8 Ways to a Million

from 2019 Magic Millions Magazine

Yulong Investments

TARA MADGWICK

A glamorous festival in January showcasing the very best of Queensland to the world, Magic Millions has become an ‘event’, but at its heart is still a horse sale and as such there are many ways in which to win a million.

We all know Australia’s Horse of the Year, Winx was bought here in 2013 for $230,000 and has won over $20million in prizemoney, but Winx aside there are many more stories of million dollar dreams coming true.

01 SHOP WITH CONFIDENCE

Sydney based bloodstock agent James Harron has been the leading buyer at Magic Millions for the past two years looking to build on the success he achieved with a Written Tycoon colt bought from the Gold Coast in 2015 for $165,000. That colt racing as Capitalist, won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Golden Slipper to be crowned Champion 2YO and retired with earnings of $3.5 million.

Now standing at Newgate Farm at a fee of $55,000, his first yearlings will be a major Magic Millions drawcard in 2020.

02 SPREAD YOUR CHANCES

In 2013, Triple Crown Syndications purchased three yearlings at the Gold Coast, one for $60,000, one for $120,000 and one for $200,000. While all three ultimately won races for their owners, it was the one in the middle, the ‘Goldilocks purchase’ for not too little and not too much that turned out to be just right!

He is of course Redzel, who ploughed through the mud at Randwick in October when winning the $13million The Everest for the second year running and in so doing has taken his earnings to $15.3 million! The highest earning sprinter in the world, Redzel is a history maker and record breaker… and being a gelding will no doubt be kept in training for a third crack at The Everest in 2019

03 EARLY MATURING

Some horses are born to run fast and early. Speed comes naturally to them and a positive attitude makes them a pleasure to train. Tony McEvoy found a horse just like that at the 2017 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when Zoustar filly Sunlight was led out of her box from the Widden Stud draft.

Purchased for $300,000 by Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bstock, Sunlight returned 12 months later to win in Magic Millions Classic and has scarcely missed a beat since amassing prizemoney in excess of $3 million for her large group of owners.

04 LATER MATURING

Star Thoroughbreds have enjoyed spectacular juvenile success from Magic Millions purchases such as Golden Slipper winner Sebring and MM 2YO Classic winner Driefontein, but their current flagbearers and million dollar earners D’Argento and Invincibella have required a more patient approach. Both showed ability at two, but as older horses have really hit their straps.

Purchased for $135,000 and $185,000 respectively, D’Argento is competing in some of the best races in the country as a four year-old stallion, while five year-old Invincibella has never raced better and between them, this talented pair have racked up over $2.5 million in earnings.

05 BIG TRAINER

Gai Waterhouse is a name synonymous with Magic Millions success and now with training partner Adrian Bott, Australia’s first lady of racing is ready for a new era to follow on from her past MM 2YO Classic winners Assertive Lad, Excellerator, Dance Hero and Driefontein.

In recent times, $65,000 purchase Global Glamour has been the Magic Millions pin-up girl for the stable. She won $1.5 million for her all women owners with a pair of Group I victories in the Group I Flight Stakes and Thousand Guineas ensuring she is one of the most desirable broodmare prospects in the country now her racing days are done.

The Waterhouse/ Bott stable is already eyeing off the 2019 Magic Millions 2YO Classic with exciting prospect Unite and Conquer a brilliant debut winner of the Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington.

A modest $80,000 purchase by ill-fated sire Hinchinbrook, Unite and Conquer has the distinction of being the first stakeswinner to carry a triple cross of Danehill, proving you can never have too much of a good thing!

06 SPRINTER

There have been so many top class sprinters purchased from this sale, but there is one that has gone on to become Australia’s reigning Champion Sire, namely Snitzel. A $260,000 purchase in 2004 for his trainer Gerald Ryan, Snitzel was a high class racehorse, but as a sire has achieved greatness!

His earnings on the track of $1million pale in comparison to what he returns for shareholders these days at Arrowfield Stud where he stands at a fee of $220,000 (inc GST). Since 2012, Snitzel has covered on average well over 200 mares each season, so we’ll let you do the math on his lucrative stud fee returns.

07 STAYER

It’s a false concept to think Magic Millions is just about two year-olds… it’s not, it’s about athletes. Yearlings are selected firstly on type and a staying pedigree in this catalogue is going to be backed up by a strong individual. The two best staying colts in the country last season, Victoria Derby winner Levendi and Australian Derby winner Ace High were both purchased at the Gold Coast.

Ace High was bought for $130,000 by his trainer David Payne and Levendi bought by the Gelagotis brothers for $140,000. They filled the quinella in the $2million Australian Derby and between them have won over $3.8 million in prizemoney.

08 SMALL TRAINER

Forest Gump once said ‘Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get’… and it’s fairly safe to say astute Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman has been pretty pleased with his selection from the MM chocolate box in 2016.

Hickman is known for his ability to pick a good horse for a modest price and the $160,000 he spent on Pierro colt Pierata has turned into a multi-million dollar bonanza for the colt’s lucky group of owners. A sensation over the Brisbane Summer Carnival last year, Pierata reeled off a stunning sequence of wins culminating in his MM 3YO Guineas victory, and since has gone on to win the Group 2 ATC Missile Stakes and Group 3 Sydney Stakes, and has won over $2.75 million in prizemoney.

An explosive sprinter with stallion prospect appeal, Pierata is still very much a horse on his way up.