| A stunning Snitzel colt, the first foal of former glamour racemare Vangelic, topped Day Four of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Friday. |
| Champion trainer Chris Waller teamed up with leading bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster to nab the top seller of the Howden Super Session for $1.5 million. Offered by Coolmore Stud, the colt was one of three yearlings to sell for more than $1 million on a spirited final day of the Book One section of the sale with the attention now to switch to Sunday’s Book Two sale. Today’s top seller is from the Group Two Golden Pendant winner Vangelic who was second in the Group One Surround Stakes and third in the Group One Flight Stakes. “He looked really sharp and he did really well through the prep,” Mulcaster noted. “He looks an early runner and he moves beautifully.” “I think what we paid for him is pretty well on the mark. It is a hell of a lot of money but that’s what they seem to cost and when you get good colts that head to stud, they look cheap.” “He looked a sharp, beautiful horse.” “The mare ran in a lot of stakes races and she acquitted herself very well so it all crossed over and looked pretty good,” Mulcaster added. The agent who sourced world champion racehorse Winx from the same sale ring as a yearling was also responsible for one of the other seven figure sellers on the day. Earlier Mulcaster signed for the I Am Invincible filly from Qafila who was offered by Coolmore Stud and sold for $1.25 million. “The thing that really got our attention was the fact she (Qafila) was so versatile,” Mulcaster said. “I think she ran in the first two-year-old race and ended up winning a Derby, so we’ve got a few different paths we can take with her.” “We always thought she was just an athlete, she’s beautiful and has come off a great farm.” “We actually really thought we were going to struggle to buy her but it’s ended up alright for us.” “I don’t think we’ll bustle her too much, we’ll let her do the talking and see what transpires.” “It’s a lot of money, but I’m sure he (the new owner) is going to be rapt when he sees her,” Mulcaster added. Leading trainer Ciaron Maher went to $1.1 million to secure a well related colt by first season sire sensation Anamoe. Presented by Widden Stud the colt is a half brother to Maher’s crack sprinter Spywire who won last week’s $1 million TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate and is a leading contender in tomorrow’s $1 million Howden Magic Millions Snippets. “When Ciaron and I first saw him at the farm at yearling inspections at Widden, he was the last one out there and they usually leave their best for last and he was their prized icon,” Maher’s Head of Bloodstock Will Bourne said. “On paper it was obvious (being a half brother to Spywire), but on face value, it was just the horse in front of you that really took Ciaron’s eye and made Ciaron want to buy him.” “Obviously that Spywire factor is there, but it was just a big, imposing, strong colt in front of you that was the main reason.” “We’re not being geniuses or creative by finding him at the sale. He was very obvious. We first saw him at the farm at Widden in late November, early December and he was just a classy animal that had a bit of presence about him.” “He wasn’t missed by anyone.” “Myself, Ciaron and Andy Makiv went and checked out Anamoe when we were looking at all the yearlings in between parades in the Hunter Valley and it was the first time we’d seen him in a while and, I tell you what, there are a lot of similarities.” Across all purchases, different buying groups and partnerships Ciaron Maher was the leading buyer of the sale. However as one buying identity it was Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster who was on top with a spend of $8.685 million for 14 lots. Arrowfield Stud was the leading vendor by gross ($15.195 million) ahead of the 100 per cent clearing vendors Coolmore Stud ($13.735 million) and Newgate Farm ($13.265 million). The Chase was leading vendor by average (3 or more sold) with their six horse draft at $538,333 ahead of the $521,250 achieved by Milburn Creek for eight sold. Sensational strike rate sire Extreme Choice topped the sire averages with eight selling at $822,500 ahead of Snitzel (29 at $688,966), Frankel (11 at $601,364) and I Am Invincible (32 at $593,281). First season sire sensation Anamoe was fifth on the sire averages with his 30 sales averaging an impressive $481,000. Across the Book One section of the sale the gross reached over $202.6 million with a healthy average of $273,177 for 742 yearlings selling at a world class clearance rate of 86 per cent. “I’m delighted. $200 million was a real goal,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “We had 40 less horses catalogued and 20-plus more withdrawals, and