2025 Magic Millions Perth Magazine

MAGIC MILLIONS

REAP THE LUCRATIVE WESTSPEED BONUSES

Bonuses Payable

* Includes $2,000 Magic Millions Perth sales credit which must be redeemed within 18-months of the race meeting the credit was accrued at. NB. The above amounts are inclusive of the jockey/trainer portions (total 11.1% deduction), as such Breeders and Owners receive 88.9% of the amount noted above. By purchasing a Westspeed Platinum Yearling, you’re opening up a world of bonus opportunities.

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1

It pays to buy platInum

The Return on Investment (ROI) for Platinum horses is 40% greater than “non Platinum” horses.

*This figure is based on sale prices against racetrack earnings for yearlings sold at MM 2019 – 2021.

Welcome TO THE 2025 PERTH YEARLING SALE

After a wonderfully successful ’24 yearling sale where we sold a record priced yearling at $625,000 and a sale gross of $20.62m we are looking forward to what ’25 brings.

Sale nominations were very very strong this year enabling us to put together a great catalogue with 83 stallions, many of them the most sought after in the country represented in the 350 lots We thank the Vendors for their continuing support and drive to further the quality of the Perth Yearling Sale

Perth graduates have again been to the fore this last season with winners OWN THE QUEEN G3 Oaks, A LOT OF GOOD MEN G2 Derby, HEMLOCK STONE G2 Perth Cup providing their large syndicates of owners with huge thrills in these major races Congratulations to all

Our Magic Millions events are continuing to grow with Pinjarra Magic Millions

Ladies Day now a popular fixture on the social calendar

This year we have had an important change to our Perth Office with Charlotte Geoghegan departing to Perth Racing and the whole of Magic Millions thank her for her six years of exuberance, humour and above all dedicated work as Office Administrator I’m sure we will see plenty of her in the future

Please join us in welcoming Rebecca McGrechan to the MM Team in this important role, I’m sure you are all looking forward to meeting her

Again best wishes to everyone for this year’s sale and we look forward to catching up in the glorious Swan Valley Cheers David

2025

SUNDAY 9 FEB

MAGIC MILLIONS WA BARRIER DRAW IN ASSOCIATION WITH RACING WA

Join Western Australia’s racing identities for the 2025 WA Magic Millions Barrier

Draw in association with Racing WA Come along for an enjoyable afternoon and the opportunity to explore the world of racing

Where: Mandoon Estate, 10 Harris Road, Coversham

Time: From 2pm

Free event, open to the public

SATURDAY 15 FEB

MAGIC MILLIONS WA RACEDAY

Head trackside for Ladies Day featuring the:

$250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL) Plus

$75,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus

$250,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL) Plus

$25,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus

Where: Pinjarra Park Racecourse, Pinjarra

Time: Gates open 10 30am

Tickets: Free entries for Ladies, Adults $25, Concession $15 and Children under 16 free www pinjarrapark com au

SUNDAY 16 FEB

RACING CONNECTIONS MASTERCLASS

Yearling Showcase held by Thoroughbred Breeders WA - view some of the stud farms top lots in this annual event

Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: From 4 00pm Free event, open to the public

SUNDAY 16-WEDNESDAY 19 FEB

MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLING INSPECTIONS

We welcome you to our sales complex to inspect the catalogued lots available in the 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale The complex is open to the public and this is a great opportunity to get a first hand look into the world of thoroughbred sales

Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley

Time: From 8am Daily Free event, open to the public

WEDNESDAY 19 FEB

MAGIC MILLIONS COCKTAIL PARTY

Magic Millions opening night cocktail party brings together the who’s who of breeding and racing as they gather to celebrate the commencement of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale

Strictly invite only.

THURSDAY 20-FRIDAY 21 FEB

MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLING SALE

Magic Millions has a reputation for its consistent supply of stakes winners including including this year’s G2 Perth Cup winner Hemlock Stone, recent G1 winner Bustler, multiple Group winner Valour Road, and G2 winner Super Smink The 2025 edition of the sale will again feature the cream of the crop of WA yearlings, all eligible to be nominated for the $20 million plus Magic Millions Race Series Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: 20 Feb from 11am | 21 Feb from 10am Free event, open to the public

Enquiries: perth@magicmillions com au 08 9477 4255

WHAT’S THE TIME, Mr Wolfe?

by Jessica Owers

In July last year, a near-fatal heart attack almost called time on trainer Steve Wolfe. He tells Jessica Owers what it was like to not only survive, but to change his life in the aftermath.

They say that when your time is up, it’s up, but no one told trainer Steve Wolfe On July 26 last year, the 76-yearold racetrack veteran had a heart attack, the episode so severe that he flatlined three times

“When I woke up in the hospital, I was looking up at my wife, three of my kids and a couple of my best mates,” he recalls “They said theoretically I’d died on the way to the hospital, and then twice on the operating table ”

Wolfe has told his story a handful of times to journalists, but when he has talked to everyday people about it, he has been stunned by the occurrence of heart issues among his peers

“Every second bloke I’ve talked to has had a stent put in or a pacemaker,” he says “I don’t think we realise how much of this is really around ”

Wolfe, unfortunately, has joined a long list of statistics about heart attacks in Australia Men are twice as likely as women to suffer one in their lives, and 75 per cent more likely to die from one compared to women Death from heart attack, while decreasing, accounts for one in 25 deaths in Australia every year, or one death every 80 minutes It is sobering data, especially since the first symptom of heart disease is often fatal

“The strange thing is if I didn’t actually know it was a heart attack, I wouldn’t know I’d had one

at all because I don’t feel any different now to what I did before I had it,” the trainer says

The day of Wolfe’s episode, he’d been at trackwork early in the morning, watching sets of the 35 to 40 racehorses he has in work It was a Friday, and he went home unusually early, telling his wife Maureen that he wasn’t feeling good around his throat He went to lie down but he was so agitated he couldn’t be still, and Maureen, exhausting all the usual cures of wet facecloth and rest, eventually called for an ambulance It took the paramedics less than 10 minutes to arrive at the door

“They told me they’d get a wheelchair to take me to the ambulance, which they did, and then they asked me if I was alright to get up onto the bed they’d pulled out, which I was,”

Wolfe recalls “Away we went to Royal Perth and the bloke in the ambulance was talking away to me, strapping me in, and that’s the last I remember Three hours later I woke up looking at everyone ”

Maureen, who has a nursing background and who at one point had spent 12 months in a hospital emergency department, says none of the symptoms she saw in her husband suggested heart attack

“I was thinking angina,” she says “When the ambulance took him away I thought he’d be in emergency for two hours before anything got done, so I went back inside, finished my cup

“The specialist said I was in fairly good order and there wasn’t really anything to worry about, that I had a bit of potassium build-up in my arteries but it wasn’t a problem. He said a couple of tablets regularly would take care of that, but of course six weeks later it was a different story.”

of tea, had a shower and got ready to go to the hospital At no point at all did it strike me that it might have been his heart ”

Maureen was on her way to the hospital when the cardiac care unit of Perth Royal called her to hurry When she arrived, a doctor urged her to bring people to her husband’s bedside; they were unsure if he would survive the day

Maureen, who admits she never crumbles, recalls it as one of the most confronting moments of her life

“The thing I would say is, heart attack doesn’t always seem to present as a pain that’s going to radiate down your arm or your leg This was very different I didn’t suspect the heart at all when he started going downhill that morning, but by the time the stents went in and he was normalising, he’d had three cardiac arrests It’s been the greatest wake-up call ”

Wolfe, too, is baffled about the way his heart attack presented

“There were no real indications,” he says “I’d put on a little bit of weight, which we worked out later was fluid buildup I was probably 10kg overweight, but I’ve been like that for 20 years You drink 10 times more than you should, but I’ve been doing that for probably 50 years ”

Old habits die hard, of course Wolfe says he needs to drink less or not at all, and Maureen agrees The trainer was discharged from Perth Royal after five days, but he ended up back in hospital, this time at St John of God Murdoch, for another 10 days with a clot on his heart

“I was in a pretty bad way,” he says, “but I got over most things from then on ”

It wasn’t until November that Wolfe started to recover, four months that Maureen won’t forget Wolfe is under medical advice to work less and cut down on fluids, and while the drink is one thing, scaling back his racing operation is another For decades SJ Wolfe Racing has been a mainstay of the Western Australian scene, among its stars being Red Can Man, last year’s Pinjarra Classic winner River Rubicon and Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic winner Ex Sport Man Wolfe Dreams also won the race for the trainer in 2009

“It’s hard to wind back,” he says “I’m like a lot of people You leave school when you’re 13 or 14 and whether it’s a good thing or bad thing, you learn to work It just becomes part of your life, so I’m finding it hard to step back It’s a bloody nightmare, really You get to a stage where owners aren’t easy to find for us blokes in the bush, but I’m knocking people back now because I just can’t handle the numbers ”

Wolfe has traditionally split the racing year between Perth and Albany From May to September he is based in the capital, and for the rest of the year he trains at Albany, heading to Perth just about every weekend He will often fly between the two locations because it’s easier, but it’s hard yards for a man approaching 80

Maureen admits that had her husband been in Albany on July 26, or had she been away (she had flown back from Bali three days before), the outcome for her husband might have been very different

Wolfe is alive to tell his story, but if it’s a cautionary tale, it’s one with a twist Six weeks before his near-fatal heart attack, he had been to a cardiac specialist to have his heart checked on account of his age, physicality and lifestyle He rode the exercise bike and did the ECG tests, and, by his doctor’s admission, all looked fine

“The specialist said I was in fairly good order and there wasn’t really anything to worry about, that I had a bit of potassium build-up in my arteries but it wasn’t a problem He said a couple of tablets regularly would take care of that, but of course six weeks later it was a different story ”

Rather than blame the specialist, Wolfe says it was a case of him not looking after himself afterwards, of not doing things thoroughly

“I’ve been one of those people who has always been bulletproof by my own standards,” he says “I’ve always thought I’d always be alright I wasn’t taking the tablets properly that I was supposed to take, and if it’s taught me one thing, it’s about being thorough I’ve been an asthmatic all my life and there’s a drug called Seretide which you’re supposed to take

morning and night, and I’ve never taken it

I’ve just lived on a Ventolin inhaler Since this whole thing, though, I’ve taken the Seretide every day and I’ve hardly picked up my inhaler ”

If he could do his time over, Wolfe might have made better decisions about his asthma, and he isn’t keen to have the same regrets about his heart

“All I can say is that people need to get checked,” he says “We discovered that my heart was running on about 20 per cent, and your heart is not like a broken toe or a toothache It’s the main part of the body I

would advise anyone who is a bit overweight, who has drunk a bit more than they needed to, to get regular check-ups because it’s pretty serious, and it’s pretty final ”

The moral to the story is straightforward, and Wolfe hopes that by talking about his experience, more men in the racing game will be motivated to check their hearts People listen, but they also can’t help asking Wolfe what it was like to die three times

“I have no idea,” he says “It was just like waking up after an operation But I can tell you that I didn’t see anything on the other side ” n

Socials 2024 SALE

ALWYN PARK STUD

Showcasing our 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sales Graduates

For over half a century John & Sandra Andrew have been a staple of the Western Australian Thoroughbred Industry, beginning in 1974 at Karnup Thoroughbreds for Jeremy Hayes, to now with their Serpentine Nursery in Alwyn Park. The renowned Alwyn Park has been closely associated with champions over the years, from the 2023 Perth Cup winner in Buster Bash and to last year’s Magic Millions 2- & 3-Year-Old winners Big Shots & Bondi Bubbles. With quality broodmares and vendors joining together utilising leading and unfailing sires available, the 2025 Magic Millions draft is set to reveal many more champions for buyers.

