West back in favour as locals set to lock horns with interstate buyers at Perth sale

Listen

Magic Millions releases catalogue for two-day Western Australian yearling sale in 2023

Coming off a record Magic Millions Perth Sale and a hugely successful first Pinnacles Carnival in 2022, enthusiasm for racing in Western Australia is at an all-time high and management of the auction house responsible for the state’s yearling sale is confident of carrying on the momentum next year.

Magic Millions yesterday released a 327-lot Book 1 and Book 2 catalogue for its 2023 Perth sale, to be held at the purpose-built sales complex in the Swan Valley – about half an hour from the city’s central business district, on February 23 and 24.

David Houston, Magic Millions’ Western Australia manager, said he was delighted with the composition of the select sale catalogue, an offering made up of yearlings by 79 different sires from both sides of the country.

“We had very good entries this year and it’s been quite a task to pull the book together to make sure we’ve got everything right,” Houston said. 

“Certainly, to me, it looks like a good, strong catalogue. We’ve got stallions who are going well in Western Australia and they’re well-represented, so I am very hopeful that we will get good results (at next year’s sale).

“The (Westspeed bonus) money that is flowing around now, the people who are winning it can’t actually believe it, and it is really keeping them liquid, interested and reinvesting. 

“The number of extra people that we are getting involved in racing is tremendous.”

The recent late spring-early summer Perth carnival, rebranded as the Pinnacles, alongside an injection of prize-money which drew interstate horses to clash with Western Australia’s best, has also brought added impetus to the state’s bloodstock marketplace.

“That carnival was fantastic and talking to trainers, they were thrilled with the success they’ve been able to have and people in general were saying how well it’s actually gone,” Houston said. 

“The crowds have been great, the racing’s been very good and we’ve got horses who are really performing well and I think that’s going to generate good interest going forward.

“Certainly, our buyers supported their local sale very well in the past few years, given the Westspeed Platinum prize-money is so lucrative, so fingers crossed that we should be looking forward to at least maintaining our 2022 results next year.”

Local sires Playing God (Blackfriars), I’m All The Talk (Stratum), War Chant (Danzig), Universal Ruler (Scenic) and Rommel (Commands), will have strong hands in the sale as Perth trainers chase the lucrative Westspeed bonuses, while yearlings by stallions such as Capitalist (Written Tycoon); Rubick (Encosta De Lago); Hellbent (I Am Invincible); Star Turn (Star Witness), and Lonhro (Octagonal) are also catalogued. 

The first–season sires represented include Pierata (Pierro); Yes Yes Yes (Rubick); Blue Point (Shamardal); Brutal (O’Reilly); I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible), and Western Australian freshman sires Leonardo Da Hinchi (Hinchinbrook) and Long Leaf (Fastnet Rock).

The 2023 catalogue features relations to Perth summer carnival performers, Champion Fillies (Gr 3, 1600m) winner Admiration Express (My Admiration); dual Listed winner Buster Bash (Trade Fair); Bustler (Playing God), who won the Fairetha Stakes (Listed, 1400m) and almost upstaged brilliant filly Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni) in the WA Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m); Jungle Dawn (Listed, 1400m) winner Buzzoom (Safeguard), and last-start Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (Listed, 1400m) winner Saintorio (Oratorio).

While the past two Perth yearling sales have almost solely been for a local buying bench, interstate owners, agents and trainers have expressed their desire to return to Western Australia in 2023, after being locked out due to the Pandemic.

“I am in the Hunter Valley now and a lot of people are talking about coming over,” Houston said. 

“They like getting to WA, it’s a good, relaxed atmosphere, an easy complex to get around and look at the horses and there has been good success. 

“The horses who have come out of the sale in recent years, like Sheeza Belter who won a Group 1 in the east, and Portland Sky who won a Group 1, are proving themselves, so they’re keen to get over and look through them.”

The sale will be preceded by the Magic Millions WA race day at Pinjarra on February 18, a card featuring the $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) and $200,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL, 1200m).  

“We are just a little state over there, but the breeders have rallied over the last number of years to improve their drafts and their breeding of them and I think the results are showing with a good selection of horses,” Houston said.

“The local industry’s going well and the types of horses are continuing to improve and it’s getting tougher and tougher to get into that sale, so the quality should be improving.”

2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale schedule

Sunday, February 12

Barrier draw for MMWA race day – Mandoon Estate from 2pm (AWST)

Saturday, February 18

Magic Millions WA race day – Pinjarra Park racecourse

Thursday, February 23

Perth Yearling Sale – Book 1 – Lots 1-177 from 12pm (AWST)

Friday, February 24

Perth Yearling Sale – Book 2 – Lots 178-327 from 10am (AWST)