some significant withdrawals among them.” “It was pleasing to get close to last year’s gross, to increase the clearance rate to 86 per cent and an average that is up on last year.” “We worked hard to get the best buying bench we could. There were a lot of traders here and a good, diverse bunch from regional areas – Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland was great, the New Zealanders and through Asia were fantastic.” “It was a diverse buying bench but we really ensured that we marketed the sale so that people would come up here and have a great selection of horses within all budgets.” “With the clearance rate, kudos to vendors meeting the market. What pleased me was the spread of buyers.” “There were about 360 separate buyers and more than 45 buyers spent over $1 million,” Bowditch added. “There is a great thirst for Magic Millions product.” The focus now switches to the Gold Coast Turf Club for tomorrow’s $13.25 million TAB Magic Millions Raceday with 10 outstanding races to be contested. Selling will recommence on Sunday from 12 noon (Qld time) with a quality line-up of youngsters in the Book Two catalogue. “Book Two has an incredible record of producing quality horses at great value prices,” Bowditch noted. “We encourage buyers to get involved – there’s a great bunch of horses to go under the hammer.” To view the results of the sale, to see the Book Two line-up, or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here. SALE STATISTICS (Book 1 2025 in brackets) Lots Catalogued: 980 (1021) Lots Sold: 742 (754) Lots Passed In: 120 (172) Lots Withdrawn: 118 (95) Top Price: $2,000,000 ($3,200,000) Sale Gross: $202,697,500 ($205,470,000) Average Price: $273,177 ($272,507) Median Price: $200,000 ($200,000) Sold %: 86 (81) DAY FOUR TOP SELLERS $1,500,000 – Snitzel-Vangelic colt (Lot 942) Vendor: Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Buyer: Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock (NSW) $1,250,000 – I Am Invincible-Qafila filly (Lot 708) Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock (NSW) $1,100,000 – Anamoe-Secret Trail colt (Lot 781) Widden Stud (As Agent) / Ciaron Maher B’stock (Vic) $950,000 – Anamoe-Time Check colt (Lot 911) Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / Ciaron Maher B’stock/Ozzie Kheir/Group 1 B’stock (Vic) $900,000 – Zoustar-Tallow filly (Lot 887) Widden Stud (As Agent) / Matt Laurie Racing/Willannah Park B’stock (Vic) BOOK ONE TOP SELLERS $2,000,000 – Frankel-Antibes bay colt (Lot 59) Vendor: Segenhoe Stud (As Agent for Fairway T’breds) / Buyer: Tom Magnier (NSW) $2,000,000 – Extreme Choice-Hazlebrook colt (Lot 345) Kingstar Farm / Yulong Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd (Vic) $1,600,000 – Snitzel-Madame Andree filly (Lot 504) Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / Hermitage Thoroughbreds (NSW) $1,500,000 – Snitzel-Embrace Me colt (Lot 252) Milburn Creek (As Agent) / China Horse Club/Newgate/Clarke B’stock (NSW) $1,500,000 – Snitzel-Iffranesia colt (Lot 372) Arrowfield Stud (As Agent) / Tom Magnier (NSW) $1,500,000 – Snitzel-Vangelic colt (Lot 942) Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock (NSW) $1,250,000 – I Am Invincible-Qafila filly (Lot 708) Coolmore Stud (As Agent) / Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock (NSW) $1,200,000 – Extreme Choice-Dame Giselle colt (Lot 201) The Chase (As Agent) / Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock (NSW) $1,200,000 – I Am Invincible-Key filly (Lot 420) Kia Ora Stud / Knine Inc/Rising Sun Syndicate (Vic) $1,200,000 – Snitzel-Krone colt (Lot 429) Rosemont Stud (As Agent) / James Harron Bloodstock Colt P’ship/Tony Fung Colts (NSW) $1,200,000 – Snitzel-Play That Song colt (Lot 680) Newgate Farm (As Agent) / James Harron B’stock Colt P’ship/Tony Fung Colts (NSW) LEADING BUYERS (ranked by total spend) $8,685,000 – Waller Racing/Mulcaster B’stock – 14 lots $7,035,000 – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel T’breds – 17 lots $6,675,000 – James Harron Colt P’ship/Tony Fung Colts – 9 lots $5,370,000 – China Horse Club/Newgate B’stock – 9 lots $5,290,000 – David Ellis CNZM/Te Akau Racing – 13 lots LEADING VENDORS (ranked by gross) $15,195,000 – Arrowfield Stud – 47 sold $13,735,000 – Coolmore Stud – 38 sold $13,265,000 – Newgate Farm – 41 sold $12,865,000 – Segenhoe Stud – 28 sold $11,800,000 – Yulong – 38 sold LEADING VENDORS (ranked by average – 3 or more sold) $538,333 – The Chase – 6 sold $521,250 – Milburn Creek – 8 sold $459,464 – Segenhoe Stud – 28 sold $361,447 – Coolmore Stud – 38 sold $353,214 – Lime Country T’breds – 14 sold LEADING SIRES (ranked by average – 3 or more sold) $822,500 – Extreme Choice – 8 sold $688,966 – Snitzel – 29 sold $601,364 – Frankel – 11 sold $593,281 – I Am Invincible – 32 sold $481,000 – Anamoe – 30 sold |