In 2023 offered a draft of 18 yearlings, the now three-year-olds coming from that draft have seen the likes of Magna’s Choice to win two from three starts, Gold Flakes winner of two, Define Beautiful who ran fourth in the Karrakatta Plate and fourth in the 2yo Magic Millions Classic and Grand Reserve winner of three.

In 2025 Alwyn Park will present a draft of 22 yearlings and with a range of sensational pedigreed individuals with a choice of stallions represented, from proven sires offered are Awesome Rock, Doubtland, Ducimus, El Roca, Fierce Impact (JPN), Gingerbread Man, Hanseatic, Maschino, Playing God, Rommel, Royal Meeting (IRE) and Shooting To Win. There are also four yearlings offered by the young freshman sire in Splintex.

The 2025 Draft offers siblings or descendants from several winning families.

Lot 10 is from the winning family of Grand Reserve, Grece Lightning and Aidan’s Choice.

Lot 14 is the dam of Listed WATC Starstruck Classic winner in Snowchino and dam of Nero King. Lot 15 is from the family of an Alwyn Park Sales Graduate in Portland Sky, winner of the Group 1 MRC Oakleigh Plate, Group 3 MRC Manfred Stakes and Group 3 MRC Red Anchor Stakes.

Lot 59 is from a winning family in Like No Other and is from the family of Disco Donut, Miss Rockjoy and Super Smink, the winner of the Group 2 WATC Karrakatta Plate, Group 2 WATC Sires Produce Stakes, Group 3 WATC Asian Beau Stakes and Listed Belgravia Stakes.

Lot 93 is from the family of Devoted the winner of the Listed WATC Raconteur Stakes and WATC Belmont Guineas. Descends from Flaming Heart, producer of 3 stake winners for 13 stakes wins Heart Starter, Real Love and Suspicion.

Lot 114 is from the winning mare Reveille, who has produced 2 winners from 2 progeny to hit the track, including Buckets Ridge winner of the Listed NthmRC Northam Cup and WATC Melvista Stakes.

Lot 120 is from the family of the Listed WATC Fairetha Stakes, WATC Supremacy Stakes and winner in Hong Kong, London Line. Also, notably from the family of Portland Sky, winner of the Group 1 MRC Oakleigh Plate, Group 3 MRC Manfred Stakes and Group 3 MRC Red Anchor Stakes.

Lot 154 is from the family of Le Sablier (NZ) who was 52 stars on the track for 7 wins and 10 placings, also I’Ll’Ava’Alf who was 87 starts with 12 wins and 20 placings on the track.

Lot 169 From the family of the WATC Starstruck Classic Winner in Snowchino and winner Nero King.

Lot 178 descends from Hello Lottie who produces 3 stakes winners for 7 stakeswins, including Ancient Song who won the Group 1 VRC Salinger Stakes, Group 2 AJC Light Finger Stakes and AJC June Stakes.

Lot 185 is out of the Group 3 SAJC Sires Produce Stakes winner Bantry Bay, who has produced 8 winners including All Banter winner of the Listed SAJC Hills Railway Stakes & MRW WJ Adams Stakes.

Lot 206 is the half-sister to Buster Bash, Buster Bash was a 2019 Alwyn Park Graduate who won the Group 2 WATC Perth Cup, Listed WATC GA Towton Cup and WATC Luckygray Stakes.

Lot 291 is from the family of the I Wish I Win (NZ), winner of over $12 million, Group 1 ATC TJ Smith Stakes, Group 1 BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup and Listed MRC Testa Rossa, from the same family as Another Dollar (NZ) winner of the Listed BRC Premiers Cup and Listed Gosford Gold Cup.

Lot 316 is the half-brother to Bondi Bubbles, winner of the 2024 Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.

Portland Sky, 2019 Alwyn Park Stud Graduate, Winner of the Group 1 MRC Oakleigh Plate

Buster Bash, 2019 Alwyn Park Stud Graduate Winner of the Group 2 WATC Perth Cup

Super Smink, Winner of the Group 2 WATC Karrakatta Plate

Ellie Crisp

MUCH ADO ABOUT Something

by Jessica Owers

Women have held up horse racing for centuries, but it’s only in recent times that their contributions have been recognised. Jessica Owers spoke to three women in Perth racing whose careers have helped their men to shine.

In 1946, football player Meryll Frost told a Texas newspaper that “behind every great man there’s a great woman” Twenty years later, Percy Sledge wrote about it The phrase became a catch-cry for women the world over, but in the racing game, it was nothing new

Horse trainers and studmasters had for centuries climbed the rigging with their wives and partners in the background, knee-deep in livestock, payroll or child rearing Today, the difference is these women get a lot more recognition

“That’s a good thing,” says Ellie Crispe, whose partner is the Ascot trainer Simon Miller “There are so many great women in this industry who are turning up every day, doing the long hours and taking no credit for it ”

Ellie has been with Simon since 2005, and the couple has a daughter, six-year-old Olivia However, she is also the inhouse vet for Simon Miller Racing Graduating from Murdoch University, she worked up through racetrack practices in Melbourne and Sydney before returning to Perth, where she specialised in Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH), or bleeders

“I’ve been a vet for 20 years now,” she says “My first job was at Caulfield, which is where I met Simon I was doing the vet work for Robbie Griffiths We went to Sydney together to work at Warwick Farm, and then I came back to Perth to do my residency at Murdoch with a PhD on bleeders Simon came over and set himself up, and while I was juggling my

residency and PhD, I was doing Simon’s vet work at the same time ”

When Olivia arrived, Ellie began to slow down her out-of-house work She continued to consult in outside practices, but most of her career was now devoted to Miller’s horses In a short space of time, the trainer had become a leading light of Perth racing

“I run my own business independent of Simon, keeping a veterinary license, but I’m at our stables every morning handling the veterinary side of things, and for the rest of the day I run Simon’s business,” Ellie says If Simon Miller is a great man, then Ellie Crispe is the great woman behind him, but that fails to recognise Ellie’s achievement of being a successful, career-driven high achiever all by herself

“I am proud of that, but I’ve never been one to chase a limelight,” she says “I’ve always been comfortable doing my thing, staying behind the scenes There are plenty of partnerships in racing like mine, which is probably obvious given racehorses are a business that you have to live and breathe every day You need someone in your life who is similar-minded to turn up every day and work every day It just means you’re on the same page ” Trainer-vet partnerships aren’t unusual Dr Emma Vidler, also in Perth, is married to Pinjarra trainer Darren McAuliffe “Racing people go well together,” Ellie says “It’s a community, sometimes more than it is a job It’s not a big deal for any of us to work every day, Christmas Day and weekends We

all know what’s required and we turn up ”

Down in Karnup, in the outer suburbs of southern Perth, Danelle and Chloe Pearce know all about it Respectively, they are the partners of training brothers Dan and Ben Pearce, and the two couples live and work alongside each other

“If you’d asked me years ago about working with family, I’d have told you it never works,” says Danelle “But this does work Everyone has a job to do and everyone stays in their lane I do the books and Chloe rides out, so none of us are stepping on the other’s toes ”

Danelle married Dan Pearce in 2014 and she knew what she was getting into Before marriage she was Danelle Miller, her father being jockey-turned-trainer Stephen ‘SJ’ Miller, her uncle Danny Miller, of Northerly fame

“I’ve been right in it,” she says “I knew about the hours and the disappointments, also the highs There are such high highs in racing and, when things go wrong, such low lows I knew what I was lining up for ”

The Pearce brothers began their training partnership in 2017 They’re just shy of 500 winners Danelle handles the administrative side of things, including payroll, accounts and the myriad paperwork that flies through the business It’s an unsung role, and a critical one

“I went away from racing for a long time,” she says “When I was 15, I definitely didn’t think I would end up here because racing was such a big part of my life and it always kept my parents busy But now, I couldn’t imagine anything else I love the business we’ve created, the business that the boys have created, and the lifestyle it has allowed us We’re very lucky ”

Danelle and Dan have a four-year-old daughter, Scarlet Nearby, Chloe and Ben have three children – Indi, Sienna and Willow Before marriage, Chloe was jockey Chloe Chatfield with a decade-long resumé of 2600 rides and 210 winners She rode her last winner in 2017 for her husband

“I was always career-orientated,” Chloe says “I was pretty lucky as an apprentice I had a really good boss, Michael Pateman, and I feel like I had a meaningful career I’d bought a house by the time I was 20 and rode in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, and I was a very independent and motivated person I had horses growing

up, I’ve played polocrosse, and after riding I went to ag school Horses have always been a massive part of my life so it hasn’t surprised me that it’s gone in this direction ”

Chloe’s role in Pearce Racing is riding Every morning, even as her children are readying for school, she is out in boots putting the racehorses through their work Her feedback is critical to the trainers, as is her constant presence for the other staff

“We’ve got our 4 30am starts and I ride out every morning,” she says “After I had each of my girls, I was back on a horse within two weeks The kids have been around it for that long now they’re well-adapted They are great kids, and very independent kids ”

Aside from their respective roles in the family business, Danelle and Chloe also run the stable’s Women In Racing syndicates Through 2024, that involved the promising Safeguard filly Hold My Wine, who cost them

$90,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale She was second on debut at Ascot in October

Having Danelle and Chloe take care of this part of the business is a huge coup for their husbands because the girls are casting the net wide for new clients The Magic Millions Women in Racing scheme has been responsible for countless new faces into the sport, both on the east and west coasts of the country

“Chloe and I are quite prominent in the ladies space,” Danelle says “We do lots of events for the stable to encourage women into racing so that’s it’s not just ‘buy your horse, see you later’ You get the experience as well, like a Bubbles ‘n Brunch to meet the horses, and we have a private function at Ascot during the year We’ve tried to do a little more than just aim for the Magic Millions bonus, which I will say we’re still trying to win ”

Traditionally, women have held up men in racing for a long time, but more and more since the 1970s, they have made careers of it Even the term ‘WAG’, which was popularised during the early nineties as an acronym for the ‘wives and girlfriends’ of famous athletes, has become unfashionable and a modern symbol of misogyny According to feminists, it reduced women to little more than cheerleaders and, in 2006, the term was deemed offensive and demeaning to women

by the British-based Equality and Human Rights Commission

Today, the narrative around women supporting their men is better Where women were once backseat passengers, today they are more likely to be at the wheel David Houston, Magic Millions Perth manager, says the role of women in racing alone has risen fantastically

“It’s been 50-odd years since I raced my first horse and I’ve seen a huge swell in the representation of women in racing,” he says “Girls like Ellie Crispe and Danelle and Chloe Pearce, they contribute hugely to the success of their husbands and, if you were to ask them, I’m sure the boys would tell you it’s a great support to them that their partners are there in the thick of it ”

Chloe backs up this observation, noticing not just more opportunities for women, but a lot more recognition for women contributing

“That’s probably only happened in the last five to eight years,” she says “And women deserve this recognition because, at the end of the day, people like Ben and Dan aren’t able to do their job without us behind the scenes looking after the children and running the household, not to mention doing what we do in the business itself I know for a fact that Dan and Ben are appreciative of it, and I think that’s why it all works so well ”

The latest statistics in Australia put female jockeys at 39 per cent of the professional riding ranks Forty years ago, this would have been unthinkable While it is estimated that around 250,000 people are employed directly in thoroughbred racing, it’s not yet clear how much of that number is made up of women

What is clear is that the glass ceiling is breaking and racing, to its credit, is keeping up n

Chloe Pearce & Danelle Pearce

A Sample OF THE OFFERING IN 2025

The 2025 Perth Yearling Sale has attracted an outstanding line up of prospect racetrack stars – here’s a sample of what is on offer:

Lot 3 – Too Darn Hot-Caiguna colt

Half brother to Group placed Serena Bay (dam of SP Serena Bay) From a Natasha Stakes winner

Lot 9 – Shooting to Win-Catherine Wheel colt

Half brother to Perth 2YO winner and Karrakatta Plate placegetter Blue Rocket From a half to Saloon Bar

