Days 3 and Day 4 in review.
After a frustrating Day 3 on the Gold Coast where Team Dynamic finished the session without any additions to our stable, because of the trend of strong prices limiting buying opportunities, we felt flat when walking away from the complex having competed hard.
Especially when it came to 5 specific lots, where we finished as the direct underbidder.
Whilst several others we had done due diligence upon, sailed well over their true values as “off with their heads and on with a pumpkin” attitudes outweigh common sense and egos outweighed logic.
Alternatively, some lots were passed in by vendors who were searching for more.
That happens! It’s not uncommon in our industry. However, the challenge is to not be sucked into the hype.
Rather, stay calm, stay the course, and believe in the proven processes.
The art is to know when to walk away, rather than keep chasing because to over value any horse is the quickest way to the poor house.
There was one filly on Day 3 that we absolutely loved. However, we simply didn’t have the justification to pay more than our valuation. It was a filly who we had prized highly and wanted to take home but had a reserve value set beyond our valuation and budget. Its reserve was set $50,000 above our valuation.
That was Lot 618 a fabulous filly by sire sensation SNITZEL.
LOT 618 Bay F. SNITZEL x NORDIQUE (by Galileo)
There are only 106 live foals in this crop of yearlings by Australia’s best sire, who passed away last year.
He stood at a service fee of $247,000 and 34 of the 106 foals were in this catalogue.
Snitzel had 29 of 34 yearlings sell at an average $688,966 ranging from $65,000 to $1.6m.
She is the second foal daughter of NORDIQUE (GB) (by GALILEO).
NORDIQUE (GB) is a 3/4 sister to French stakes winner MARTEL (Frankel) and a 1/2 sister to French stakes winner BLUSH (by Kingman).
Whilst the second Dam is six-time USA stakes winner including dual Gr1 winner LADY OF SHAMROCK (by Scat Daddy).
This filly had the equal highest rating score in the catalogue for Quality factor of Q8.
Fillies bred on this cross have 10 Runners / 9 Winners / 2 Stakes Winners
The filly had been passed in on Day 3 with a reserve of $300,000.
She was a result of breeding partnership agreement between Arrowfield Stud and an international based breeding venture.
Arrowfield had instruction that their partner wanted $300,000 or those partners would buy out Arrowfield Stud’s 50% and retain the filly. However overnight leading into Day 4 reality hit home, and they agreed with Arrowfield that if a fair offer was received they would consider it.
Early Friday morning we rang the team at Arrowfield to discuss lots they were scheduled for selling on Day 4 and to inquire again on Lot 618.
We were advised that if we submitted an offer that was close to the asking price and fair, their overseas based client could consider it. So, we immediately offered what we had bid to on Day 3 being $250,000.
We were asked who the trainer would be, as their client wanted to see the filly heading to a leading stable as they still own the mare and are breeding with her so the trainer was important.
We advised it would be with Ciaron Maher.
10 minutes later we had confirmation that the offer had been accepted.
In further good news, Arrowfield who owned 50% of the filly advised that they would like to retain 10% to race her with us.
JOB DONE !
Every champion has a story, and this filly is one where destiny awaits.
Day 4 sales commenced and ten lots into the session Lot 700 rolled into the salering.
THE AUTUMN SUN x PRINCESS NOIR (JPN) Bay Filly 30/9/24
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Arrowfield Stud offered Lot 700 who was of great interest to our team. Having passed physical inspection, we had her vetted where she was clean with Low-Risk X-rays and a Grade 1 scope.
With an A 386%, Q7 rating score, this is a well grown, athletic, individual with a deep black type pedigree.
PRINCESS NOIR (JPN) raced in Japan where she was placed as a 3yo.
She is now the Dam of two foals to race with her first foal placed at 2 and 3 in Japan, whilst her first Australian foal is MARKDEL – a recent metro winner in Melbourne, has now won 2 races.
This is a family that has been very rewarding to Arrowfield Stud.
PRINCESS NOIR is a half-sister to Vasilissa - Dam of Gr1 Blue Diamond winner and successful young sire TAGALOA.
PRINCESS NOIR is also a half-sister to stakes winner TRICOLORE BLEU, and to 2 stakes placegetters DANON GELATO, WORLD IMPACT.
PRINCESS NOIR is from the dual stakes winner PENKENNA PRINCESS.
Sire The Autumn Sun by Redoute’s Choice can’t do anymore as a young sire. In fact, he is Australia’s current Premiership Leading Sire! Standing at a Service Fee of $66,000 rumours are strong his fee will increase sharply in 2026 and be in six figures.
He is the sire of 10 Stakes Winners inc AUTUMN GLOW, Autumn Angel, Coco Sun, etc.
Sons of Redoute’s Choice over Neo Universe broodmares has produced 4 runners / 4 winners / 1 Stakes Winner AKARI – a dual Stakes Winning filly.
Purchased for $150,000 + GST she has a deep pedigree to retain residual value for the breeding barn on racetrack retirement, and if she lives up to her quality confirmation and appearance winning some black type, then her value will skyrocket.
Our next purchase was a filly that to our eye, was one of the nicest looking individuals we found on the saleyard. A terrific type with a strong black type family supporting her.
Lot 761 Bay Filly TRAPEZE ARTIST x SALLY’S REALM (by More Than Ready).
