Coolmore land $2 million Frankel colt as records broken during the Magic Millions opener
Good vibes ahead of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale translated into a lively opening session on Tuesday, with three seven-figure lots capping a decidedly solid and international Magic Millions market.
The auctioneer described Segenhoe Stud’s son of Frankel (Galileo) as “a seven-figure colt all day long,” and that prediction proved spot on as the well-related youngster brought the hammer down at $2,000,000. Coolmore’s Tom Magnier delivered the winning bid with a determined nod of the head.
The colt was bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, the brand also carried by wondermare Winx (Street Cry). Camilleri cut a remarkably relaxed figure during the seven-figure bidding showdown, even carrying his grandson Harry around the auditorium as the bid board ticked over in $100,000 increments.
“You’ve got to get your priorities right and my two-year-old grandson is more important than any horse sale!” he said a short while after.
The colt is out of Antibes, a daughter of Lonhro (Octagonal) who has bred the Listed-placed Chateau Eze. The older sibling was foaled in Britain and is also by Frankel.
Although Antibes did not make the track herself, Camilleri said connections believed she possessed a level of ability that warranted sending her on the 20,000-mile round journey to Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket.
“It’s an expensive exercise and it’s risky, but I send a lot of mares over,” he said. “You normally only get one or two shots at the world’s best stallion and I thought I’d roll the dice. That certainly pays the bills, without a doubt.”
He expanded on Antibes’ backstory, saying: “She had a great pedigree and was a beautiful type, she had a lot of ability but got an injury so we didn’t race her. Anthony Freedman, who’s a good judge, told me she could run and because she was impaired we just put her to stud.
“Her first foal is stakes-placed, she ran second in the Jim Moloney at Flemington, so I think the mare is going to do it. She’s by Lonhro and ticks a lot of the boxes, so I thought she deserved a trip on a plane to Frankel.”
Asked about the principles underpinning his high-end international breeding programme, Camilleri said: “I’m only interested in having a small broodmare band and breeding elite horses, I don’t want hundreds and thousands of animals. If I think there’s something available like a Frankel, and you’ve got the right mare for them, I simply don’t hesitate. Cost becomes secondary then.”
He added: “It appears to be getting tougher and tougher below [the top end]. It’s a bit like waterfront land, it’s always in demand and tends to stay up, it doesn’t go through the troughs. I only have a small broodmare band because there aren’t that many elite mares, but that’s where I want to play. Others have been very successful playing at different levels but it’s a matter of choice.”
The colt became the most expensive Frankel yearling to change hands in the southern hemisphere.
Coolmore have enjoyed plenty of success with the stallion in the northern hemisphere, including with last year’s Classic-winning fillies Lake Victoria and Minnie Hauk.
“We’re very happy with the Frankels,” said Magnier. “Obviously we have a lot of them at home and we’ve got some down here. Fair play to Peter O’Brien and John Camilleri, they breed good horses and we’re just delighted to be a part of it. We’ve got a great syndicate and we’ve had a bit of luck before with Home Affairs, Switzerland, Shinzo and Private Life. There’s some lovely horses this week and we’re just hoping we can bring some nice ones home.”
The huddle around Magnier during the bidding included the colt’s new trainer, Chris Waller. Magnier added: “Chris liked the horse all week, all the team did. There’s always a couple of horses you don’t agree on but when everybody agrees it gives you the confidence to go that little bit further.”
The top lot helped Segenhoe’s nine sold yearlings bring a combined $5.54 million and an average price of $615,555. The Coolmore team were also busy on the selling front, with day one’s draft yielding an aggregate of $2.835m and an average price of $354,375.
“We’re very happy,” said Magnier. “We’ve got a nice bunch of horses here this week, probably the nicest bunch of horses we’ve brought to the Gold Coast. They’ve been busy and the right judges are on them, so it’s up to Barry Bowditch now if we don’t have a good sale! It’s started very well so we’re happy.”
The session finished with a clearance rate of 78 per cent as 145 yearlings found a new home. In turn, the aggregate reached $41.285m (down 8.5 per cent year-on-year), the average price closed at $284,725 (up 2.2 per cent) while the median was identical to the corresponding session 12 months ago at $200,000.
“It’s been a really pleasing day for Magic Millions,” said the company’s managing director Barry Bowditch. “I thought the vibe, when I got back from the barrier draw this morning, when you walked in the stand was almost full and there was a really good feel about it. I thought the sale got off to a really, really solid start.
“It’s a genuine market, the vendors that are motivated to meet the market are getting their horses sold. I was talking to the auctioneers throughout the day and they were commenting on the amount of horses that reached reserve and then were going on making reserve plus plus. That’s always a great sign that there’s genuine competition out there.”
Day 1 statistics
| 2026 | 2025 | % change | |
| Catalogued | 210 | 240 | |
| Offered | 185 | 217 | |
| Sold | 145 (78%) | 162 (75%) | |
| Aggregate | $41,285,000 | $45,125,000 | -8.5% |
| Average | $284,725 | $278,550 | 2.2% |
| Median | $200,000 | $200,000 | |
| Top lots | $2,000,000 | $1,800,000 |
A full report of the sale, including sale statistics, will feature in Wednesday’s edition of ANZ News.