Lot 11 – Rommel-Chantorque filly

First foal of a Placid Ark Stakes winning daughter of War Chant She won six races and earned almost $500,000

Lot 13 – Safeguard-Clarecastle filly

Half sister to stakes placegetters Royal Strata, Specialism and More Special Dam was Group placed and is a 100% winner producer

Lot 19 – Blue Point-Cool Trade colt

From a Scenic Blast Stakes winning daughter of Trade Affair who won seven and is the dam of three to race –all are winners

Lot 22 – Blue Point-Cristofina colt

Second foal of a winning Vancouver half sister to multiple stakes winner Northwest Passage

Lot 23 – Manhattan Rain-Crushed colt

Half brother to outstanding multiple stakes winner and $772,000 earner Man Crush Dam is a daughter of G1 winner Juice

Lot 25 – Tassort-Deep Echo colt

Third foal of a winning Deep Field daughter of international stakes winner Cherokee Echo

Lot 26 – Brazen Beau-Delta Gee colt

Half brother to $1 1 million earner, VIC and WA Group winner Alsephina From a Natasha Stakes winner by Street Cry

Lot 44 – Spirit of Boom-Follonica filly

Half sister to Group Three winner and $750,000 earner Bigboyroy and this season’s stakes placed juvenile Secret Sort

Lot 45 – Splintex-Foo Foo the Snoo colt

Half brother to Perth Stakes and Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic placegetter and four time winner Street Parade

Lot 51 – Playing God-High Aims colt

Half brother to ATA Stakes winner and $415,000 earner Queen Alina From a half sister to the dam of Torah

Lot 58 – Pinatubo-Indian Flower filly

Half sister to Cyril Flower Stakes winner and $478,000 earner Flower of War and stakes placed Flower of Gold

Lot 63 – St Mark’s Basilica-Joy of Joys filly

From a winning More Than Ready sister to 21 time winner and $4 5 million earner More Joyous

Lot 69 – Playing God-Lady Alaska colt

Full brother to WA Derby and Melvista Stakes winner Alaskan God and stakes placed Alaskan

Lot 72 – Maschino-Lead Rope gelding

Half brother to Group Three Colonel Reeves Stakes winner Rope Them In ($797,655) From a six time winner

Lot 73 – Zoustar-Leitfaden colt

Half brother to Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner Saintorio From a multiple city winner by Choisir Family of Fangirl

Lot 75 – Farnan-Little Bit Ditsy filly

From a three time winning stakes performed Bel Esprit half sister to Vienna Miss and the dam of Let it Slip and Gangbuster

Lot 76 – Toronado-Lucky Ana filly

Half sister to Group Two Karrakatta Plate winner Dig Deep From a winning half sister to the dam of Lankan Rupee

Lot 81 – Tiger of Malay-Maia Nebula colt

From a winning Bernardini half sister to recent Group Three Blue Sapphire Stakes winner Pisces Family of Broadsiding

Lot 82 – Playing God-Majantic colt

Full brother to Listed Pinjarra Cup winner Holy Enchantment From a sister to Global Flirt

Lot 90 – Gold Standard-Miss Shanghai filly

Half sister to Listed Raconteur Stakes winner Brave Spirit From a half sister to Granny Red Shoes (dam of High Octane)

Lot 92 – Palace Pier-Mizlecki colt

From a Listed Raconteur Stakes, Listed Sheila Gwynne Classic, Listed Belmont Oaks and Listed Old Comrade Stakes winner

Lot 98 – All Too Hard-Mystical View colt

First foal of a four time winning and stakes placed Canford Cliffs half sister to triple stakes winner Mystery Miss

Lot 100 – Hellbent-Ober Purkla filly

First foal of a winning Pride of Dubai half sister to stakes performers High Lago and Falago Family of Coleman

Lot 103 – Playing God-Pasadena Girl colt

Half brother to group placed Ron’s Finalflutter From a Group One Champagne Stakes winner by Savabeel

Lot 104 – Nicconi-Pearlesque filly

Half sister to triple stakes winner Friar Fox and stakes placed, five time winner Friaresque From a sister to Impressive Stats

Lot 107 – Bivouac-Plumm colt

Half brother to triple New South Wales Group winner Lekvarte and stakes placegetter Total Power Dam was Group placed

Lot 108 – Spirit of Boom-Poverty Point colt

From a Testa Rossa half sister to stakes winners Elite Belle, Mississippi Delta and Battle Emblem

A Sample OF THE OFFERING IN 2025

Lot 110 – Pierata-Prim and Proper colt

From a Listed Supremacy Stakes winning daughter of Alfred Nobel By the same sire as Coleman

Lot 114 – Ducimus-Revielle filly

Half sister to Melvista Stakes and Northam Cup winner Buckets Ridge From a four time winner by High Chaparral

Lot 116 – Nicconi-Rosmartini filly

From a Listed Belmont Oaks and Listed Belmont Guineas winning daughter of Proart Dam is a half to Lonsdale Lady

Lot 117 – Farnan-Rosslago filly

Half sister to four winners From a lightly raced Testa Rossa full sister to Testamezzo By Golden Slipper winner

Lot 118 – Splintex-Royal Strata filly

First living foal of a five time winning and Group placed daughter of Stratum Dam is a half to Specialism and More Special

Lot 119 – St Mark’s Basilica-Secret Mak colt

Half brother to six time winner and stakes placed Valency From a Lonhro half sister to Covertly and So Secret

Lot 121 – Blue Point-Serene Image filly

Second foal of an unraced Vancouver daughter of La Trice Classic winner Ideal Image Family of Perfect Reflection

Lot 123 – Written By-Shawan colt

From an unraced half sister to stakes winners Voyage Warrior and Speech Craft Family of Wall Street, Bezeal Bay etc

Lot 125 – Tiger of Malay-Silk Touch colt

From a Dundeel half sister to Silk Pins and the dams of Gypsy Diamond, Miraval Rose and Finance Tycoon

Lot 133 – Xtravagant-Snowchino colt

Second living foal of a Listed Starstruck Classic winning daughter of Maschino Family of G1 winner Road to Success

Lot 134 – Awesome Rock-Society Gal colt

Full brother to Group winner Red Sun Sensation and half brother to Listed Belmont Oaks winner Chili is Hot

Lot 135 – Astern-Spirit Bird colt

Half brother to Queensland Derby runner-up Fame

From a Group Three winning daughter of Savabeel

Lot 138 – Ole Kirk-Star of Rosie colt

From an unbeaten Star Witness half sister to Group winners Kissonallforcheeks and Russian to the Bar Dam is from Rosie Rocket

Lot 140 – Cosmic Force-Sugar Bay colt

Half brother to stakes winner Fifteen Rounds and five other winners From an international stakes winner

Lot 142 – Written By-Swaane filly

Half to three winners from three runners From a Charge Forward half sister to G2 Matriarch Stakes winner Jessy Belle

Lot 148 – Too Darn Hot-Tommy Blue gelding

First foal of a five time winning and Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy placed daughter of Gingerbread Man

Lot 149 – Splintex-Toni May filly

From a five time winning Tavistock half sister to the dams of stakes winners Jericho Missile and Resortman Family of Champagne

Lot 151 – Bivouac-Triple Latte colt

Half brother to seven time winner and Group Two placegetter Triple Missile Family of Lord Nelson etc

Lot 152 – Playing God-Truly Belong filly

Half sister to stakes placegetter Champagne Street

From a stakes performed Showcasing mare Family of Reenact

Lot 153 – St Mark’s Basilica-Tuscan Star filly

First foal of an unraced American Pharoah half sister to WA Derby and WA Oaks winner Tuscan Queen Family of Zirna

Lot 154 – Maschino-Vintage Stock filly

First foal of a six time winning and Ascot One Thousand Guineas runner-up by Tavistock Dam is a sister to Le Sablier

Lot 162 – Awesome Rock-World Class colt

Half brother to Fairetha Stakes and Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner Investmentstrategy

Lot 164 – Sessions-Xaar Boom filly

Half sister to Listed Burgess Queen and Listed Jungle Dawn Classic winner Buzzoom From a stakes performed four time winner

Lot 167 – Wild Ruler-Zarpoya filly

From a three time winning and juvenile stakes placegetter Family of Glass Harmonium, Blond Me, Arab Spring etc

Lot 171 – Universal Ruler-Adore Me filly

Second foal of a twice winner by Choisir Dam is a daughter of Champion Fillies Stakes winner Hi On Love

Lot 172 – Bondi-Aim for Gold colt

Half brother to stakes performers Madibagold and Sudden Wealth and the dam of Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare

Lot 173 – Playing God-Alta Sull’amore filly

First live foal of a city winner by Sepoy Dam is a daughter of Hi On Love Family of Barakey, Magnifiso etc

Lot 175 – Pinatubo-Amelia’s Love colt

From a 100% winning producing half sister to Magic Millions 2YO Classic heroine Karuta Queen Family of Vain Queen

Lot 182 – Splintex-Aphrodite Rock colt

From a twice winning Commands half sister to Flemington stakes winner Ayers Rock Second and third dams were black type

Lot 183 – Splintex-Arigato colt

Second foal of a Flemington winning Choisir half sister to Tahitian Dancer Dam is from stakes winner Takanori

Lot 185 – Splintex-Bantry Bay colt

Half brother to Melbourne and Adelaide stakes winner

All Banter and stakes placed Alotofbanter From a Group winner

Lot 186 – Maurice-Beautiful Mind colt

Second foal of a Listed Jungle Dawn Classic winning daughter of So You Think Dam is a daughter of G1 winner Small Minds

Lot 189 – Wild Ruler-Bound for Earth colt

Half brother to two winners From a Group Two Furious Stakes winning and Group One placed daughter of Northern Meteor

Lot 229 – Admire Mars-Hidden colt

First foal of an unraced half sister to Detective Dam is a daughter of G1 winner Covertly Family of Super Smink

It

was

ADVANCEMENTS Scoping

by Kristen Manning

in the early 1990s that the scoping (post-sale endoscopic examination) of yearlings was first conducted and ever since then there has been debate as to how accurate the readings of the grading system have been.

The Lane-Bain Fallon 5-point grading system (grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) was introduced in 1993 and has been used extensively across Australia and New Zealand whilst the Havemeyer 7-point (1, 11 1, 11 2, 111 1, 111 2, 111 3, V) grading system, established in 2003, has been utilized in the northern hemisphere

Extensive studies have been conducted across the world, including recent ones in Australia; leading to the local sales companies agreeing to ditch the old system and embrace the Havemeyer at all yearling sales kicking off with the 2025 Magic Millions

The relationship between yearling laryngeal function and future performance is the motivator behind scoping; buyers seeking confidence in regards to long term soundness of their sometimes very expensive purchases

Which is why buyers have taken the current readings into account, wary of the risks involved of buying a horse with a grade 3 or worse scope

And to a certain extent this has worked well, Dr Josie Hardwick noting that “it has helped to weed out the very high risk yearlings ”

Dr Hardwick, along with Professor Ben Ahern and Professor Samantha Franklin as a University Of Adelaide team, has completed an Agrifutures funded two year study into the relationship between yearling sale readings and racing performance at the ages of two, three and four

And what they have found is that there are too

many variations for the 5-point grade system to be fully effective

“Firstly we conducted a study to identify the main area of concern,” she said whilst noting that it was already known just what people were worried about - “a lack of clarity” in regards to the the grade assigned at the sales and how well a horse raced

Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) is the issue, commonly referred to as ‘roaring’

“Arguably the most clinically significant disease of the upper airway of horses” is how the study describes the affliction, one which “usually affects the left side of the larynx (voice box) and occurs most commonly in larger horses, such as thoroughbreds, warmbloods and draft breeds ”

“As the condition progresses, the nerve input to the laryngeal muscles is reduced, resulting in the muscles being unable to fully open the larynx Consequently, the horse breathes in air through a smaller than normal airway hole (akin to breathing through a straw) which causes it to make a roaring or whistling noise, particularly during fast work ”

