlikely that the filly would continue her career and would instead be set for the breeding season.
Likewise, the Listed Debutant Stakes victress Miss Celine was bought with the same framework for success in mind.
Miss Celine | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’re looking for early, nice, young sexy mares to go to Zoustar and we bought her and Memo just before for exactly the same job,” said Redvers. “They’re exactly the types of mares that work so well with him and we’re very excited to get them.”
“We’re looking for early, nice, young sexy mares to go to Zoustar and we bought her (Miss Celine) and Memo just before for exactly the same job.” - David Redvers
Redvers expressed a little surprise at the price the partnership were able to pay for the filly, who is a full sister to G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies) winner Enbihaar (Magnus), dam of G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and a $2.2 million full brother at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“I thought we might have to give a bit more for her, I really did,” he said. “She had some serious talent and she’s from a proven family that just keeps giving. She’s exactly the sort of mare you’re trying to buy.”
Bellazaine thrills connections one more time
Bellazaine (Zousain) has been the ultimate thrill provider for her all-women ownership group since the beginning, and she gave them one more top tier performance on Tuesday afternoon when selling for $900,000 to the bid of Newgate Bloodstock and Scone Bloodstock Services at the National Broodmare Sale. She was offered as Lot 541 by Newgate Consignment.
Seventh on her debut in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly won the Listed Lonhro Plate at her second start before going down by a whisker in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes.
“This is my first horse, some others it’s their first horse, some of us have owned many horses,” said part-owner Margie Sheedy, who braved the rain at the Gold Coast complex to watch her filly walk through the ring. The filly’s trainers had secured her for $160,000 at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“For her first race, we all came to Randwick, dressed up and had a bit of fun and then suddenly we’ve got this lifelong group of friends of women who have ridden this incredible wave.”
“Suddenly we’ve got this lifelong group of friends of women who have ridden this incredible wave.” - Margie Sheedy
Bellazaine | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Bellazaine went on to run in all three legs of the juvenile Triple Crown, with her closest finish being a sixth in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes, where she finished just a length and a half behind the winner Vinrock.
As a 3-year-old, she was beaten just half a length in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, where she finished fifth, and was fourth by a touch over a length in the G3 PJ Bell Stakes this autumn.
The final figure was a huge - but welcome! - surprise for the ownership group.
“We had no expectations, literally,” Sheedy said of the filly nearly breaking the seven-figure threshold. “There’s such a variance of what she could have got. It’s quite late in the day, so there were some tables of big buyers that we were looking out for during the day that had left, so we tried to temper our expectations.
“She’s the most beautiful, amazing horse. She’s kind of like our baby, really. We’re very emotional because it’s been a beautiful ride.”
“We’re very emotional because it’s been a beautiful ride.” - Margie Sheedy
Bellazaine’s dam Benella (Not A Single Doubt) is a three-quarter-sister to Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt), a Group 2 winner and dam of talented Group winner and multiple Group 2 performer My Gladiola (I Am Invincible).
Benella is also a three-quarter-sister to Widden Victoria sire Doubtland and the Listed winner Pretty Fast (Not A Single Doubt). She also has En Aval (Toorak Toff), the dam of the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO winner Unit Five (Supido), as a half-sister.
Precocious speed draws in Yoshida
Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida returned to his favoured Australian breeding stock sale on Tuesday landed a trio of elite mares within the first hour to add to the Northern Farm broodmare band. He outlaid $1.5 million for fast juvenile O’ Ole, and paid the same for G3 James HB Carr Stakes victress Lilac (Justify {USA}), from the family of Foxwedge. The latter was offered as Lot 411 in the Yarraman Park Stud draft.
“We really how liked O’ Ole looks, so that came first, and the way she performed at the Magic Millions 2YO race was fantastic, so we really liked her,” said Yoshida’s representative Shingo Hashimoto, who confirmed the filly would be retired, but it had not yet been decided if she would remain in Australia or head to Japan.
Of Lilac, he said, “she had a nice frame. She was gorgeous the way she walked - very nice. We pretty much liked her. This sire hasn’t had much success in Japan yet, but we think he is a very good broodmare sire.”
“She (Lilac) was gorgeous the way she walked.” - Shingo Hashimoto
Lilac | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Hashimoto added that Lilac would likely head to Japan for a date with dual Japanese Horse Of The Year Equinox (Jpn).
Of the competition in the auction ring, Hashimoto said, “it was tough. It is never easy. The bidding was a little bit over our budget, but we are happy that we got her.”
To round out his three acquisitions, Yoshida purchased Lot 430 from Glen Lee Thoroughbreds; Our Gold Hope (Lope De Vega {Ire}) comes from the direct Aga Khan-cultivated family of stallions Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire), and was second in the G1 Queensland Derby amongst four Group places. The close family also features dual Group 2 winner Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel). The grey rising 6-year-old was knocked down for $400,000.
The purchases saw Yoshida end the day as both leading individual buyer by gross and by average, with a seven-figure average across the three lots.
