Extreme finish – Mares in foal to Newgate’s sire sensation steal Magic Millions’ show

Magic Millions has closed out its National Broodmare Sale with what the company believes is a ‘satisfactory market’, with more than $66 million worth of breeding stock sold on the Gold Coast in two days.

With three million-dollar mares sold during the final session, two of them in foal to Extreme Choice, the National Sale’s in-foal offering proved more stable than Magic Millions’ Barry Bowditch was expecting.

The commercial nature of the industry where breeders tend to see less risk in horses not yet exposed to the market with foals of racing age, the in-foal session held up well, the managing director said.

“I’m extremely satisfied, to be honest. Coming into today I was wondering where we would land with the mares-in-foal. I thought that could have been more volatile than what it was,” Bowditch said.

“I thought it was a genuine market again, clearing 80 per cent overall and averaging $220,000 at a gross of $66 million, with the median of $105,000 was up on last year, it felt that they were really solid numbers. 

“It was pleasing that there was thirst all the way through to the end for the mares-in-foal.”

Between the two premium breeding stock sales – Inglis Chairman’s and Magic Millions National – has declined $37,293,000 year-on-year, with the two auction houses’ turnover in 2026 hitting $105,456,500.

The continued adoption of the online market to sell mares, and the reduction in high-end mares offered this year, may have contributed to the decline but Bowditch didn’t think sentiment had changed dramatically this year.

“Obviously the thirst for quality is insatiable. I think when a quality horse walks through the ring there’s plenty of people that have been on most of those horses and that’s the main point and underneath that you’ve got to tread a little bit more warily and pick your mark, but there’s still a market there,” he said. 

“When you think about a catalogue of the volume of horses we’ve offered, no catalogue in this part of the world has that.”

This year there were 10 million-dollar mares sold at Magic Millions, well down on the 24 last year and the 15 seven-figure mares in 2024. Sixteen in-foal mares made over $500,000. 

Two of the seven-figure in-foal mares sold on Wednesday carried matings elite stallion Extreme Choice will head to Segenhoe Stud after Yulong paid a total of $3.35 million for Miss Hellfire and Amen Corner.

Prominent Sydney businesswoman and breeder Julia Ritchie, who underbid $1.9 million mare Benedetta at the Chairman’s Sale, was again the bridesmaid, finishing second to Yulong entity Sheng Geng in the race to buy Miss Hellfire having already stretched the budget to $2 million.

Yulong paid $2.05 million for Miss Hellfire, a day after purchasing the National Sale’s top lot, five-time Group 1 winner Legarto, for $2.8 million.

Bred and sold as a yearling by Newgate Farm before the Henry Field-led stud bought the Hellbent mare back off the track for $640,000 at last year’s National Sale, Miss Hellfire is just one of 53 mares in foal to Extreme Choice.

“She’s a special mare for us. We bred her – she has the ‘N’ on her shoulder – and we bought her back last year,” Newgate stud manager Jim Carey said.

“She was a hugely talented mare, she was a beautiful yearling, we know the family well and her sister’s in-foal to Extreme. She hasn’t turned a hair, she’s very straight-forward. She was an elite offering.

“The sire’s a freak, so if she throws one that looks like herself, she’s a winner.”

Simple economics was behind Newgate reselling the mare a year after reacquiring her.

“We are a commercial farm, we have to pay the bills, so it was a great result for the lads on the farm,” Carey said.

Yulong also signed for Amen Corner, a Sydney city placegetter at two by I Am Invincible who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Thyme For Roses.

Amen Corner also has an Extreme Choice weanling colt on the ground.

Ritchie’s Bangaloe Stud didn’t go home from the Gold Coast empty-handed, successfully buying Not A Single Doubt’s dual stakes winner Thalassophile for $850,000. She is in foal to Ole Kirk.

“Finally the bride, not a bridesmaid, thank God,” Ritchie joked after her string of sale ring near misses.

“I was looking for some nice quality mares. I’ve been investing in some really lovely stallion breeding rights. I was very fortunate to get the Extreme Choice yesterday and I’m looking to buy more mares to enhance that purchase.”

Widden’s Antony Thompson, meanwhile, has as much admiration for Startantes now as he did when he bought the Group 1 winner at the Chairman’s Sale two years ago for $1.15 million.

The Tattersalls Tiara winner, who was bred and trained by Rob Heathcote in Brisbane, reentered a sales ring on Wednesday and Thompson was determined to ensure she returned to Widden. Startantes is in foal to Anamoe.

“We did own a little bit of her, but there’s a few of the clients that were in her who were looking to trade out, so we’re happy to increase our stake and take her home,” Thompson said.

“Obviously it’s hard to buy Group 1 winners as a joint champion filly. They’re the type of mares you want to have in your paddock and in-foal to Anamoe, who we had a bit of luck with this year. 

“We sold an Anamoe here in January for $1.1m – and this is the sort of mare who will suit him down to the ground.”

The Magic Millions National Yearling Sale will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale statistics

2025 in brackets

Lots Catalogued: 416 (551) 

Lots Sold: 303 (356) 

Lots Passed In: 78 (108) 

Lots Withdrawn: 39 (87) 

Sale Gross: $66,371,500 ($88,319,500) 

Average Price: $219,048 ($248,088) 

Top Price: $2.8 million ($5.25 million) 

Median Price: $105,000 ($90,000) 

Sold %: 80 (77)