“The disease impairs the ability of the horse to perform strenuous exercise, and has serious health consequences for the horse and economic implications for the owner ”

Whilst the scoping system in place has worked to a certain extent, the grade a horse receives is prone to variability from differing factors such who did the scope, what the conditions were like at the time, the mental and physical

state of the horse, the time of day, the degree of fatigue, the degree of restraint (such as the use of a twitch) applied, etc

The Havemeyer system, which allows for greater variation, has proven to be more consistent and the study suggests that veterinarians be trained to objectively interpret laryngeal function in order to further reduce the variability of their assessments

The system is a “more granular” one and therefore a more useful one as it allows for horses with “intermediate” laryngeal function to be split into “two distinct groups with different future performance outcomes ”

Approximately 4% of the sale population were classified as intermediate

Overall what they found was that for most horses sold at sales, laryngeal function did not impact future race performance though a subset of horses - that 4% - who performed poorer at four was identified

It was also discerned that the grading system could be further refined with the outcomes of horses allocated a grade of II 2 did not have different performance outcomes from those with grade I or II 1

In the past such horses would have received a grade 3 reading, one which effected buyer confidence Despite there being on real evidence that they are more or less likely to develop wind problems

“It was a pass or fail” attitude that Dr Hardwick would like to see us get away from, “there is more to risk assessment than that ”

An equine surgeon who has worked in the thoroughbred industry for 16 years, Dr Hardwick has seen the issue “from all sides,” from diagnosis to the racetrack to the operating theatre

“It has always been of special interest to me,” she said, delighted when funding was secured for this study

One which has recommended that there should be continued development in the system and better communication to industry stakeholders as well as the use of the 7-point scale over the 5-point one; which each Australian sales company has now agreed to

It was also recommended that a panel of three experts study the pre-sale scopes in order to provide consensus of the grades

Over 5000 endoscopic recordings from Australian yearling sales conducted in 2018 and 2019 were studied for this investigation; reviewed by a team of experienced veterinarians They looked at both point

scales and at performance data

There was no difference in race performance between 95% of the horses examined though those with grade 111 1 function earned less as four-year-olds with fewer career wins and placings

Dr Samantha Franklin was pleased to involve industry participants in the process, a series of round stable interviews with focus groups of buyers, breeders and sale day veterinarians leading to robust discussion

“No other studies have asked thoroughbred stake holders to share their views and concerns about the yearling sales endoscopy process,” she said

“By bringing together a cross-section of stakeholders ho are impacted by this issue from all angles, we gained a deeper understanding of not only what they think, but how they think and why, and we could explore their views on how the process might be improved ”

“The yearling endoscopy process should enhance buyer confidence and remove ambiguity ”

Some stakeholders were wary about what they saw as a more complicated system but the researchers are confident that education and experience will lead to greater confidence

“This grading scale could be further simplified when communicating levels of risk to stakeholders,” Professor Franklin said The research does not end here, Dr Hardwick saying that she is “very excited” about the next study looking at the earnings and performance of horses post treatment; i e tie-back surgery

“We will have data in the next six months,” she said, noting that other fields of research are being taken overseas, such as in Europe where electrical stimulation of the nerve is being studied in order to train and strengthen the muscles

Meanwhile she sees the break down of grade 3 into two distinct groups with different risk factors an important one whilst also noting that there are “different degrees of roarers ”

“Some have complete collapse of the laryngeal nerve, others have partial and seem to cope quite well with it It is a complex diseases with multiple causes ”

Which means that every bit of research conducted into the field is worthy and the new system of grading at the sales is a definite step in the right direction n

“It was a pass or fail” attitude that Dr Hardwick would like to see us get away from, “there is more to risk assessment than that.”

'Located between the expansive Tuart Forest and pristine Forrest Beach, we provide unmatched scope and diversity in our training programmes for our breakers and pre-trainers.

Utilised in conjunction with our on-site facilities as well as regular track work at the newly renovated Bunbury track, we aim to provide our clients with a content, desensitised, self assured and well educated athlete, ready for the next stage in their career.'

*Halter breaking *Tie ups *Truck/float and farrier education

*Mouthing *Lunging

*Long rein and roller work *Work alongside lead pony etc

*Groundwork *Lunging

* Schooling

*Bush * Track work at home and Bunbury

*Barrier work at home and Bunbury track.

*Bush *Beach *Arena work *Swimming *Walker work

*Regular incorporation of Bunbury track.

Work in conjunction with vets, trainers and body workers

*Swimming *Beach *Arena work etc as required.

*Quality reticulated and well maintained pastures. *Fed 2 x/day. *Rugging * Regular weigh-ins.

All services supported by regular updates, including photos and videos.

All programmes tailor made for each horse.

Located at Forrest Beach, near Capel and just 2.5 hours from Perth. We welcome client visits.

www.forrestbeachbreaking.com

Discover breeding excellence with Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeders’ standout 2025 crop, headlined by the extraordinary Awesome Rock. Featuring yearlings by champions Playing God, Pierata, Toronado, and Awesome Rock, matched with elite mares like Lucky Ana, Society Gal, Amarillo Rose, and Alta Sull’Amore.

Raceday Winners

BIG SHOTS

Sizzling-Pintupi

$250,000 MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC (RL 1200M)

2nd Madhi Girl, 3rd Angels Impact | Margins: 0 97 length x 0 12 length | Time: 1 minute 11 28 seconds

Cost: $27,500 at 2023 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Alwyn Park Stud (As Agent) | Buyer: Luke Fernie | Trainer: Luke Fernie Jockey: Chris Parnham

Raceday Winners2024

BONDI BUBBLES

Bondi-Tousled

$250,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WA 3YO TROPHY (RL 1200M) & $25,000 RACING WOMEN’S BONUS

2nd Siberian Siren, 3rd Leading Taddy | Margins: 0 33 length x 0 21 length | Time: 1 minute 11 5 seconds

Cost: $35,000 at 2022 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Alwyn Park Stud (As Agent) | Buyer: Bridge Patrol Lodge Pty Ltd Trainer: David Harrison | Jockey: Paul Harvey

Raceday Winners2024

MADHI GIRL

$60,000 Bonus + $46,500 prizemoney (position past the post: 2nd) | Cost: $68,000 at 2023 Perth Yearling Sale

Vendor: Western Breeders Alliance | Buyer: Teleah Hulse | Trainer: Simon Miller | Jockey: Steven Parnham

2nd Sinful Living (position past the post: 7th) $10,000 Bonus + $4,500 prizemoney

3rd London’s Image (position past the post: 11th) $5,000 Bonus

MAGIC MILLIONS WA 2YO CLASSIC RACING WOMEN’S BONUS

Black Heart Bart

Scenic Blast

Playing God

Great Shot

Duty

BOUND

Words: Katrina Partridge / Photos: Simon Merritt

The doggonne boss of the equine lot.

There exists an old quote: “Dogs are not our whole lies but they make our lives whole They stand beside us, rest their nose in our hand when we are stressed, partake in long car journeys with no complaint (unless their designated window isn’t down), take a place at our feet or next to us on the couch after a long day, elect not to answer back when we are in a mood, and can make us endlessly laugh with their endearing characteristics and playful nature ”

When it comes to thoroughbred farms, barns and spelling paddocks you will be hard pressed not to find a much loved dog somewhere in the immediate vicinity Like the equine royalty they share Google Map coordinates with, there are many canines who boast vintage bloodlines and faultless conformation Others point to more bluecollar pedigrees or quirky personalities but despite these differences they have much in common: they all vie with the children on the farm for general favouritism (note –most own more toys and snack boxes than the former), they want for nothing, and the farrier is a universal favourite

Alwyn Park - Bolt (Liver Dalmation)

Einoncliff Park 2 - Lola

(Chihuahua x Jack Russell)

J

Gold Front - Jack

(Jack Russell)

Farm - Dolly & Chloe

(French Bulldog and Border Collie)

Lynward Park - Betty (Doberman)

Mogumber Park - Caddy, Scarlett, Porsche (Old English Sheepdogs)

Ridgeport - Roger (unknown breed, from a rescue shelter)

Ruby Racing and Breeding - Bindi (Red Cloud Kelpie)

MEET Rebecca

by Jessica Owers

The Magic Millions WA office has a new face in local equestrian Rebecca McGrechan. She is new to racing but, as she tells Jessica Owers, that was part of the appeal.

Deep ends don’t come deeper than the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which is where Rebecca McGrechan found herself in the first week of her new job McGrechan, 31, is the new administrative officer for Magic Millions WA, replacing the flame-haired Charlotte Geoghegan, who exited the role after six good years

“I officially started on January 2, flying straight to the Gold Coast,” McGrechan says “They thought it would be a good idea to get me out there, straight into the deep end I guess ”

The Gold Coast sale, with its catalogue of 1400 horses, was a baptism of fire for McGrechan who, up to that point, had never been to a thoroughbred yearling auction She assisted with the polo and showjumping, went to the beachside barrier braw and sale, and she admits that her new job will be a learning curve

“I didn’t know an awful lot about racing when I applied for the job,” she says “I’d probably say I knew as much about racing as any other horsey person ”

McGrechan is an Aveley local, living just north of the Magic Millions Middle Swan complex

She has grown up riding in Perth’s equestrian community, which is how she first heard of Magic Millions

“Naturally, the equestrian community out here in Perth knows a bit about Magic Millions,” she says “A lot of us end up with ex-racehorses, myself included I’ve had exracehorses for about 11 years now, and a lot of us had to evacuate horses to the sales complex during the fires a few years ago So I knew of the company but probably not much more than that ”

McGrechan has moved to Magic Millions from a full-time position in sales at Kingspan Water and Energy Before that, she was with BD Water in licensing and a Mitsubishi dealership in accounts They were positions that demanded an attention to administrative detail, which will serve her well in her new role at Magic Millions WA

“I’ve never been in anything quite like this before, but horses are something I’m really interested in,” she says “It will be quite fascinating learning about the industry this way, and I’m really looking forward to the sales here in Perth ”

McGrechan’s immediate weeks on the job

were spent at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, meeting Magic Millions’s east coast staff and learning the ropes of a major thoroughbred auction Her first local sale will occur when the two-day Perth Yearling Sale kicks off on February 20

The Magic Millions WA office is a two-man band, with McGrechan working alongside Perth manager David Houston, who has been in charge since 2012 Houston has enjoyed introducing McGrechan to the industry and says her newness to racing is an advantage

“It’s one of the things I enjoy when doing interviews, having people come in from different work backgrounds,” Houston says “Rebecca has covered the office administration and finance aspects in her previous jobs, and luckily she has a horse background, which is going to be a good help to her She will be coming into the thoroughbred industry with some fresh ideas and she can learn on the

go, hopefully without bringing any bad habits with her like the rest of us have ”

McGrechan has four of her own horses and competes in eventing and showjumping For kicks, she plays ice hockey Houston said her equine background will be useful as the two industries, racing and equestrian, increasingly cross paths in the welfare space Aside from that, she will oversee events like the Perth barrier draw, Magic Millions WA raceday and subsequent Perth sales throughout the year

“We have a lot happening here in Perth,” Houston says “I’m really looking forward to having Rebecca part of the team because she is very affable and very keen to learn She got hawked around that many different departments at the Gold Coast that her head must have been spinning, but it wasn’t a bad way to kick-off a new job and she handled it really well ” n

Stakes

SUCCESS STORIES

Sight Success Magnus - Tarp John Size

Black Heart Bart Blackfriars - Sister Theresa Lindsey Smith

Scenic Shot ScenicSweepshot Daniel Morton

Ima Single Man Gingerbread ManSingle Spice Tony Cruz

Luckygray Bradbury's LuckDamah Lady Trevor Andrews

Boom Time Flying Spur - Bit of a Ride Hayes & Dabernig

Sheeza Belter Gold StandardSaxabelle

Valour Road Frost Giant - Melba Avenue

Peter & Paul Snowden

Simon Miller

Bustler Playing God - Cosmah Domination Neville Parnham

Playing God Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do Neville Parnham

