Four more seven-figure lots and another session of spirited bidding, particularly for the progeny of the late, great Snitzel, ensured a third buoyant day in succession at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Jan. 15.
Auctioneer Grant Burns introduced the daughter of Snitzel (Lot 504) out of Madame Andree by saying, "One of the star fillies of 2026, in my humble opinion."
Plainly plenty among the packed auditorium were in agreement, as the bidding reached a hefty AU$1.6 million (US$1,070,776, AU$1=US$0.67) by the time the gavel came down. The Arrowfield-consigned youngster went the way of Eugene Chuang's Hermitage Thoroughbreds.
The well-related filly is a sibling to six winners and five black-type performers, with her 3-year-old sister Caffe Florian shedding her maiden since the catalog was released, and then going on to claim a Gosford listed contest.
The filly is also a sister to the group 3-placed Satin Love and is closely related to the group 3 scorers Anders and Ostraka.
The various names involved in this trade have combined to good effect before. The Hermitage Syndicate races another daughter of Snitzel in three-time group 1 heroine Lady Shenandoah, while the outfit also campaigned The Autumn Sun, who is now making waves from the Arrowfield roster.
Moreover, Arrowfield and Hermitage jointly own The Autumn Sun's highest earner, the unbeaten 2025 Epsom Handicap (G1) winner Autumn Glow.
"There was a lot of competition, but she was our top pick for the sale," Hermitage manager Shannon Clarke said. "We've had a lot of luck with a Snitzel filly recently, and that's probably guided us on this filly today. That was our limit; my heart was pounding, hoping that we were going to secure her. We've had a lot of luck with Arrowfield. It's a great partnership that we have and long may it continue."
By the close of trade, gross sales had reached AU$146,142,500 (US$97,803,704), a marginal 1% increase despite around 30 fewer lots offered than at the corresponding stage 12 months ago. The average price was AU$281,045 (US$188,085), up 1% year on year, and the median remained the same at AU$200,000 (US$133,847). The clearance rate was a notably solid 85% as 520 yearlings had found a new home.
"I thought it was consistently strong and genuine across the board," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said. "I had a quick debrief with the auctioneers at the end of the day, and they felt as if, even through that 80 (thousand) to 150 bracket, there were plenty of bids coming. It was a good market to be auctioneering in, which is fantastic."
International sire-on-fire Frankel supplied his second seven-figure yearling of the sale when James Harron, once again bidding alongside Fung, went to AU$1.1 million for the colt out of Miss Alacrity from the Newgate Farm consignment.
The dam is a stakes-winning daughter of Munnings from the same family as 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) hero and sire Nyquist . She was purchased at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, where Harron signed on behalf of Morningside at US$350,000.
"We've been delighted with what we've been able to pick up so far, and we're delighted to get a Frankel into the portfolio," said Harron. "He's out of a very fast American mare; she won her maiden as a 2-year-old by over ten lengths, which was very impressive. And he comes from the family of Nyquist, who's one of the leading stallions in North America. We were really pleased to see the speed coming through the damside and then the class of Frankel. It's going to be interesting to see what sort of horse he shapes into, but he's a beautiful athlete. He's a colt we loved, he's a colt TFI loved, so we felt like we had to have him."
A good sale for Darley's first-crop sire Anamoe got even better when Belmont Bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy bid AU$850,000 for the half brother to 2024 Rough Habit Plate (G3) scorer Tannhauser, who also finished third in the 2023 J.J. Atkins (G1). The Milburn Creek-consigned colt was secured in conjunction with MyRacehorse, Michael Freedman Racing, and Stallion Match.
"We thought he was the best Anamoe in the sale," Emma Freedman said. "We actually thought he was the best colt in the sale, so we didn't want to leave without him. The mare has done an amazing job with two stakes performers, so he was great on pedigree, he's great on type, and we believe in the stallion. Very excited to get him. We know that our clients at MyRacehorse will dive into him. We're looking forward to sending him to Michael Freedman racing."
It promises to be a big few days for the My Racehorse syndicate, as not only have they picked up a host of new recruits at the sale, they also have the odds-on favorite for Saturday's AU$3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in Ninja.
