An unusually busy week for the Australasian horses-in-training market gets underway Oct. 12 when Magic Millions stages its Gold Coast auction, just three days before Inglis hosts its Ready2Race Sale at Riverside Stables.
The rare convergence of Australia's two major breeze-up auctions comes against a timely reminder of the opportunities offered by the horses-in-training market, with three graduates of Tattersalls' Autumn Horses in Training Sale striking at stakes level across Australia on Saturday.
Pinhole secured an automatic berth in Saturday's Caulfield Cup (G1) with victory in the Herbert Power Stakes (G2), while Formal Display landed the Alan Brown Stakes (G3) at Rosehill and Chillaxing captured the Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm.
The trio, who were sourced as 3-year-olds from the Newmarket auction for 200,000 guineas, 100,000 guineas and just 22,000 guineas, respectively, provided an encouraging advertisement for the wider sector as attention turns to the next generation of racing prospects in Australia.
Magic Millions will kick off proceedings at its Bundall complex from 3:30 p.m. on Monday, with a catalog comprising 2-year-olds and a smaller selection of 3-year-olds by 77 individual sires.
The scheduling of the Gold Coast auction alongside Inglis' Ready2Race Sale marks a departure from previous years, creating a concentrated week of trading that will allow buyers, particularly those travelling from overseas, to attend both auctions in a single trip.
Among the stallions represented at the Gold Coast are internationally renowned names Kingman , Wootton Bassett and Justify , alongside leading Australian sires I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Written Tycoon and Capitalist.
Three breeze-up sessions have been staged across the Gold Coast and Scone in recent weeks, with prospective buyers afforded an opportunity to assess the youngsters both on the track and through the sale's accompanying TripleSdata performance report.
Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch believes the quality of the catalog reflects the work undertaken by vendors in preparing their drafts.
"Across the three breeze-up sessions we have seen some impressive performances," Bowditch said.
"And the strong track efforts are matched by some impressive pedigrees and types.
"The quality is strong across the catalog and our trusted and experienced vendors have done a great job educating and preparing them."
The quickest recorded 200-meter breeze came during the opening session on the Gold Coast Sept. 22, when a colt by Showtime stopped the clock at :10.
Cataloged as Lot 127, the chestnut was an AU$80,000 purchase for Moorillah Pastoral out of Goodwood Farm at the Adelaide Yearling Sale and is offered by a consistent top vendor in Nolen Racing.
He boasts a quality pedigree to boot, being out of winning producer Mileyva, a sister to multiple stakes winner Alberton Park and a half sister to both group winner Lady Alberton and Western Star—the dam of New Zealand group 1 winner Wyndspelle and the group 3-placed Selica.
A son of Juddmonte's Kingman recorded the second fastest breeze of the session, clocking the 200-meter breeze in :10.11.
Newington Farm Premium Consignment presents the colt (Lot 92) on behalf of Yulong, who would have been pleased by a significant pedigree update over the weekend.
He is the first foal from the unraced French Dispatch—a half-sister to Boston Rocker, whose own 2024 colt Rock Montreal landed the Autumn Stakes (G3) on Future Champions' Day at Newmarket on Saturday.
From the same draft comes Lot 131, a Castelvecchio colt who recorded a slick :10.31.
Out of a half sister to grade 1 winner Callback in Miss Super Quick, he is closely related to grade 3 winner Booked (Yaupon ), who placed in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) last month at Saratoga Race Course. He was purchased from Kenmore Lodge at the March Yearling Sale for AU$40,000 by Shailer Racing.
In addition to the breeze-up videos and traditional pedigree information, buyers will have access to TripleS chip technology, which provides detailed measurements of stride length, frequency and speed.
Bowditch believes the breadth of information available should give prospective purchasers confidence when assessing the youngsters.
"There looks to be some great buying opportunities and we encourage everyone to check the online catalog—this is a sale where buyers are spoilt for information and data."
This year's renewal also marks a significant development for the auction, with eligible 2-year-olds able to be paid up for the lucrative Magic Millions Race Series for the first time.
A total of 74 lots have already been nominated to the series, which encompasses 28 races staged across the six Australian states annually, offering purchasers an additional incentive beyond the traditional appeal of securing an educated, ready-to-race prospect.
The Gold Coast auction has produced its share of high-class performers over the years, with its graduates demonstrating an ability to succeed across a broad range of distances and jurisdictions.
Among its most celebrated alumni is Shocking, who sold for AU$64,000 in 2007 and progressed to win the 2009 Melbourne Cup (G1) and 2011 Australian Cup (G1), while AU$60,000 purchase Tyzone provided a more recent example of sprinting success when capturing the 2020 Stradbroke Handicap (G1).
Krone, winner of the 2021 Coolmore Classic (G1), is another to have succeeded at the highest level after selling for AU$120,000 in 2017.
Such records underline the significance of overseas buyers to a sale that has traditionally drawn strong participation from Asian racing jurisdictions and there have been no shortage of international interest with agents and trainers Thomas Yeung, Willie Leung, Ancy Palma, Mark Walker, Andy Lau, Mike Fong, Eric Koh and Yusuke Tsukahara amongst those busy inspecting over the weekend.
"This is a sale that has a proud history of producing stakes horses around the world and from what we have seen over the past few weeks this record will only continue into the future," Bowditch added.
The focus will shift to Sydney on Thursday when Inglis stages its Ready2Race Sale, giving domestic and international buyers a second opportunity to secure prepared racing prospects in the space of four days.
The Australasian breeze-up calendar will then continue across the Tasman next month, with New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale scheduled for Nov. 18-19 at Karaka.