Moment of Change Barely a MomentEuropium

Peter G Moody

Magnifisio Magnus - Ifestio Vaughn Sigley

$5,295,074 $45,000

$4,817,950 $20,000

HKJC Premier Bowl, Gr 2, Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, Gr 3, 2d HKJC Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Gr 1

SAJC Goodwood H , Gr 1, MRC Memsie S , Gr 1, Underwood S , Gr 1-twice, CF Orr S , Gr 1, Futurity S , Gr 1

$3,097,855 $36,000 VRC LKS Mackinnon S , Gr 1, BTC Doomben Cup, Gr 1-twice

$3,019,027 P $40,000

WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, HKJC x 5 wins

$2,696,025 $46,000 WATC Railway S , Gr 1-twice, Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1

$2,554,125 P $65,000

$1,884,400 $50,000

$1,821,357 $60,000

$1,812,950 $130,000

$1,669,200 $27,000

$1,657,638 $50,000

$1,547,200 $80,000

MRC Caulfield Cup, Gr 1, Mornington Cup Prelude, L, WATC Melvista S , L

BRC JJ Atkins P , Gr 1, ATC Hot Danish S , Gr 2, BRC Sires' Produce S , Gr 2, Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL

WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, Lee Steere S , Gr 2, SAJC Euclase S , Gr 2, WATC Hyperion S , Gr 3, AJ Scahill S , Gr 3, Prince of Wales S , Gr 3

WATC Railway S , Gr 1, Belmont Sprint, Gr 3, Fairetha S , L

WATC Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1-twice, Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2, Northerly S , Gr 3

MRC Sir Rupert Clarke S , Gr 1, Futurity S , Gr 1, CF Orr S , Gr 1

WATC Winterbottom S , Gr 1, Lee Steere S , Gr 2, Roma Cup, Gr 3

Red Can Man Gingerbread ManBrocky's Ace Steve Wolfe

Great Shot Magnus - Satin Covers Rhys Radford

Super Smink Super OneSminky Shorts Daniel Morton

God Has Spoken Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do Neville Parnham

Silent Sedition War ChantFiorentina Andrew Noblet

Gemma's Son SnippetsonPrincess Gemma David Harrison

Man Booker Discorsi - Morine Daniel Morton

Achernar Star Gingerbread ManMorine Lindsey Smith

Let's Galahvant Galah - Secret Crush Daniel & Ben Pearce

Snowdome Rommel - Snow Pixie Neville Parnham

Man Crush Manhattan RainCrushed Luke Fernie

Hemlock Stone Dalghar - Spiritual Grant & Alana Williams

Admiration Express My AdmirationComme Ci Jason Miller

A Lot of Good Men A Lot - Cosmah Domination Trevor Andrews

Quilista Scandal KeeperBrocky's Ace Peter & Paul Snowden

Portland Sky Deep Field - Sky Rumba Matt Laurie

$1,505,290 $50,000

$1,479,375 $31,000

$1,336,380 $45,000

$1,189,250 $41,000

$1,177,150 $45,000

$1,172,733 $20,000

MRC Sir John Monash S , Gr 3, WATC RS Crawford S , L, Fairetha S , L, HG Bolton Sprint H , L

WATC Railway S , Gr 1, Belmont Guineas, L, Cyril Flower S , L, Old Comrade S , L

WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, WA Sires' Produce S , Gr 3, Asian Beau S Gr 3, Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL, Belgravia S , L

WATC CB Cox S , Gr 2, Sires' Produce S , Gr 3, RJ Peters S , Gr 3, Strickland S , Gr 3

MVRC William Reid S , Gr 1, MRC Summoned S , Gr 3, Mannerism S , Gr 3-twice, SAJC Auraria S , Gr 3

Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL, Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy, RL, WATC Perth S , L

$1,115,680 $25,000 Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2, WATC Northerly S , Gr 3

$1,017,021 $75,000

$937,710 $10,000

$794,600 $180,000

$771,215 $45,000

$765,990 $11,000

$762,880 $60,000

$756,840 $42,500

$750,650 $10,000

$584,075 $85,000

WATC Grandstand Cup, L, Bunbury S , L, 3d Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1

WATC Strickland S , Gr 3, Carbine Club of WA S , L, Kalgoorlie Boulder RC Hannan's H , L, Northam Cup, L

WATC WA Sires' Produce S , Gr 3, Prince of Wales S , Gr 3

Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy, RL, WATC Miss Andretti S , L

WATC Perth Cup, Gr 2

WATC Champion Fillies S , Gr 3, Ascot One Thousand Guineas, L, 2d WATC Northerly S , Gr 1

WATC Western Australian Derby, Gr 2, 2d WATC Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2

ATC Sapphire S , Gr 2, Birthday Card S , Gr 3

MRC Oakleigh P , Gr 1, MVRC Red Anchor S , Gr 3, MRC Manfred S , Gr 3

Exciting

Mogumber PARK

By Kristen Manning

It’s an exciting era at Mogumber Park, the 2024 spring seeing the arrival of the first foals for Marine One whilst a number of youngsters by fellow resident stallion Safeguard are displaying potential.

The stud’s Colin Brown said that he and Fiona Lacey have plenty to look forward to in 2025, kicking off with a bigger than normal Magic Millions draft, one which sees Mogumber presenting a draft with plenty of variety

“You always say that you want a horse for every one and I really think we have achieved that,” he said, describing the draft as “diverse ”

“We started out seeking to have the progeny of different stallions mainly as a marketing tool, to have interesting horses who people will want to inspect ”

“And we have now built that up as always having balance to our draft,” he said, noting that when a stud has big numbers by the same stallions interest can wane

“Those horses are up against each other then ”

And so Mogumber has 19 yearlings by 13 different stallions, showcasing Safeguard and fellow WA locals Awesome Rock and Rommel whilst also offering youngsters by respected interstaters

Including stallions proven in their ability to sire early comers; “we have yearlings by Spirit Of Boom, Farnan and Zousain who are all in the top ten two-year-old sires ”

Brown took us through ten highlights of the draft

Lot 7 bay colt by Awesome Rock from Castle Queen (Oratorio)

A “striking” half-brother to the promising Safekeeper, he is out of a city winning daughter of Mogumber’s stakes placed successful broodmare Clarecastle

Lot 13 chestnut filly by Safeguard from Clarecastle (Tribu)

A sister to the very smart, twice winning juvenile Castle Road whose consistently classy dam has been well represented by three black-type performers

“She presents a rare opportunity to buy into one of the WA blue-hen families The ownership group has previously kept and raced all the offspring of Clarecastle, but many have decided to reduce their racing interests

She’s a strong, precocious looking filly with incredible residual value; she will have many admirers ”

Lot 74 brown/grey colt by Zousain from Lirismo (Lope de Vega)

The first foal for a half-sister to the durable stakes winners The Candy Man and Phrases, “he looks every inch a runner with a good hindquarter and a lovely walk ”

Lot 79 bay colt by Farnan from Magical Charge (Magic Albert)

A half-brother to the promising Magical Moments out of a city winner from the prolific Glorious Song family, “he will have many admirers ”

“He is well grown with a great shoulder and hindquarter and he is an outstanding walker; and the the spitting image of his Golden Slipper winning father ”

Lot 84 bay filly by Rommel from Mindarie (Safeguard)

The second foal for a city winning daughter of Clarecastle whose first foal Do I Feel Lucky did not have the easiest of runs when a game second to Castle Road at debut but showed his class in winning his second start by over two lengths

“She looks an early type like her mother and half-brother, with the shoulder with the scope of Rommel, suggesting she will be early but train on as a three-year-old ”

Lot 95 bay colt by Hellbent from Msongari (Show a Heart)

His three-time winning dam has already been represented by the multiple city winners Kenyan Wonder and Starsongari

“His dam is out of the Champion 2Y0 Flying Babe and this colt has great presence and plenty of scope ”

Lot 96 bay/brown colt by Anders from Murtle Turtle (Murtajill)

A half-brother to four winners out of a two time Group 3 placegetter, he is a “strong, precocious, balanced colt from a two-yearold family He has early runner written all over him ”

Lot 108 brown colt by Spirit Of Boom from Poverty Point (Testa Rossa)

A “real eye-catcher,” he is a half-brother to the trial winning $280,000 2023 sale graduate Into The Future out of a half-sister to three stakes winners including the Group 1 winner Elite Belle

“He hails from one of the great WA families and his sire’s ability to sire quality performers is well known ”

Lot 128 bay filly by Hellbent from Singing Dixie (Not A Single Doubt)

The first foal for a winning mare whose halfsister produced the Singapore Champion Golden Monkey, “she has a great shoulder and hindquarter with an athletic walk; she covers the ground effortlessly She looks an early runner, she is Westspeed qualified and she has residual value; she ticks every box ”

Lot 150 bay colt by Cosmic Force from Toyland (I Am Invincible)

A very attractive colt out of an I Am Invincible mare who is a half sister to the stakes placed Stellar Magic He is a strong, athletic colt with a great walk and a lovely attitude and by one of the leading second year stallions, Cosmic Force, the sire of Give Me Space (winner of the Gr3 Vo Rogue and 0 2L second in the MM 3yo Guineas)

There are some lovely pedigrees amongst the remainder of the draft, Lot 16 a Brutal colt out of a speedy three time winner from the family of Regal Cheer, a Lot 111 a Captivant colt out of a half-sister to Shamexpress, Lot 113 a Dirty Work colt out of a half-sister to the stakes winner Transact, Lot 256 a Brutal filly from the in-form family of Autumn Angel and Baraqiel, Lot 263 a Captivant colt out of a city winning half-sister to stakes winner It’sarayday and Lot 349 a filly out of a half-sister to the Group 3 sprinter News Alert

Brown is looking forward to showcasing another three sons of Safeguard; Lot 208 out of a city winning half-sister to stakes winners Diamond Dash and Metro Miss, Lot 223, a half-brother to the city winning juvenile Red Square and Lot 251, a member of a high class international family which has enjoyed local success

Brown is optimistic about the sale, looking forward not only to getting the results every stud strives for, but also to having a good time

“We get to catch up with people we don’t see all year,” noting that the sales is as much a social occasion as a business one

“You have the stress of selling your horses but it is also such a nice time of year, seeing your staff enjoying a drink at the end of the day, relaxing and getting excited about what the next day will offer ”

2026 will see the first Marine One yearlings through the ring and Brown is delighted with the quality of the foals being sired by the Group 2 winning son of Capitalist

“They are just like him; smart, forward, happy to learn They come up to you in the paddock, they are well built with great strength and bone, we are very excited about them ” n

Swan ValleyDISTILLERIES

Distillation in the Swan Valley is a fine art with dedicated distillers handcrafting a wide range of spirits including gin, vodka, brandy, rum and limoncello.

Did you know that spirits have zero carbohydrates, are vegan friendly, and some are gluten free? It’s no wonder chefs, foodies and mixologists are seeking out the small batch, awardwinning spirits produced and available right here in the Swan Valley. Why not make a day of discovering the best distilleries just 25 minutes from Perth?

