Costa has faith in Winning Rupert colt with family ties to stable
Two colts make $180,000 on day one of Book 2 at Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale A horse’s pedigree page doesn’t always tell the whole story and that’s certainly the case with a $180,000 Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) colt, the equal highest-priced yearling sold at yesterday’s opening Book 2 Magic Millions Yearling Sale session,... Read More
Jelfs a refreshing addition to the bloodstock world
Scrolling through my Twitter feed something so refreshing and authentic bobbed up. It was a video post by Annabel Neasham Racing featuring an interview with former Sky Racing presenter Lizzie Jelfs standing alongside a Hellbent (I Am Invincible) filly she had purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. For a number of reasons,... Read More
‘I don’t think the pandemic has hurt racing at all’
Lee Freedman has seen yearling sale trends come and go – the booms and the busts and the burst bubbles. And the 65-year-old is convinced the record numbers at this week’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale are no pandemic-inflated anomaly. Theories have been proffered to explain the prices paid in the past week, particularly for relatively... Read More
Freedman happy to hunt for bargains on the Coast
Emerging trainer Mitch Freedman’s budgets demand he must raid yearling sales with a rapier rather than a scattergun, but he’s optimistic he’s found his touch with two Magic Millions yearlings. The Ballarat horseman yesterday paid $130,000 – among the higher prices on day one of Book 2 – for a Eureka Stud-consigned filly by Encryption... Read More
Moreira flush with Hong Kong Classic Mile options after Sha Tin four-timer
Joao Moreira will deliberate overnight before deciding which of the several leading contenders he will ride in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) on January 30 following his four-timer at Sha Tin yesterday. Boosting his lead in the jockeys’ championship over arch-rival Zac Purton to ten – 62 wins to 52 – Moreira has... Read More
Eleven Eleven retains Magic Millions Cup crown
The Greg Hickman-trained Eleven Eleven (5 g Fastnet Rock – Smokin’ Alice by Smoke Glacken) successfully defended his Magic Millions Cup (RL, 1400m) title with a narrow victory in the 1400-metre race at the Gold Coast yesterday. Having his fourth start this preparation, the five-year-old son of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) stayed on strongly to snatch... Read More