2025 Magic Written in the Millions

The 2025 Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Friday night delivered another memorable chapter in the history of the event. Although the gross slightly declined from the record-breaking $225.78 million achieved in 2024, the sale still generated an impressive $205 million.

The average price remained strong at $275,675.

Barry Bowditch, Magic Millions Director, says, “A gross of $205 million exceeded our expectations. A clearance rate of 81% is healthy and acceptable. We’ve had some very high clearance rates here in the past few years.”

“An average of $270,000 is fantastic. We would have taken that and run with it at the start of the week. It is an exceptional average, which includes 13 one-million-dollar horses.”

With more than 754 horses sold, Barry is positive about the overall attendance at Magic Millions. "It’s fantastic to have a buyer who hasn’t spent much time in Australia or at Magic Millions attend the sale and take home the highest-priced horse of all time here at Magic Millions. That’s a great achievement.”

“We’ve got to thank Coolmore Stud for supporting the sale with great horses. Obviously, there was some intense bidding, and two big international players paired off, which was outstanding.” says Bowditch.

A new name entered the game in this year’s higher stakes, with Resolute Racing’s John Stewart from Kentucky purchasing the I Am Invincible (AUS) x Advantage (AUS) filly for $1.6 million.

“Coolmore buys all the top fillies and mares for their broodmare band, but I’m trying to challenge them a bit in competitive spirit. I think I’ve been to two sales in Australia, and both top lots I’ve bid on have been Coolmore horses.”

“Without their support, Resolute wouldn’t have accomplished 50% of what we have in the past year. They have been very supportive of us. Whenever you see Yulong, Coolmore, and some of these vendor names, you just know they represent quality, and buyers have a lot more confidence in them.” says Stewart.

Tom Magnier of Coolmore describes her as a lovely filly, noting that she has been that way since she was a foal.

“John Stewart is a great friend of ours, and he’s been a great supporter of us down here. I wish him every success with this filly. It’s a great page, a great family, and I hope she becomes a successful broodmare. She’s very nice. We had a reserve on her and we're happy to keep her up to a certain level. Fair play to Magic Millions for getting overseas people involved in the sales. She was one of our nicest fillies of the year.” says Magnier.

Regarding Avantage as a broodmare, he adds, “She’s been a great producer, and when you see the filly on the track here, we’re delighted. Avantage is in foal to Zousain and has an I Am Invincible foal on the ground.”

Tom Magnier also secured the Written Tycoon (AUS) x In Her Time (AUS) Colt from Yulong for $1.8 Million.

Notably, Magnier acquired the colt's full brother at last year's Magic Millions for $750,000, and that colt, now named Patonga, is currently in training with Chris Waller.

The third foal from the dual Group 1-winning sprinter In Her Time. This mare, who amassed over $3.7 million in prize money, was herself a $2.2 million purchase by Yulong at the 2021 Inglis Chairman's Sale.

 “Very happy to get this horse. Obviously we got the brother last year for the syndicate as well, again we’re very lucky to have the people we have in this syndicate and everybody was very keen on the horse."

“It’s a very good page, obviously Mr Zhang and their team have gone out and bought some lovely mares, as we have, and the progeny of that stock is coming through."

“It’s a very good pedigree, he’s a nice individual and Chris really liked the horse, as did all the team, so we’ll know our fate this time next year but just delighted we got him. I think Chris has an opinion of the brother, which probably gave us the confidence to come back this year.” Magnier says.