Bell River

Bell River and the Ferguson family are proven racehorse producers having bred horses like Extreme Choice and Ace High, and they’ve taken all that knowledge and experience to their new property, which is beginning to show the same level of high quality results that everyone associates with their name.

Bell River’s graduate Chrysaor showed promise at two, and now at three, he’s won the Gr2 Callander-Presnell Stakes and was one of only five yearlings they took to the Gold Coast in 2022 which was their first draft back at the Coast after a few year’s break.

“My family have been on the land in Australia for five generations,” said Bell River’s James Ferguson. “We brought all that experience to our new property at Dungog, and believe that this year’s draft is the culmination of our hard work in setting up this farm over the last five years.”

Bell River will present sixteen yearlings at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, including a filly, Lot 469, by Extreme Choice; the Gr1 winner and sire that they bred. A half-sister to Listed winner of eight races, All Too Royal, this filly is out of Gr1 winner Bel Mer who has a 100% winners to runners record as a broodmare.

Written Tycoon filly, Lot 468, is the second foal of Listed winner Beauty, who is a half-sister to two other stakes winners, giving this filly huge residual value, and this is the family of juvenile Gr1 winner Summer Passage.

Bell River have backed first season sire and Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan with five yearlings in this draft. A colt, Lot 768, is the second foal of brilliant racemare and Gr1 Galaxy winner I Am Excited, who won seven races, is a half-sister to Gr3 winner Flippant, and is from the family of Gr1 winners Atlantic Jewel, Commanding Jewel, and

Bell River will present sixteen yearlings at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

Russian Emperor. The other colt, Lot 166, is out of winning mare Serious Doubts, who is a half-sister to Gr2 winner of eleven races Decision Time. The other Farnan yearlings in the Bell River draft are fillies led by the first foal of Gr2 winner Prophet’s Thumb, Lot 62, and this filly’s dam is a half-sister to group winner More Prophets. Lot 179 is a filly out of Extreme Choice’s half-sister She’s Our Choice; while Lot 419 is a filly who is the first foal of Amazing Belle, a half-sister to NZ Champion and 14-times Gr1 winner Melody Belle.

A filly by proven sire Maurice, Lot 796, is the first foal of dual Gr3 winner Irithea who won eight races, and is from the family of Japan Cup winner and very good sire Epiphaneia. Which past champion do you wish you could have seen at the races?

“Marauding. I remember meeting Ron Quinton as a little kid at my first Magic Millions. I googled and watched his ride on Marauding in the Slipper where he filled me

in word for word what he was saying when he was looking for room up the straight on the big horse.”

What makes the Magic Millions sales and races special?

“It’s the only sale in the Southern Hemisphere where it catches every participant’s attention from the general public to the top end of town. It’s the biggest event of the year for our industry.”

What has been your most satisfying result at the Magic Millions?

“Buying Bel Mer for $70,000 then putting her in foal to Extreme Choice for what I think you could get in at about $10,000 at the time and then selling that resultant foal for $800,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions.”