THE DISTILLERYGreat Northern

This friendly boutique distillery is home to the Kimberley Rum Company and internationally acclaimed Canefire Rum, which started life as sugarcane growing in the Ord River Valley in the Kimberley region of Western Australia

Bar staff are always keen to spin a yarn, and their cocktail list caters to even the most particular of palates Whether you decide

The personable folk at The Great Northern Distillery have the process of spirit-tasting down to a fine art, offering their range of premium barrel-aged rum, gin, vodka and delectable liqueurs since 2006. 496 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan, Western Australia 6056 0420 884 585

on a refreshing mojito, a cheeky gin and tonic, or simply a tipple of handcrafted premium Australian rum, take a seat in the courtyard or grassed al fresco in the heart of WA’s luscious wine country and let your hair down

Enjoy a freshly made pizza with your drinks, available from Friday to Sunday Distillery door tastings are available

www.canefire.net

Old Young’sDISTILLERY

You want awards? We’ll give you awards Old Young’s won Brand Innovator and Craft Producer of the Year at the 2023 Icons of Gin Awards, while their pavlova vodka has previously taken out Best International Vodka at the American Distilling Institute Craft Spirits Awards

Elevating the face of drinking and dining in the Swan Valley, Old Young’s Kitchen has just retained it’s AGFG Chef Hat for the third year in a row Set in a beautiful, rustic space that intertwines with the surrounding landscape, Old Young’s Kitchen brings the technical prowess of fine dining, with a relaxed attitude and a little of their signature

brand of irreverence

At Old Young’s Kitchen you can sip on their outstanding, hand-crafted spirits alongside a uniquely West Australian menu of thoughtful and thought-provoking dishes, showcasing esoteric native ingredients and the superb local produce of the Swan Valley Sourced close to home and prepared with skills learnt far afield, minimal waste and major flavour is an ethos kept front of mind throughout the bar and kitchen Hosted tastings are offered seven days a week and you can try the full range of Old Young’s vodkas and gins, both neat or paired with a dash of hand-picked mixer

Limeburners & Giniversity

OSCAR’S IN THE VALLEY

This collaboration celebrates the finest West Australian produce, thoughtfully curated to perfectly complement Limeburners and Giniversity’s world-class spirits The shared commitment to excellence and quality with the Oscar’s Family promises an exceptional dining experience in the heart of this picturesque valley

Experience the best seasonal produce and fresh sustainably-sourced seafood Western Australia has to offer Cooked over a wood fire for that delicious smoky flavour, Oscar’s restaurant offers one of the best dining experiences in Perth

The range of award winning spiritsincluding whisky, gin, vodka and liqueurs - is available for tasting and a cocktail menu spans favourites such as the Lady Marmalade, balanced with innovative, new, flavour-rich creations drawn from the award-winning stable of Limeburners and

Proudly partnered with Oscar’s In The Valley, celebrating WA’s amazing produce 45 Hyem Road, Herne Hill, 6056 0431 981 787 | manager@oscarsinthevalley.com.au www.distllery.com.au | www.oscarsinthevalley.com.au

Giniversity products

When the founder, Cameron Syme, first began producing Limeburners Single Malt he had one key goal – to make the best spirits in the world Everything they did was focused on this goal, from the small batch copper pot stills, to their cask selection and raw materials Today, they can confidently say they are making some of the best spirits in the World and are consistently winning awards and receiving recognition to confirm that In 2018 Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible called Limeburners “the best whisky in the southern hemisphere”, and in 2019 UK Whisky Magazine’s Icons of World Whisky Australia – Distiller of the Year

With indoor and outdoor dining spaces and extensive grounds to explore, the venue celebrates everything the Limeburners & Giniversity and Oscar’s teams love about WA

Valley Social

The region is described as Perth’s ‘Food Bowl’ and rightly so as it’s home to many award-winning wineries, breweries, distilleries, amazing local produce, and of course Valley Social!

The team of friendly, passionate and experienced staff take pleasure in giving Valley Social guests the best dining and drinking experience! From pouring a freshly brewed in-house beer, crafting cocktails from their Herbee range of spirits, to preparing and serving their unique American BBQ flavours on a plate, their chefs through to the beverage and waitstaff, will make sure you have a thoroughly enjoyable time

Plenty of space and experiences for everyone

Valley Social, a new brewery concept, has a number of unique dining zones to choose from, depending on the size and style of your desired gathering, catering for quiet, relaxing catch-ups to large celebratory functions The main bar is raised to overlook the whole venue, a spacious indoor dining area, a luxurious Spirit Lounge, a large alfresco area with either bar tables, standard dining or picnic tables to sit at, paved and lawned areas both at the back and front with

picnic tables, deck chairs, or beanbags to enjoy, boho picnic setups on the back lawn under huge shady trees, and large functions marquee out the back The stunning view outside over vineyards, huge Eucalyptus trees and endless lush green lawn, is something special

The Spirit Lounge space exudes luxury and comfort, with designer replica velvet chairs, leather lounges and occasional furniture that speaks to mid-century design This area invites patrons to sit down and savour our Herbee Gin and Vodka produced onsite, after sampling from the nearby tasting bar Valley Social serve their own in-house made craft hemp-infused beers and hemp-infused spirits, along with some venue-favourite spirits used to craft their cocktails Homage is paid to the Swan Valley region by proudly featuring locally made ciders from Funk Cider and quality wines also produced in the district, from prestigious wineries such as Windy Creek, Torrent Estate, Upper Reach Winery and Pinelli Wines

RubyRACING & BREEDING

By Kristen Manning

It was a successful 2024 sale for Ruby Racing & Breeding, taking 13 horses through the ring with only one not meeting reserve; and of those youngsters five had already been named by the end of the year.

They have ended up in strong stables, the likes of Luke Fernie, Simon Miller and Tony & Calvin McEvoy preparing Ruby’s graduates with the former already winning a trial with Royal Guardian, a son of Safeguard and the three time winning Choisir mare Classic Princess

There is also talent amongst the 2023 graduates with Onemoretwomany by Tassort winning her first two starts at Ascot including the Crystal Slipper-1100m whilst Girls Day Out by Long Leaf and Earthstorm by Calyx were last start winners at the time of writing with Earthstorm proving herself competitive in stakes company

Southern Scandal by I’m All The Talk is also a winner whilst the best seller from that Ruby draft, the Brutal filly Ankareeda has been coming along nicely at the trials And there have been six winners from the 2022 sale including the promising lightly raced gallopers Bohemian Diamond by Maschino and Boussac by Ducimus

The Railway Stakes-Gr 1, 1600m winner Bustler, a graduate of the 2021 sale, is another great advertisement for Ruby as is the dual stakes winner Starry Heights

Not only have the Ruby Racing & Breeding team of Jaime and Daniel O’Bree proven themselves in regards to providing a great yearling preparation service, they are also accomplished breeders having cheered home to two Group victories the promising young stallion Tiger Of Malay They remained in the ownership of that horse, and of Bustler, so they have had some fun times both off and on the track

2025 looks like being another good year for Ruby Racing & Breeding, a venture named in honour of a Surtee filly bred by Jaime and Daniel’s parents Rod and Bridie O’Bree She raced with modest success as Emerald Dancer (Ruby her nickname) but is much loved!

It’s no surprise that the O’Brees remain fans of Tiger Of Malay and they have three of his yearlings going through the ring with the first of those considered by Daniel to be one of the stand-outs in regards to improvement through the sale preparation process

“He is a lovely mover,” he said of lot 81, a son of the winning Bernardini mare Maia Nebula whose half-brother Pisces won this year’s Blue Sapphire Stakes-Gr 3, 1200m

“He is a free-striding horse who is really starting to thicken up now,” O’Bree said, also happy with lot 125, a member of the prolific Fanfreluche family “He is a dead-set sales horse; balanced, smooth, strong ”

Having bred Tiger Of Malay and knowing his family well, O’Bree said he can see the little traits in his progeny that others might not notice, and this is especially the case with lot 213 out of a daughter of the dual stakes winner Rio Osa from the family of Denman and Kiamichi

“He has the most of the traits of his sire’s family, and of the fast ones too!”

O’Bree is a fan of the job Maschino has done, noting that “his bigger crops are starting to come through now ” Three of whom will be sold by Ruby with the first foal for the city winner Snip’N’Tuck (lot 299) worthy of particular mention being “a very strong” representation of the breed

Also worth a look is lot 268, a half-brother to the multiple city winner Sinful Living from the family of Easy Rocking and Fairy King Prawn as well as lot 350, the first foal for the very good race mare Burning Magic from one of WA’s finest families

Playing God keeps putting himself in the headlines with O’Bree noting that “everyone wants one!”

“So we are glad to be selling one,” lot 18, a daughter of the very good mare Cool Serenity; the winner of six races including four in a row

“She is everything you like to see in a Playing God, strong and very well balanced ”

“A surprise packet” is how O’Bree describes lot 27, a Headwater colt out of the two time winning Tavistock mare Desert Realm

“He is right up there with the best of our draft, his dam is producing nice types for us and this fellow is a nice, no nonsense colt who is our biggest and strongest ”

O’Bree is looking forward to seeing the first Western Australian bred progeny of Manhattan Rain in the ring, in particular Ruby’s two; lot 233 out of a half-sister to the Hong Kong based triple Group winner Beauty Joy out of a daughter of the WA Oaks-Gr 3, 2400m winner Impressive Jeuney and lot 281 out of a winning sister to the Listed winner My Country

“It has been a long time since we’ve had a really high class sire of two-year-olds,” O’Bree said, noting Manhattan Rain’s success as a sire of a Golden Slipper-Gr 1, 1200m winner, adding that he is happy with the two in the Ruby draft; “they are very smooth, balanced horses ”

O’Bree thinks that Splintex, who has his first yearlings at this sale, may well be the type to get some nice early comers and he is impressed by lot 226 out of a half-sister to the Group 1 galloper Old Fashion

“He has been a rapid improver through the preparation and I think come sales day we are going to see a very imposing horse ” Lot 207 is another eye-catcher, the son of Awesome Rock and the city winner Drinkwhatyoulike being “much the same as his Playing God half-sister we sold last year and she was a belter!”

Another WA based stallion in Shooting To Win is represented by lot 196, “a good, strong, even type” out of the three time winning Choisir mare Classic Princess whilst lot 258 is a “really nice, powerful Rich Enuff colt from an active family ”

Located on 2000 plus acres outside of Geraldton, the horses being raised and prepared at Ruby Racing & Breeding enjoy a temperate climate on what O’Bree describes as “perfect horse land ” n

EARTHSTORM, Ascot 3YO Plate, 14 December 2024

King: 0448 494 828

2025 MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH

SALE DRAFT

WILD RULER / MY MAGGIE

/ ROSMARTINI BLUE POINT / WITCHFULTHINKING

DUNDEEL / YU

PINATUBO / AMELIA’S LOVE

KING’S LEGACY / ADDIE LANE

KING’S LEGACY / AMELIA’S CONTRAIRE

Presenting Dawson’s next generation of stars at the 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale

8 COLTS & 6 FILLIES

Yearlings by sires Playing God, Splintex, St Mark’s Basilica, Nicconi, Brazen Beau, Yes Yes Yes, King’s Legacy, Ole Kirk, Awesome Rock, My Admiration, Tivaci, A Lot and Xtravagant.

Proven bloodlines: The dams are all either winners and/or producers of winners or progeny yet to run!

Preparation for the sale commenced on 1st December 2024, contact Mick on 0437 904 284 for inspections and further details.

ROYAL TORONADO

BUCKETS RIDGE IN GOOD ORDER

TOROPA

CAPITOLA

PETITE VITESSE

Whistlers

For over fifty years Whistler’s Chocolate Company has been making traditional chocolates and confectionery from recipes passed down from generation to generation. Whistler’s is now Western Australia’s oldest chocolate company and has become an iconic brand representing quality and good old-fashioned traditions.