Top Buyers by Gross
| Katsumi Yoshida | 3 | $3,400,000 | $1,133,333 | $1,500,000 |
| Sheng Geng | 4 | $2,910,000 | $727,500 | $1,500,000 |
| Devil Night Syndicate | 1 | $2,800,000 | $2,800,000 | $2,800,000 |
| Private Harry Syndicate | 3 | $2,310,000 | $770,000 | $1,800,000 |
| David Redvers Bloodstock/Widden Stud | 2 | $1,900,000 | $950,000 | $1,100,000 |
| Arrowfield Stud | 1 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Newgate Bloodstock/Scone Bloodstock Services | 2 | $1,550,000 | $775,000 | $900,000 |
| Kia Ora Stud | 5 | $1,485,000 | $297,000 | $575,000 |
| James Bester Bloodstock/Justin Carey | 2 | $1,160,000 | $580,000 | $700,000 |
| Gilgai Farm | 2 | $1,075,000 | $537,500 | $675,000 |
Top Buyers by Average
| Katsumi Yoshida | 3 | $1,133,333 | $1,500,000 | $3,400,000 |
| David Redvers Bloodstock/Widden Stud | 2 | $950,000 | $1,100,000 | $1,900,000 |
| Newgate Bloodstock/Scone Bloodstock Services | 2 | $775,000 | $900,000 | $1,550,000 |
| Private Harry Syndicate | 3 | $770,000 | $1,800,000 | $2,310,000 |
| Sheng Geng | 4 | $727,500 | $1,500,000 | $2,910,000 |
| James Bester Bloodstock/Justin Carey | 2 | $580,000 | $700,000 | $1,160,000 |
| Gilgai Farm | 2 | $537,500 | $675,000 | $1,075,000 |
| Liam Ruddy Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 2 | $355,000 | $360,000 | $710,000 |
| Kia Ora Stud | 5 | $297,000 | $575,000 | $1,485,000 |
| Waikato Stud Ltd | 2 | $295,000 | $525,000 | $590,000 |
Strong clearance rate the standout on day 1
While the average, median, and gross may have been down year on year for the first day of the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, the clearance rate had jumped four points from the same point in time for last year’s sale. It is this number that has Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch upbeat going into the second day of selling.
“I'm delighted,” he said. “I thought it had a really good vibe to it and it had great theatre. The depth in the market was extremely solid and that’s evident in the fact that we’ve cleared 85% of the stock. It was a very genuine market.”
“The depth in the market was extremely solid and that’s evident in the fact that we’ve cleared 85% of the stock.” - Barry Bowditch
Bowditch said that it was difficult to do a direct comparison to the 2025 edition of the sale, which was conducted slightly differently. Not least of those differences was simply the breadth and number of mares coming off the track and being offered for sale by connections.
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Obviously you can look at the sale and compare it to last year, but I think it's hard to compare when you're not comparing apples with apples,” he said.
“Each year's got a different level of quality and a different line of horses, but I think for the catalogue that was here today it has exceeded our expectations.”
Top Vendors by Average
| Yarraman Park Stud | 6 | 1 | $811,667 | $1,600,000 | $4,870,000 |
| Attunga Stud | 7 | 3 | $715,714 | $2,800,000 | $5,010,000 |
| Newgate Consignment | 17 | 0 | $415,588 | $1,500,000 | $7,065,000 |
| Ciaron Maher Racing | 12 | 4 | $349,083 | $1,800,000 | $4,189,000 |
| Vinery Stud | 6 | 1 | $335,000 | $800,000 | $2,010,000 |
| Eureka Stud | 6 | 0 | $213,750 | $750,000 | $1,282,500 |
| Widden Stud | 7 | 0 | $192,500 | $575,000 | $1,347,500 |
| North Bloodstock | 2 | 0 | $180,000 | $200,000 | $360,000 |
| Newington Farm Premium Consignment | 18 | 2 | $143,611 | $425,000 | $2,585,000 |
| Chris Waller Racing | 2 | 2 | $125,000 | $140,000 | $250,000 |
Top Sires by Gross
| Snitzel | 10 | 1 | $3,432,500 | $343,250 | $1,800,000 |
| Proisir | 2 | 0 | $2,860,000 | $1,430,000 | $2,800,000 |
| Zoustar | 10 | 0 | $2,225,000 | $222,500 | $700,000 |
| I Am Invincible | 8 | 1 | $2,165,000 | $270,625 | $525,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 3 | 2 | $1,972,000 | $657,333 | $1,500,000 |
| Harry Angel (Ire) | 1 | 0 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Justify (USA) | 3 | 0 | $1,525,000 | $508,333 | $1,500,000 |
| Ole Kirk | 1 | 0 | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Spirit of Boom | 4 | 0 | $1,490,000 | $372,500 | $750,000 |
| Capitalist | 4 | 0 | $1,221,000 | $305,250 | $1,100,000 |
Top Sires by Average
| Proisir | 2 | 0 | $1,430,000 | $2,800,000 | $2,860,000 |
| Written Tycoon | 3 | 2 | $657,333 | $1,500,000 | $1,972,000 |
| Justify (USA) | 3 | 0 | $508,333 | $1,500,000 | $1,525,000 |
| Not a Single Doubt | 2 | 0 | $392,500 | $735,000 | $785,000 |
| Spirit of Boom | 4 | 0 | $372,500 | $750,000 | $1,490,000 |
| Snitzel | 10 | 1 | $343,250 | $1,800,000 | $3,432,500 |
| Shamus Award | 3 | 1 | $323,333 | $800,000 | $970,000 |
| Capitalist | 4 | 0 | $305,250 | $1,100,000 | $1,221,000 |
| Blue Point (Ire) | 2 | 0 | $305,000 | $400,000 | $610,000 |
| So You Think (NZ) | 3 | 0 | $285,000 | $675,000 | $855,000 |
