An incredible line up of racing’s next generation of superstars has been unveiled with the release of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue.
The sale is ready to deliver again with the finest yearlings set to converge at Australia’s holiday playground in what is shaping as a summer to remember.
Schedule
Inspections commence Wed 7 Jan
Book 1
Tue 13 Jan from 11am - Lots 1-210 (210 lots = 7 hours)
Wed 14 Jan from 10am - Lots 211-450 (240 lots = 8 hours)
Thu 15 Jan from 10am - Lots 451-690 (240 lots = 8 hours)
Fri 16 Jan from 10am *Super Session*- Lots 691-980 (290 lots = 9.5 hours)
Book 2
Sun 18 Jan from 12noon - Lots 981-1221 (240 lots = 8 hours)
Australasia’s best thoroughbred breeders have made strong contributions to a first class offering of 1,221 yearlings (down from 1401) to sell from January 13 to 18.
The star-studded catalogue has been streamlined across Books One (980 lots) and Book Two (240 lots).
There are 122 Individual Sires represented, and as usual strong interest will surround youngsters by the 14 First Season Sires.
The catalogue features 239 lots (24.4%) from Stakes Winning mares headlined by 31 Group One Winners including Absolut Glam, Avantage, Graceful Girl, Hiyaam, Hungry Heart, Instant Celebrity, Krone, Levante, Loving Gaby, Mossfun, Odeum, Silent Sedition, Snapdancer and Unforgotten.
Among the pedigree highlights are relations to elite level winners: Artorius, Benedetta, Cool Archie, Farnan, Golden Mile, Imperatriz, In Secret, Joliestar, Manaal, Stay Inside, Sunlight and Super Seth.
Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said “We are incredibly proud to present the catalogue for the 2026 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. This sale is firmly established as the best producing auction in the country – no better example being the six Group One Winners from the 2024 sale.
“From recent legends like Winx, Imperatriz and Alligator Blood to new pin-up performers Apocalyptic, Autumn Boy, Charm Stone, Cool Archie – the Gold Coast Yearling Sale delivers year after year.
“Our team has worked hard in bringing together a catalogue packed with athletic yearlings that we think will give their buyers the ride of their life.
“While the Gold Coast is renowned for producing short course performers such as Golden Slipper Winners, our graduates are stars in the Classic races – from Guineas to Derbies and Oaks and let’s not forget Knight’s Choice – last year’s Melbourne Cup winner!”
The Magic Millions Yearling Sale stallions represented in the catalogue is always interesting, as it reflects the thinking of the sales company back at the start of this Spring, when inspections were undertaken, entries judged and finalised.
It also offers an insight into the popularity of those Individual Sires back in 2023 when all these yearlings were conceived.
For some sires their popularity has risen, and for others they have waned.
Most represented sire (as he was in 2025) is Coolmore Stud young gun Home Affairs with 46 entries ahead of his own Champion Sire, I Am Invincible with 40 (down from 52 last year).
Home Affairs leads the way with 46 entries
These yearlings by I Am Invincible were conceived from his highest service fee of $302,500 in 2023.
It was unusual at this sale for a First Season Sire to also be the most represented sire as he was last year. Even more unusual for Home Affairs is that he is again at the top of the list as a Second Season Sire, but its self-explanatory when you investigate the data.
Home Affairs has been heavily supported by the best breeders in the country, covering 619 mares in his first three (3) seasons with his biggest book (227) last season, at his third year at stud. That speaks volumes for the fact breeders liked what they saw and sent mares back to him.
Home Affairs is a big powerful horse and many of his progeny have similar size. You would expect them to be more Autumn 2YO’s and Spring 3YO’s than early 2YO’s in the Spring, but he has had five runners so far for a Winner and three (3) placegetters and in the placed brigade is I’m Ya Huckleberry, runner-up in the Gr3 Breeders Plate.
Salering heavyweights Snitzel and Zoustar are down on their catalogued numbers from 2025. Snitzel has 37 (down from 42) and the Zoustar has 34 (down from 39).
Yearlings by both these sires were conceived at high Service Fees. Zoustar was priced at $220,000 and Snitzel at $247,500.
