Snitzel on top again as the curtain comes down on ‘diverse’ Book 1 at Magic Millions
A diverse buying bench and a deep catalogue combined to ensure the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale concluded on Friday evening with a decidedly healthy set of figures.
A smaller offering meant turnover was always liable to dip year-on-year, but after four sessions of lively Book 1 trade aggregate sales were just two per cent behind 12 months ago at $202,597,500.
The average price, underpinned by 15 seven-figure lots, increased by a marginal 0.2 per cent to $273,410, while the median held firm at $200,000. The clearance rate was up close to three points at 85.96 per cent as 741 yearlings found a new home.
“I’m delighted,” said Magic Millions’ managing director Barry Bowditch. “$200 million was a real goal leading in, but to have 40 less horses catalogued, and there were 20-plus more withdrawals, and some significant withdrawals in recent days, it was pleasing to get close to last year’s gross. To increase the clearance rate, which is closing at 86 per cent, and an average that’s up on last year, all the key numbers are reflective of what we believed leading in was a strong catalogue.
“We worked hard to get the best buying bench we possibly could. There were a lot of trainers here, a good diverse bunch from a lot of the regional areas, be it Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, the buyers from New Zealand and throughout Asia were fantastic. It was a diverse buying bench but we really made sure we marketed the sale so people could come over here and have a great selection of horses within all budgets.”
He added: “What pleased me was the spread of buyers. There were 45 different buyers who spent a million or more, which is a big spread. That shows there’s a great thirst for yearlings in Australia and a great thirst for the Magic Millions product. It’s been busy from the moment we turned the lights on at 11am on Tuesday.”
Sale statistics – Book 1
2026 2025
Catalogued 980 1021
Offered 862 926
Sold 742 (86%) 754 (81%)
Aggregate $202,697,500 (-1.5%) $205,470,000
Average $273,180 (+0.2%) $272,505
Median $200,000 $200,000
Top Lot $2,000,000 $3,200,000