Fresh from topping the averages again last year and buoyed by a string of stakes results for its produce this season, Segenhoe Stud is primed for a strong Magic Millions Yearling Sale, which begins Jan. 13, with a draft Peter O'Brien rates as the best group on type his historic farm has taken to the Gold Coast.
While O'Brien does not expect to replicate the stud's phenomenal Gold Coast sale of 2024, when seven of its lots fetched seven figures, Segenhoe's general manager is expecting strong results from an array of "extremely high quality" individuals from his 30-strong draft.
Including full brothers to the outstanding In Secret and her fellow elite-level-winning sprinting mare Benedetta, and laced with sires including Home Affairs, Anamoe, and Frankel , Segenhoe's draft is likely to push the Hunter Valley institution high on the stats table again.
On average, Segenhoe led the sale against all comers last year, and was on top for farms with more than three lots sold in its bumper 2024. It beat all comers again in 2023 and was first for more than 10 yearlings moved in 2022.
O'Brien is not tipping a repeat of 2024, but is confident buyers will be taken with Segenhoe's draft this time around.
"We won't be having that big number of million-dollar yearlings as we had two years ago, mainly because we're not stacked with a lot of big, proven sires," O'Brien told ANZ News.
"We don't have that big, big number of I Am Invincibles or Zoustars that'll end up making seven figures or more, although we do have some beautiful Anamoes, who's quickly become my favorite stallion that's ever walked the earth.
"But I would say that overall as types, it's probably the best group of horses we've taken to this sale."
Segenhoe's draft is highlighted, unsurprisingly, by Lot 250, a bay son of triple champion sire I Am Invincible who's a full brother to In Secret, Australia's champion 3-year-old filly and female sprinter of 2022-23.
The colt's other full sister sold for AU$2.3 million to the Laguna Partnership and John Sargent Racing as the third-highest lot at this auction last year, while Segenhoe sold another full sister in the 2024 edition for AU$1.15 million to Belmont Bloodstock. In Secret herself fetched AU$900,000 at the Gold Coast in 2021, bought by Godolphin.
Lot 250's value is enhanced by the fact he's only the second colt among seven live foals for dam Eloping, and because that five-time stakes-winning mare is empty this season after missing to I Am Invincible and Anamoe late last year.
"You'd think he would have to be in the top five per cent of the sale," O'Brien said of the muscular bay.
"It's great that Eloping has had a colt. In Secret was a beautiful yearling and sold very well. She was quite elegant as a yearling, but this fella's got muscle on muscle. He's a very mature, robust, obvious sprinter type, with a terrific action. He's as good a Vinnie as you'd see. Plus everything out of Eloping have great minds, like she does."
Segenhoe's Lot 972 is by Hellbent out of the group 2-placed Whatalovelyday, making him a full brother to Goodwood Handicap (G1) winner Benedetta.
Half sister Sunset Dreaming—a four-time winner including in city grade—has been listed placed in Brisbane in her past two starts this summer. Another half sister Whatafox is twice stakes-placed, while half brother Whatalegacy has two provincial wins and a city second from three starts for Bjorn Baker.
"I love Domesday mares, and we bought Whatalovelyday carrying this fella, and when he was born, we were all patting ourselves on the back," O'Brien said.
"He's a big, imposing colt, with beautiful color and head, good limbs, and a good action. He's a brother to a group 1 winner and two other black type performers, and I think it'll be three other black type performers soon, because I think Whatalegacy will prove a stakes horse. So she's a proper mare, Whatalovelyday."
Like most stud farms, Segenhoe has handled many offspring of the late, great four-time champion sire Snitzel. O'Brien feels Lot 183 could top the lot that he's known.
He's the second foal of American mare Complicit, a listed-placed three-time winner from 1,600-1,700 meters who's by the same sire—Blame —as the dam of one of Snitzel's recent stars, Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) hero Switzerland.
"We've had a lot of Snitzels in my time, and I humbly think he's the best one I've had," O'Brien said. "He's out of a good American mare, he's balance personified, with a huge hip and a beautiful mind. You see him come to the fore when you lunge him—he's just got this incredible action."
