New-look March yearling sale to be put to the test during busy period for Magic Millions 

Magic Millions is preparing for the first leg of an auction house double-header, and for buyers it’s the first of three sales in three states in the space of three weeks.

The March Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast, to be held on Thursday and Friday, has been a mainstay of the calendar for many years but this year’s version carries a new look for Magic Millions which has opened up the catalogue to non-Queensland-bred horses.

The condensed sales schedule – with the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling sale next week, and Inglis Easter inspections beginning the following week – causes an added element of difficulty ahead of the Gold Coast sale.

But Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch, relieved the wet weather across South East Queensland appears to have dissipated, is optimistic about the prospects of the March sale.

“I think (the change has) been well received, both on paper and physically speaking,” Bowditch said. 

“There’s more horses at every level, and obviously there’s more horses at the lower end, middle end and the top end; it’s kind of got a bit of everything, with the extended number of horses in the catalogue by opening it up to horses that aren’t QTIS eligible.”

The decision to alter the conditions of the sale, made in conjunction with the Queensland Thoroughbred Breeders Association, has led to a number of interstate vendors choosing to sell yearlings on the Gold Coast instead of alternative sales.

North Bloodstock, Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, Attunga Stud,, Bell River and Blue Gum Farm are among the interstate vendors to support the new March concept while Arrowfield Stud is also selling a draft of yearlings via Kenmore Lodge.

With regular Queensland buyers, including premier trainer Tony Gollan, rival trainer Chris Munce as well as leading regional trainers such as Clinton Taylor in attendance, but it’s the interstate buyers that Magic Millions is hoping can help boost the turnover and competition.

“Fom a Queensland perspective we’re in relatively good shape and, given the fact the catalogue’s opened up, we’ve worked a lot harder to get interstate participation in the sale,” Bowditch said.

“I think it’s going to take time to lock into what this sale’s about going forward, but for its first year we’re pleased with the representation from NSW, Victoria and other states as well as New Zealand and Hong Kong to a degree. 

“It’s a sale that’ll continue to grow.”

Bowditch took some confidence out of the preceding yearling sales held so far this year but also acknowledged that the lower end of the yearling market had continued to prove difficult in 2026.

“We’ve got two of our regional sales over the next nine days and we hope we can continue on with similar gusto to what the market has been thus far this year,” he said.The sale starts at 10am (AEST) on Thursday.