Visit Whistler’s café, showroom, and gift store in the Swan Valley where you will find free chocolate samples and amazing chocolate sculptures handmade by the chocolatier together with beautiful giftware

There is something for everyone from traditional confectionery such as Rocky Road, Chocolate Liquorice and Coconut Rough to modern favourites like Chocolate Pretzels, Chocolate Caramel Popcorn and

Chocolate Snakes

Add to this, ice creams, handmade truffles, handmade honeycomb and a large selection of dark chocolate and fudge

The family friendly café has a large enclosed outdoor garden area for the children to play and offers 6 different hot chocolates, locally roasted coffee and iced cold drinks plus a large range of desserts, cakes and light meals menu for both adults and children

506 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan 6056, Western Australia +61 (08) 9475 0150 | Email: enquiries@whistlers.com.au www.whistlers.com.au

OWN THE DREAM 2025

THE ULTIMATE RACEHORSE

OWNERSHIP COMPETITION

Own The Dream is Racing WA’s annual racehorse ownership competition, offering prospective owners the chance to win a share in their very own racehorse at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.

Each January and February, 40 teams receive an exclusive all-access pass to visit the state’s leading trainers, breeders, and racing experts, deepening their knowledge and interest in racing.

Starting on January 31 and culminating with the Grand Finale on February 15, three lucky teams will each win vouchers to spend towards a Westspeed Platinum yearling at the sale. The first-place prize is a $20,000 voucher!

Teams can win by simply attending the FREE events. Each entrant in attendance will receive one (1) entry for their team towards the major prize barrel. A team of four who attend the first event will have four tokens in the barrel. The more team members and the more events attended, the more chances of winning!

However, it all comes down to luck. Whether teams win or lose, the experience of Own The Dream will showcase the magic of the WA racing industry.

Brittany Taylor Own The Dream Ambassador

THE UNDERDOGS WHO DARED TO DREAM

By Fraser Williams

There is nothing better in sport than an underdog story.

An afterthought that doesn’t stand a chance. Coming from nowhere to claim an upset win.

And almost the perfect example came in the 2025 Perth Cup, when a longshot took Ascot by storm and claimed the ultimate glory over some of the racing industry’s heaviest hitters.

Unheralded stayer Hemlock Stone had never placed in a stakes race, entering the big race that included rivals prepared by three Melbourne Cup-winning trainers as an emergency with odds that at some point ballooned out to as much as $100.

No-one really thought the five-year-old gelding could win. But no-one told him as he surged his way from the back of the field to edge out the more fancied Diamond Scene by half a length.

The win will go down in history books as the roughie set the second fastest time for the Cup during the 2400m era, clocking in at 2:27.33.

biggest races.

“The stories that came,” Morley crooned.

“One guy flew in from South Australia, he had 10 per cent in the horse. Even though it ranked as an outsider, he still wouldn’t miss the occasion.

“My mate from the darts club, James, he’s got 10 per cent in the horse … with the prize money, he is paying his mortgage off.

“Steve was on chemo the day before and we were third emergency the week prior, then second emergency. He said ‘if that horse runs in the Cup, I’ll be there, even if they have to wheel me in with a drip sticking out my arm’.

“Well, he proudly walked in and the endorphins kicked in (after the win), I had never seen a bloke jump up and down so much before - and the day before he was on chemo.”

The win was a fairytale moment for Morley, who started the Belhus syndicate along with his wife Karen some 30 years ago.

Despite having Group 1 success in the past, nothing compared to finally winning the coveted Perth Cup.

When the champion made his way to the winner’s circle, he was greeted by not one or two happy owners, but a group of beaming faces on people who had bought in on the winner. There were teachers, nurses, police and others and others who could barely believe their luck.

the champion his way the winner’s he was by not one two happy owners, but a group of beaming faces on people who had bought in on winner. There were teachers, nurses, police and others who could barely believe their luck.

The group brought together by Perth-based Belhus Racing became the biggest syndicate of owners to back in a Perth Cup winner, with shares in the horse split among a wide variety of believers.

Belhus boss Peter Morley said there was a mixed bag of individuals who had snapped up a piece of the horse, not just one rich owner as is so often the case in Australia’s

“I think euphoria is the word that we experienced on Wednesday from when the horse was running into the race at about the 250m until we left the track,” he said.

“Everybody wants to win the Melbourne Cup right? For me the next one down is the hometown Perth Cup.

“It’s like winning a grand final, winning a big race like that surrounded by people.”

Like most punters, co-trainer Grant Williams, who prepared Hemlock Stone with his wife Alana, was hesitant about the horse’s potential before the race.

But the risk was certainly worth the reward.

“I’m not sure (how he’s won),” an almost bemused Williams said.

“I actually wanted to put this bloke out (for a spell), but had a really good chat with Pete Morley. Obviously because of the syndication and what he puts into racing, he said having a Perth Cup runner is good for business.

“Pre-race, I said to the guys, let’s get excited, we have a horse in the Perth Cup and I said good luck more than anything.

“It has blown me away.”

Hemlock Stone was the biggest of underdogs, being the highest-priced longshot to win the Perth Cup ever. But that didn’t get in the way of victory, with jockey Patrick Carbery saying: “He doesn’t know what price he is!”

Despite being overlooked by the bookies and most punters, the group of “Average Joes” who owned shares held faith in their horse ... and he didn’t let them down.

Morley said sharing the win with all the owners was a special moment for everyone involved.

“That was the best part, absolutely, absolutely,” he said.

“I thought I was over all the emotion but I’m still welling up now. Sharing it with all those people, it was absolutely fantastic to see them, the beaming smile, seeing them taking turns holding that trophy.

“Imagine winning a gold medal at the Olympics track and field and you’ve got 60 to 80,000 people cheering and saying well done? That’s what it was like.

“They all got to see the trophy and take photos that will go on their wall and they will remember that day until the day they die.

“Money can’t buy that experience, you just got to keep at it, be persistent.”

With the pedigree of the French sire Dalghar and New Zealand dam Spiritual, Hemlock Stone sold for just $11,000 as a yearling in 2021.

With the pedigree of the French sire Dalghar and New Zealand dam Spiritual, Hemlock Stone sold for just $11,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Since then, the unlikely hero has gone on to win close to $800,000 in career earnings, a more-than-handy return on investment.

“Those people didn’t buy a share in Hemlock Stone to get rich, they bought a share because they dared to dream,” Morley said. “And the dream came true.”

While he is enjoying the moment in the sun, Morley said the journey has not been without struggles and hardships. But bringing home the cup win certainly makes it all worth it.

“Where else can you get this opportunity, apart from in horse racing, in Australia,” he said.

“One in 141 Aussies own a share in a racehorse … the average person can’t own an F1 team, they can’t own a Sydney to Hobart yacht race contender and they certainly are very unlikely to be owning Manchester United.

“But they can have a share in a racehorse that can go out and compete with the world’s best.

“Even if you don’t win, you’re still competing.”

While not every horse will be a winner - let alone a Perth Cup winner – Hemlock Stone is a shining example of how anyone can own the dream.

“If you’re still on the fence or thinking about (buying in a horse) I’d say this, no-one ever won a race by thinking about it,” Morley said.

“You got to do it … jump in, have a go, don’t expect too much but enjoy the ride, meet new people and you’ll have a great time.”

OWN THE DREAM 2025

^ Peter and Karen Morley from Belhus Racing Syndicate.

ATWELL’S LEAP OF FAITH PAYS OFF FOR DARLING VIEW

By Fraser Williams

Starting as a humble dairy farm, Darling View Thoroughbreds has blossomed into one of the most prominent stud farms in the State through the committed ambition of father-son duo Clive and Brent Atwell.

“The business has been in the blood for a long time, my great grandfather Walter Atwell actually owned and trained the 1925 Perth Cup winner Great Applause,” Brent Atwell said.

“Breeding has always been in the family, but not in a commercial sense - apart from the past 14 years, when my father Clive and I decided we would stand the stallion Patronize.

“One thing in this game I’ve found out along the way is that you’ve got to take every opportunity that gets thrown at you. If you tread water in this game, I reckon you’re going to drown.”

It has been a bold move that has paid big dividends, with the stable standing some of WA’s most in-demand stallions. And none are more prominent more than Playing God, the headliner at Darling View.

“We had the opportunity to in 2020 to purchase Playing God and I said to Dad, if we’re going to take this farm to the next level, I reckon this could be the horse to do it,” Atwell said.

“The star of the show is Playing God, he’s an absolute freak, I think he’s the best stallion that we’ve seen in the State ...ever.

“Over the next few years, he’s just going to get even better than what he’s doing now.”

The champion stallion, along with stable partners Lightsaber and Splintex, put in work year-round - producing some quality foals and stakes winners.

While finding a compatible partner in real life can feel impossible, Atwell has it down to a science for his studs.

“It comes down to a few things,” he said.

“You’ve got pedigree, so what the family has been plus the descendants – what they’ve done. Then we’ve got to match the bloodlines correctly … have we got a fast, smaller mare that needs a bit of size and what stallion will suit that.

“Predominantly in WA we’re looking for these speed lines, so maybe they might have won as a two or three-year-old over 1000 to 12 or 1400 meters, city winners, black-type winners.

“We’re trying to breed athletes, but we also want them to look good when the buyers are coming to the sale to purchase them.”

A stallion like Playing God can only carry so much of the weight in breeding.

Which is why finding a quality match can become a mission.

“Then you’ve got the other side of things where I head off to the breeding stock sales,” Atwell said.

“Not only are we breeding the horses and breeding new foals, we’ve got to be able to support these stallions with quality bloodstock.

“So I travel to all the breeding stock sales throughout the country and look through all the mares.

“See what’s available, see what might suit our mares and whether we can purchase any, because we need to give our buyers a product that’s commercially right for them.”

The operation runs year-round, with the team out at Oldbury having all hands-on deck when needed.

“It’s pretty constant, there’s no real lull period on the farm here,” Atwell said.

“Everything from your general horse husbandry to feeding and caring for these couple of hundred horses daily.

“It is a seven day a week job, anything from simple care to the veterinary work as far as the breeding side of things goes.

“From December 1st we get into yearling preparation, so that’s three months of education and exercise, preparing the young horses for sale so they can go there and show themselves off as best they can.”

Each horse that goes through Darling View is a two-and-ahalf-year investment.

The stud’s preparation for the yearlings is a meticulous process and each is trained with a view to it becoming a champion.

“They go through a 12-week exercise education program and they’re getting taught how to walk properly so when a buyer comes to look at them, they can present well,” he said.

“They have to be ready for any situation as far as their temperament goes and they need to look very well so there’s a lot of grooming that goes on daily.

“We x-ray every joint on the horse as far as their legs go and they get scoped to make sure their airways are clean and tidy.

“After basically 10-and-a-half weeks, we take them to the sale and spend just over a week up at the sale grounds. Anyone can come out and view them.

“The planning side of things is as big as the preparation, because as breeders we’re trying to think what’s going to be commercial two-and-a-half years down the track.”

But even with all the time and effort that goes into getting the horses ready for the yearling sales, sometimes it’s about finding the diamond in the rough.

“We’ve sold horses from $2000 to $600,000 … everyone’s looking for the story of the horse that makes $5000 and goes and wins $1 million,” Atwell said.

“You can find them in any shape or form and you can pay any amount of money for it … so, try and tick as many boxes as you can and hope they run fast.”

OWN THE DREAM 2025

^ One of the three stallions at Darling View is the first season sire Splintex

FROM THE SADDLE TO THE STABLES, RYAN HILL HAS DONE IT ALL

By Fraser Williams

Being born into a lineage of racing enthusiasts left Ryan Hill no choice but to follow in his family’s footsteps

His passion grew from a young age after heavy exposure to the industry.

“My dad loved racing, so I’ve always ridden horses – my grandparents had a property,” Hill said.

“We would go to the races all the time when I was in England…I just love racing so that’s how I got involved.”

That love for the sport evolved into a career but before his life as a trainer, Hill had a successful stint as a jockey – posting 479 wins in WA and one back in his homeland England.

His turning point came a few years ago, when the hoop decided to hang up the silks and chase his true ambition.

“I started riding in England a bit, then came over here and rode successfully – but the main aim was always to become a trainer,” Hill said.

“I always wanted to train horses…I just love being involved with the day-to-day of the horses.”

Although life in the stables isn’t an easy one.