Snitzel died earlier this year, so this crop of yearlings will be his penultimate crop and as such should sell for a premium.
While Zoustar’s popularity continues to grow, with his service fee this season up at $275,000 off the back of his First Champion Australian Sire title in 2024/2025.
Zoustar
Also of interest will be the last Australian bred crop of yearlings by Justify (USA) who has not returned to Australia since 2023.
Justify (USA)
They should hold plenty of interest. They are selling off zero yearlings offered in 2025 because he didn’t shuttle to Australia in 2022.
There are 29 yearlings from this crop being offered in the catalogue.
Extreme Choice is always in demand in the salering. Whilst he has known fertility issues, he has a dozen lots in the book with eight consigned under the Newgate Farm draft.
The local Queensland market loves their two ageing golden boys Spirit Of Boom who has 39 entries alongside fellow Queensland based sire Better Than Ready with 35.
Whilst very successful young sires Wootton Bassett (recently deceased) and
TOO DARN HOT
Too Darn Hot (champion first and second crop sire) both are represented with 20 yearlings.
First Crop Sires attract attention. Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe is the most represented sire among his peers with 33 entries and his first crop will hit the salering at a time when his sireline is flying.
Anamoe has 33 lots in the sale
Anamoe with 33 lots leads Jacquinot with 25 entries and In The Congo with 20 lots. They are followed by Artorious 18, Hitotsu 16, State Of Rest 14 and Best Of Bordeaux 11.
Second season sires are always interesting. Home Affairs and Stay Inside last year as First Crop Sires had obvious appeal to succeed. Magic Millions have certainly backed them again in 2026 with the pair having 82 lots catalogued, a long way in front of their peers in terms of representation.
Home Affairs data has already been highlighted above whilst Stay Inside (36 lots) is a different proposition.
Stay Inside has 36 lots entered
He is a compact, speedy 2YO type that won the Golden Slipper and the market expected him to get jump and run horses. He’s done just that with three (3) Winners so far including Incognito, who was his most expensive yearling at $1million, and he came out and won the Gr3 Breeders Plate.
Pinatubo (IRE) with 18 entries is an interesting sire, given what we now know about his progeny in the Northern Hemisphere. They have not been fast 2YO’s and his three stakes-winners from his first crop to date are stayers. He had a stakes-placed horse this week at Flemington in Tales of Time and has covered plenty of speed mares here, so maybe the outcome in Australia will be different as it is for plenty of stallions.
St Mark’s Basilica has sired 19 2YO winners from his first NH bred crop this year and they include three stakes-winners headed by Gr1 winner Diamond Necklace with the majority giving the impression they will be better at three rather than speedy squibs. Diamond Necklace is from a blue hen and was his most expensive yearling but a Gr1 winner is a Gr1 winner!
2025 Sale Data:
Lots Sold W/D P/In Average Median Gross Clearance
1021 769 95 157 $269,363 $200,000 $207m 83.05%
Top 5 Lots
Lot 1007 - Home Affairs (AUS) / Sunlight (AUS) $3,200,000
Lot 489 - Snitzel (AUS) / Humma Humma (AUS) $2,800,000
Lot 353 - I Am Invincible (AUS) / Eloping (AUS) $2,300,000
Lot 185 - Written Tycoon (AUS) / Away Game (AUS) $1,800,000
Lot 505 - Written Tycoon (AUS) / In Her Time (AUS) $1,800,000
Top 10 Buyers in 2025 by Lots Purchased
Buyers Lots Average Gross
WaterhouseBott Racing/Kestrel 24 $375,208 $9,005,000
Waller Racing/Mulcaster B/s 17 $437,059 $7,430,000
Ciaron Maher B/s 17 $384,706 $6,540,000
David Ellis/Te Akau 17 $297,647 $5,060,000
Neasham & Archibald Racing 13 $205,385 $2,670,000
Mick Price Racing/Breeding 13 $184,615 $2,400,000
McEvoy Mitchell /Belmont B/s 12 $261,667 $3,140,000
Dynamic Synd/Dean Watt B/s 11 $135,455 $1,490,000
Star Thoroughbreds 11 $291,364 $3,205,000
Resolute B/s 10 $424,500 $4,245,000