$270,000 Tagaloa filly caps ‘most incredible’ Magic Millions carnival

A daughter of Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa provided a late highlight to the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, topping Sunday’s concluding session when knocked down to Cape Schanck Stud for $270,000.

The Yulong-consigned filly, who is out of a sister to Extreme Choice, was one of 18 Book 2 yearlings to sell for $100,000 or more in a market which generated $9.2 million in turnover.

Tony Ottobre, whose Jenni-named horses are well-known, the filly came onto his radar as a value proposition.

“But obviously the other guys were on her as well. She’s a nice filly and I thought she was a strong enough horse to bid that high. I paid a fair price for her,” Ottobre said.

Earlier, Gold Coast trainer Jay Bellamy stretched to $200,000 to buy the Better Than Ready sister to last year’s $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic winner Isti Star. 

“It’s tougher for us little fellas,” Bellamy said. “But we got lucky today and got one. These clients have had $150,000 the whole time and we couldn’t get one, so I said we’ll have to go higher for this one. That was our last bid, so we were lucky.”

The one-day Book 2 offering saw 179 yearlings sold at an average of $51,466, with an 84 per cent clearance rate achieved. 

Almost $213 million was traded across Books 1 and 2 at an average of $228,407.

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch described the week’s sales, race days, polo and associated carnival events as “the most incredible” in the event’s history.

“From the Gold Raceday to the Pacific Fair Polo and showjumping, the barrier draw and TAB Magic Millions raceday, alongside an incredibly successful sale, has made it a hugely successful event,” he said.  

Magic Millions statistics – Book 2

(2025 in brackets)

Lots Catalogued: 241 (380)

Lots Sold: 179 (235)

Lots Passed In: 34 (102)

Lots Withdrawn: 28 (43)

Sale Gross: $9,212,500 ($10,673,500)

Top Price: $270,000 ($185,000)

Average Price: $51,466 ($45,419)

Median Price: $42,500 ($36,000)

Sold %: 84 (70)