The big priced yearlings garner plenty of attention on sales day, again in the news if they happen to prove high class on the track. We thought we’d have a look at the last five years of sales toppers at the three major sales (Magic Millions, Inglis Easter, Karaka) to see just what has become of them.
2025 – Two-Year-Olds
It is of course far too early to judge those who made their way through the ring earlier this year but still interesting to see where they have ended up.
Breaking the Magic Millions record when fetching $3.2 million to the bid of trainer Mitsu Nakauchida, the Home Affairs filly out of the triple Gr.1 winner Sunlight made her way to Japan in February. She is yet to race but has been named Lia La La.
The big seller at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale was also by Home Affairs, a colt out of the dual Gr.1 winner Shout The Bar. Purchased for $3 million by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, he is yet to be named.
The Karaka sale topper, a $2.4 million (Mulcaster Bloodstock Chris Waller Racing) Savabeel sister to the dual Gr.1 winner Orchestral is yet to race but has a name – Miss Black Betty.
2024 – Three-Year-Olds
Easter was certainly in the headlines last year with Woppitt Bloodstock parting with a world record $10 million to buy out the fellow breeders of Winx’s first live foal. The daughter of Pierro trained by Chris Waller is yet to race or trial officially; her name is Quinceanera.
Also selling well at that sale was the $3 million I Am Invincible filly out of the Oakleigh Plate winner Booker. The Chris Waller trained Ernaux broke her maiden (at her seventh start) at Canterbury a couple of weeks ago.
Te Akau paid $2.1 million at the Magic Millions for the Wootton Bassett daughter of their nine time Gr.1 winner Avantage. Named Avantaggia, she broke her maiden at Te Aroha at the second of her three starts.
Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman have last year’s Karaka big seller, a $1.6 million Proisir sister to the dual Gr.1 winner Prowess. Named Seychelles, she has been in the placings (including a Flemington second) at two of her first three starts.
2023 – Four-Year-Olds
I Am Invincible is understandably always popular with buyers and he had the Magic Millions sale topper that year, a $2.7 million colt purchased by Tom Magnier. Named Superluminal, the son of the four time Group winner Anaheed won a Ballarat maiden for the Waller stable, finishing well back at subsequent outings. He is now with Tony Gollan stable having changed hands for $60,000 via an Inglis digital sale in November last year.
The big seller at Easter has enjoyed considerably more success, the $1.8 million The Autumn Sun sister to the Golden Rose winner In The Congo purchased by Arrowfield Pastoral/Hermitage Thoroughbreds being the unbeaten Autumn Glow who after eight starts is already the winner of over $6.8 million having taken out the Epsom Handicap and the Golden Eagle.
Leading the way at Karaka was a $1 million Fastnet Rock filly secured by Te Akau. Named World On Fire, she was retired without racing.
2022 – Five-Year-Olds
Easter saw Tom Magnier again to the fore, purchasing for $3 million a Zoustar brother to Sunlight. Named Kandinsky Abstract, he raced eight times – winning a Canterbury maiden and a Warwick Farm BM72, taking home $92,900 in prizemoney.
Magnier also bought the highest priced Magic Millions yearling, an I Am Invincible half-brother to the dual Group winner Dubious. Racing as Suspect, he kicked off his career in the Waller stable, subsequently making his way to two other stables, winning an Albury maiden and an Ipswich BM58; $84,150 in stakes.
Hey Bro’unga stole the show at Karaka that year, purchased for $1 million by Annabel Neasham Racing/Tony Fung. A Pakenham 2500m maiden winner after being sold online for $22,500, he is now with Smiley Chan having been renamed Ah Hei having again popped up on an Inglis digital sale; in May fetching $13,000. His winnings sit at $53,230.
2021 – Six-Year-Olds
It took Tom Magnier $1.9 million to buy the most popular Magic Millions yearling, a Snitzel colt out of the stakes winner Bonny O’Reilly. Showing good talent for the Waller stable, Basquiat was twice Group placed after a win at Doomben at two. He then headed to Singapore where he raced as Pacific Warrior where he won three races. He is now in Malaysia where he has won another four races, the latest of those in August.
At Easter Hawkes Racing had their hand up for the top seller, a $2.5 million Snitzel colt out of the ATC Oaks winner Rising Romance. Named Magic, he was Group placed at his first two starts at two. He was in the placings on another three occasions but retired a maiden with winnings of $104,000.
Te Akau secured the highest priced horse at Karaka, an $800,000 Zoustar filly out of the Gr.3 winning imported mare Scintillula. Named Stella Splendida, she won four of her 12 starts in New Zealand, winning $46,995. Sadly she died late last year after being served by Capitalist.
Cheap buys
After all this chat about expensive horses, I thought it would fun to also check out the cheapest horses at each of those major sales. None from this year (who sold from $3,000 to $40,000) have been named yet whilst amongst the three from 2024 is the unraced Brett & Georgie Cavanough trained Scone trial winner Where’s Murphy ($40,000 Easter).
The second cheapest buy at the 2023 Magic Millions, the $6000 yearling Graceful Ellen, has won three of her 11 starts – winning $79,350 for the Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones stable.
Secured for $12,500 at Karaka in 2022, Smartroad has won three races (the latest of those at Waverley in October) with over $65,000 in earnings. The year before Proven Thoroughbreds/ O’Dea /Hoysted Racing took home the cheapest Easter horse Ocean Zar. Purchased for $20,000, he has won $189,250 with his four Eagle Farm victories, the latest of those in early October.
A winner and five times placed from 23 starts, the $2,000 2021 Magic Millions graduate Memumza Diva has won $38,800 whilst the cheapest horse in Book 1 at Karaka that year was the $15,000 horse Beau Gosse who ended up in Hong Kong, placing eight times; winning over $285,000.