Offered by Tyreel Stud, TRAPEZE ARTIST was Leading Second Crop Sire in Australia in 23-24.
We have been having a fair bit of fun with one of the sire’s daughters named PIGGYBACK, and we are confident in the breeding, type and genetics of this filly, that this success could continue with this daughter of a Gr1 winning son of Snitzel.
The mating has a rating score of A+++ Internationally and A+++ Domestically.
SALLY’S REALM was a dual city winner. She is a full-sister to stakes winner and excellent young sire BETTER THAN READY and to stakes placed SALLY’S DAY.
2nd DAM SALLY’S WORLD was a city winner winning 5 races. She is a half-sister to stakes winners PUBLISHING and MISS MOONEY MOONEY.
3rd Dam SALLY’S MAGIC was stakes-placed and ran 2nd in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Whilst her 4th Dam was 2yo stakes winner SLEEPY TIME GIRL.
This filly is a terrific individual with a top-class female family and proven genetics. The sire is doing a good job without the marketing hype of sires standing at other large commercial operations.
To secure her at $100,000 was a saleyard gift. The vendor was extremely confident she would sell well above that price, so put a low reserve on her to let the market forces decide her value. We made sure we landed on the reserve and we not countered. We are delighted to be seeing her wear our silks into the future and her residual value on racetrack retirement appears assured.
Our final purchase was secured from the pinnacle of the Breeding Industry.
A filly with a huge page matching excellent conformation.
LOT 815 Bay Filly ZOUSTAR x SETEKI (by Flying Artie).
What a page! Champion sire ZOUSTAR needs no introduction. Sire of 72 stakes winners including 11 Gr1 winners, in 2023 he stood at a Service Fee of $220,000 the year of conception and that rose to $275,000 in 2025. Here at the sale, he had 20 yearlings sell at an average $478,750 in a range of $130,000 to $900,000.
Offered by Gerry Harvey under Baramul Stud, she was the 4th yearling we purchased from Gerry at the sales.
Our filly is the first foal of the mare SITEKI (by Flying Artie).
SITEKI is a Half-sister to 2 x Gr1 winners and is a daughter of a Gr2 winner.
SITEKI is a 1/2 sister to MARABI 7 wins including 3 stakes wins inc the MVRC Oakleigh P. Gr1, MVRC Australia S. Gr2, MRC Christmas S. LR.
SITEKI is a 1/2 sister to ARISTA winner of the VRC Oaks Gr1, VRC Wakeful S., Gr2 and 6 times stakes placed inc Gr1 VRC Empire Rose S, Gr1 ATC Vinery Stud S.
SITEKI is from the Dam NAKAAYA 5 wins inc MVRC Sunline S., Gr2.
Genetically this is another strong mating cross with a rating score of A++ 1,633%.
The filly has a terrific presence, and we were captivated by her easy action, and the fluid movement of the filly as she walked along with a propulsion delivering a tremendous overstep.
With her great looks matching a great page, her value as a broodmare will be assured, and if she delivers on the expectations and earns black-type, her value could well be astronomical.
That’s a wrap in the 2026 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
We signed for 9 high quality yearlings with terrific pedigrees and type that make each extremely desirable for their individual reasons.
It was a tough sale overall to buy quality at true value.
With the average settling at $272,725, up on the previous year, and the median remaining at $200,000 it was the strong middle market that rallied hard, and that overall clearance of 86.3% was high.
We were able to shop for all budgets without any compromise to class.
We purchased 2 yearling fillies, one by Snitzel and one by Zoustar for $250,000 each.
We grabbed a filly by the current Leading Sire in Australia THE AUTUMN SUN again with a black-type saturated page for $150,000
Whilst we conclude the girls with a filly who was a fabulous type with a big page by Trapeze Artist for $100,000.
Among the 5 colts we bought, they were each by excellent young sires mated to successful crosses.
Our first purchase was a colt by gun first season sire HOME AFFAIRS for $150,000, then we purchased a colt by ST MARK’S BASILICA with a page from heaven with looks to match for $140,000. We followed those boys with a colt by OLE KIRK a leading second crop sire for $150,000. Day 2 we added a FARNAN Colt who was passed in for $200,000 but we secured privately by negotiation for $130,000 and we concluded the boys with a PIERRO colt related closely to our proven flagship SAVABEEL for $150,000.
Colts proved slightly more obtainable over the first couple of days as demand for the well-bred fillies dominated the market whilst fillies did become easier to purchase on Day 4.
Overall, we walk away having purchased all 9 yearlings for $1,470,000 for an average of $163,333 and a median of $150,000.
We spent $720,000 on 5 Colts for an average of $144,000 and a median of $150,000
We spent $750,000 on 4 Fillies for an average of $187,500 and a median of $200,000
Compared against a sale average of $272,725 and sale median of $200,000.
We are confident racetrack success will flow among the 9 yearlings we have purchased for our owners and look forward seeing these kids of today carrying our silks back here on the Gold Coast year upon year.
Each yearling will have documents prepared and submitted to the Lead Regulator for approval so we can commence offering shares in each horse.
If you would like to know more in advance of their release, contact Adam Watt at Dynamic Syndications on 02 9540 1511 or mobile 0409 464 378 or send an email to adam@dynamicsyndications.com.au to discuss the horses.