With the team out at Keysbrook up at the crack of dawn every day.

“We start every morning at five o’clock, we go through till they’re all worked – roughly 10, then a couple hours in the afternoon,” Hill said.

“We have about 40 horses on the property, 20 in work and roughly 20 spelling on site.

“We train from two different properties, both have got a track on course, horse walkers and pretty much everything we need for the horses.

“Two different types of tracks, ones a flat track and ones got a big hill to it, and we’re only 25 minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from Lark Hill.”

All the hard work pays off when they have a runner bring it home.

However, it’s the little victories as a trainer that stand out for Hill.

“Success as a trainer is not always necessarily a big win, sometimes you might just win a maiden with a horse,” he said.

“But you’ve done so much to get that maiden win with that horse, and that’s the tricky thing as a trainer is getting every inch out of every horse.

“Treating them all individually, finding little things that work for different horses and keeping the horses happy.

“The reward when you do get the best out of them and see how happy the owners are, things like that definitely makes it worthwhile.”

A horse can be trained perfectly but in a game of inches, having the better pedigree can make all the difference.

Which is why the yearling sale is circled in every trainer’s calendar – with months of preparation going into finding the right filly or colt.

But take it from Hill, all the research in the world doesn’t compare to seeing the horse in person.

“A lot of time and effort goes into the sales, you can look at every pedigree page, videos and different things,” he said.

“Sometimes you go there, and a horse will walk out and you’re just like ‘wow’.

“At the last Perth Magic Millions sale, there was a (Playing God x Surrendering) that I didn’t look at on paper, the dam side wasn’t really that strong.

“But when I walked in with my mum and saw the horse walking, I said ‘we’re buying that one’.

“At the end of the day not every horse is going to be perfect, but it gives you a rough idea of how much you should be willing to spend and take a risk on that horse.”

Getting into the horse ownership game brings much more than a chance to win some extra cash.

The English expat encouraged anyone who is on the fence to take the leap.

“It is a great game once you get involved, the people you meet and there’s nothing better than having a winner,” Hill said.

“There’s a lot of money to be won in this game, but it genuinely is a bit of a lottery, no one can guarantee you’re going to get winners.

“Don’t think I’m going to put in x amount and I’m going to get x amount back.

“You put it in to have fun with friends, meet new people, enjoy the races and then everything else is a bonus.”

For anyone looking to buy into a horse, the trainer gave a few hot tips about the best approach to take.

“You might like the look of a horse, but you might want to buy only five or 10 per cent, you see who buys it and you contact them,” he said.

“There are always people that are willing to help you get involved.

“If you’re going to go into buying a young horse, come to the sales…as soon as you buy the horse, there’s a sixmonth period where you feel not much is happening.

“You go to the sales, and you feel like you’ve actually seen what you’re buying.

“I really recommend if you’re thinking of buying 10 per cent, I’d split that and go five per cent in two different ones.”

STAYING Faithful

by Jessica Owers

Western Australian jockey Natasha Faithfull was a finalist in the 2025 Magic Millions Racing Women supported by TAB Achievement Awards. She tells Jessica Owers about the honour of being nominated, the thrill of being a finalist, and the greatest job on earth.

Since 2012, Magic Millions has pioneered the women’s space in racing, and last year that space got a little more glamourous with the addition of the Magic Millions Racing Women supported by TAB Achievement Awards The idea was to recognise the outstanding success of women in the thoroughbred industry, and inaugural winners Gai Waterhouse, Denise Martin and Lindy Maurice were worthy

This year, however, the awards adopted a national approach The $50,000 total prize pool was shared between the winners of five state- and territory-based categories, with the winner of each receiving a $10,000 scholarship from TAB Nominees had to demonstrate how the scholarship would benefit their industry pursuits, whatever they may be, and competition was fierce

Western Australia and the Northern Territory were grouped together In December, celebrated local rider Natasha Faithfull and rising-star Territory trainer Ella Clarke were announced as category finalists Both women flew to the Gold Coast for the Awards ceremony on January 3, where Clarke was revealed the winner

For Faithfull, it was an experience like few others, albeit a short one She flew the nearsix hours from Perth to the Gold Coast, dolled up and departed the ceremony early to rush back to Perth for Saturday rides

“But it was a beautiful night, they did such a gorgeous job with the ceremony,” she says “I felt very bad having to leave I congratulated Ella and told everyone around the table that I had to go straight to the races tomorrow, and I had a full book on Sunday too ”

Have saddle, will travel… it’s the way of country jockeys, in particular those from the vast Western Australia

“It was a huge achievement to even just be thought of for these awards,” Faithfull says “There are thousands of people who do such a great job in this industry, and not just jockeys, not just the people who get the limelight It’s people behind the scenes too in the studs and stables, the riders and strappers and everyone like them ”

Faithfull, 31, is no stranger to awards She has been leading rider in the Albany region for the last three seasons, and was leading provincial rider in Western Australia last year She is currently leading the title race once again

You don’t even know what you need, so having someone there that could guide you and help you, especially another female, would be a big help to them.”

Three years on from a horror riding accident, which left her in an induced coma and all over media headlines, she was awarded country jockey of the year

The road to this success was lined with its share of hardships, but Faithfull is a devout jockey; she would not want to do anything else

“I didn’t do very well at school,” she says “I was bullied, so I got an exemption to leave early and find a job When my parents split, my mum moved down to Albany and I followed her down there, and that was when I got my first job for Wolfie (trainer Steve Wolfe) After about a year, I asked him if I could do my apprenticeship and he said yes That was when I was 16 ”

It was Wolfe and his wife Maureen who nominated Faithfull for the Magic Millions award In the small, committed young girl from Perth they saw a determined talent They highlighted her courage to return after her 2019 accident, and her willingness to travel for rides far and wide Wolfe also acknowledged Faithfull’s humility in accepting trainers’ decisions

“Our owners all love Tash,” Wolfe said “I think she is well-deserving of this award ”

Faithfull’s pitch for the TAB scholarship revolved around her assisting female apprentices in remote locations of Western Australia Had she won, she would have used the money for airfares, which are expensive to rural pockets of the state

“I would have helped riders to just get going, to support them when they’re starting out because it’s so daunting,” she says “It’s a bit better now, but when I was coming through my apprenticeship you were just thrown into the deep end all of a sudden You were given a licence, sent off for gear and sent on your

way You don’t even know what you need, so having someone there that could guide you and help you, especially another female, would be a big help to them ”

Faithfull says there are apprentice masters, but most of them are male Having a female within the ranks, particularly with so many female apprentices coming through, would be reassuring And we’re not talking ambitious numbers Western Australia had 54 licensed jockeys last racing season, Faithfull among them, and 15 apprentices The number of girls among the latter outweighed the number of boys

Faithfull won’t get the chance to put her scholarship vision into play this time, but it won’t slow her down For a girl that didn’t finish school, she is articulate and deliberate and her passion for her career is absolute She says riding is one of the most fulfilling parts of her life

“One of my best friends has just started race riding and I told her that no matter what people tell her, just stick it out You can make a lot of money and have a really rewarding life from doing this You work with beautiful animals and you get to meet so many good people and make so many good friends I honestly love this job more than anything and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else ”

Faithfull was one of the finest ambassadors for Western Australian racing at the Gold Coast awards in January She was gracious in defeat and put a spotlight on the potential of the Magic Millions Racing Women Achievement Awards to expose and congratulate talent Western Australia, like the Northern Territory, has its challenges with vastness and distances between racing communities, and word takes its time to travel The opportunity for the state’s next candidates will roll in towards the end of the year n

barrier draw 2024

YARRADALE STUD

BOOK 1

Lot 20 – Filly – Playing God (AUS) x Cooper Queen (AUS)

Lot 24 – Filly – So You Think (NZ) x Dainty Tess (AUS)

Lot 92 – Colt – Palace Pier (AUS) x Mizlecki (AUS)

Lot 103 – Colt – Playing God (AUS) x Pasadena Girl (NZ)

Lot 141 – Colt – Playing God (AUS) x Super Stardom (AUS)

Lot 174 – Colt – Playing God (AUS) x Amalfi Lass (AUS)

BOOK 2

Lot 204 – Filly – Playing God (AUS) x Diamonds‘n’dreams (AUS)

Lot 218 – Colt – Gingerbread Man (AUS) x First Game (AUS)

Lot 225 – Colt – Gingerbread Man (AUS) x Good Fortune (AUS)

Lot 243 – Colt – Gingerbread Man (AUS) x Lady Ciego (AUS)

Lot 246 – Filly – Splintex (AUS) x Lady Valorem (AUS)

Lot 271 – Filly – Sessions (AUS) x Platinum Power (AUS)

Lot 276 – Filly – Playing God (AUS) x Queen Of Gingers (AUS)

Lot 276 – Filly – Playing God (AUS) x Saturia (AUS)

Lot 276 – Filly – Playing God (AUS) x Scrutinizer (AUS)

Lot 218 – Colt – Gingerbread Man (AUS) x Streak Away (NZ)

Cashel Palace Oxbridge

Ron’s Finalflutter Valour Road

Mood Swings

Raceday SOCIALS

Raceday SOCIALS

Raceday SOCIALS

Fashions

ON THE FIELD

Jarrod Hall: 0419 911 084

Professional and Experienced Young Horse Educating which includes Arena Schooling

Skilled Barrier Training and Jumpouts

Quality Agistment surrounded in Horserail fencing

Summer irrigation with Pasture Management

Located within 20 minutes from the new and improved Bunbury Racetrack

Training centre & agistment with over 35 years of horse education experience

Graham Yuill 0400 811 040 | Kyra Yuill 0400 811 055

enquiries@limerickpark.com.au | 47 Rose Road, Burekup WA 6277

Mungrup Stud Presents an Exceptional Lineup of 2025 Magic Millions Yearlings, Showcasing Top-Class Bloodlines and Champion Potential.

TOO DARN HOT: Colt (Lot 3), related to $2M MM Cup winner West of Africa and 7 winners.

PLAYING GOD: 4 colts, from deep femaie lines including a full brother to Holy Enchantment.

BLUE POINT: Colt from stakes-winning Cool Trade, 7 wins , $570K, and dam of recent metro winner, Keep Your Cool.

RUSSIAN CAMELOT: Colt by multiple Gr1-winning first season sire. Speed family of Rewaaya, Sharnee Rose etc.

COOL AZA BEEL: Colt by exciting first season Gr1 winning 2yo sire. Family of Fanfreluche.

FIERCE IMPACT: Colt by Gr1 winner. First season at stud, his first runner a winner. From family of Royal Code.

SPLINTEX: Filly and colt, dams by Street Boss and Savabeel, from strong female lines.

GHAIYYATH: Filly. Dam 2 wins, first foal a recent winner. Family of Rose of Dane. Sire has had 12 individual 2yo winners.

STAR TURN: Filly from an unraced Sebring mare, related to I Am Invincible.

FLYING ARTIE: Filly by the sire of Asfoora. Dam 3-time winner and sister to recent Randwick winner Altair I am.

MASCHINO: Filly from Gr3-winning dam, half-sister to Karalee Rocks and Piggyback.

Key CONTACTS

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

David Houston Manager 0408 609 994

davidh@magicmillions com au

Rebecca McGrechan

Office Administrator 08 9477 2455 | 0428 866 905 rebeccam@magicmillions com au

Alan Campbell

Complex Foreman 0418 953 472

SALES

Dane Robinson 0488 005 572

dane@magicmillions com au

FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION & RACE SERIES

Cassandra Simmonds 0429 063 387 cassandra@magicmillions com au

FINANCE

Mark Schofield 0420 932 815

mark@magicmillions com au

MEDIA

Greg Irvine 0408 280 979

greg@magicmillions com au

MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH

2/56 Dale Road, Middle Swan, WA 6056 08 9477 2455

perth@magicmillions com au www.magicmillions.com.au