Before Gai Waterhouse claimed a record-extending eighth Golden Slipper success with Lady Of Camelot, plans for what would be a ninth win in the world’s richest two-year-old race were already well advanced.

Pierro filly out of Winx
The record-breaking $10 million Pierro filly out of Winx has yet to be named. (Photo: Inglis)

As her stable’s early-season juvenile star Storm Boy carried all before him with a sequence of wins that included the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Waterhouse parlayed that on-track success into a high-end buying spree at the corresponding yearling sales.

Under the Tulloch Lodge banner, Waterhouse and Bott signed for five yearlings auctioned for more than $1 million at the Gold Coast sale.

But more was to come for the partnership, which involved a further six $1 million-plus purchases at Inglis’ Australian Easter Yearling Sale not long after Lady Of Camelot defeated Coleman and Storm Boy in the Slipper.

With 11 million-dollar horses on their books, Waterhouse and Bott led the way at the top end of the yearling sales spectrum across Australasia in 2024.

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have 11 million-dollar plus yearlings from 2024. (Photo: Magic Millions)

The most expensive of their purchases was a $1.7 million I Am Invincible filly which is the first foal from the multiple stakes-winning mare Madam Rouge.

She has been named Rosie Rouge and her ownership group includes Noel Greenhalgh who raced Madam Rouge out of the Chris Waller stable.

So far, only three out of the 42 yearlings to make $1 million or more in 2024 have raced.

Two of them have come out of Tulloch Lodge - both for colts syndicates put together by Newgate Farm.

Tuscany, a $1.55 million youngster by Zoustar from Summer Sham finished midfield in the Breeders’ Plate while Chicama, a $1.35 million colt by Written Tycoon from The Broken Shore, ran unplaced in the Golden Gift.

List of 2024 yearlings (now 2YOs) trained by Waterhouse-Bott

Name Stallion Dam Sex Price
Rosie Rouge I Am Invincible  Madam Rouge  F $1,700,000
Tuscany Zoustar  Summer Sham  C $1,550,000
Tour De France Extreme Choice  Euroboss  C $1,450,000
Unnamed Extreme Choice  Tempt Me Not  C $1,400,000
Chicama Written Tycoon  The Broken Shore  C $1,350,000
unnamed Justify  Invincible Star  C $1,300,000
Farcited Farnan  I Am Excited  C $1,200,000
unnamed I Am Invincible  Adrift  C $1,150,000
Jet Zoustar  Villami  C $1,000,000
Unnamed Frankel  Cercle d'Or  F $1,000,000
Exigent Exceed and Excel  Dame Giselle  F $1,000,000

After he was selected to train 10 $1 million yearlings in 2023, Chris Waller has nine from this year’s sales.

Three of the five top-priced Lots sold in 2024 have made their way into his all-conquering stable.

Winx’s $10 million foal, a filly by Pierro, remains unnamed. As does the $3 million filly from the Group 1-winning mare Booker.

Kepitis keeps ‘collector’s item’ Winx filly in the family for $10 million
The daughter of 25-time Group 1 winner Winx has been sold to one of the champion mare’s part-owners with Debbie Kepitis paying an Australian record $10 million.

American owner John Stewart purchased the filly by I Am Invincible as part of a high-profile introduction to the Australian yearling sales scene that saw him underbid on Winx’s yearling.

At $1.9 million, a Zoustar yearling from Fundamentalist, was the equal highest-priced colt in 2024 and he will race as Fermoy from the Waller stable for a Coolmore-led syndicate. He is down to debut at Rosehill on Saturday.

New Zealand’s Te Akau Racing emerged as the third biggest buyer of million-dollar yearlings this year with four acquisitions - all from the Gold Coast.

Te Akau’s most expensive purchase at $2.1 million has been named Avantaggia as a daughter of Wootton Bassett and the syndicator’s outstanding sprinting mare Avantage. She is set to jump out in New Zealand in early December.

The first foal out of nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage by Wootton Bassett
The first foal out of nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage by Wootton Bassett fetched $2.1 million on the Gold Coast. She has been named Avantaggia. (Photo: Magic Millions)

Sydney metropolitan stables remained the most favoured destination for Australia’s most expensive yearling despite one telling statistic.

Peter Snowden shared the most number of $1 million horses with Waller from the class of 2023 but only one member of the 2024 club is under his guidance.

Snowden, who trained alongside his son Paul until the partnership was dissolved at the start of the 2024/25 season, has the $2.2 million Zoustar-Prompt Response filly in his yard.

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The filly has been named Plaintiff but she has yet to be seen at the barrier trials in the colours of John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds.

There are 26 millIon-dollar yearlings prepared out of Sydney stables while Victorian trainers account for nine.

Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman have three in their Pakenham stable headed by the $1.6 million Karaka sales-topper named Seychelles, who is a sister to former New Zealand star Prowess. She had a jump-out on Tuesday in the Fairway Thoroughbreds colours. 

sister to Prowess
The sister to Prowess which sold for $1.6 million at Karaka. (Photo: NZB)

The dearest yearling to be trained in Victoria is the $1.8 million filly by I Am Invincible from Notting Hill.

Purchased by Nick Wakim’s Hilldene Farm from the Yarraman Park Easter draft, the filly has been named Thalestris and will be trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman.

Ciaron Maher will train two Gold Coast graduates after matching Waller in paying $1.9 million for the top-priced colt.

By Australia’s leading first-season sire Too Darn Hot from A Time For Julia, the colt is unnamed.

Maher will also prepare a $1.15 million filly by I Am Invincible from Eloping who has been named Kerber but has yet to be seen in public.

Among the auction houses, Magic Millions sold 23 million-dollar yearlings at its January Gold Coast sale with Inglis selling 18 at Easter and New Zealand Bloodstock having one at Karaka.

Full list of $1 million-plus yearlings in 2024

NameTrainerStallionDamSexPriceBuyerSale
unnamedChris WallerPierroWinxF$10,000,000Woppitt Bloodstock Pty Ltd, NSWEaster Yearling Sale
unnamedChris WallerI Am Invincible Booker F$3,000,000Resolute RacingEaster Yearling Sale
PlaintiffPeter SnowdenZoustar Prompt Response F$2,200,000James Harron B/stockEaster Yearling Sale
AvantaggiaMark WalkerWootton Bassett Avantage F$2,100,000D C Ellis CNZM BANZGold Coast Yearling Sale
FermoyChris WallerZoustar Fundamentalist C$1,900,000T MagnierEaster Yearling Sale
unnamedCiaron MaherToo Darn Hot A Time for Julia C$1,900,000Ciaron Maher B/stock/David Redvers B/stockGold Coast Yearling Sale
ThalestrisAnthony and   Sam FreedmanI Am Invincible Notting Hill F$1,800,000Hilldene FarmEaster Yearling Sale
United StatesChris WallerSnitzel Warranty C$1,750,000Tom MagnierGold Coast Yearling Sale
Rosie RougeGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottI Am Invincible Madam Rouge F$1,700,000Jes Sikura/Hill 'n' Dale Farm/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottGold Coast Yearling Sale
GuardsmanMichael   FreedmanExtreme Choice Wanted Lady C$1,600,000James Harron B/stock Colt PartnershipGold Coast Yearling Sale
WodetonChris WallerWootton Bassett Fiera Vista C$1,600,000Tom MagnierGold Coast Yearling Sale
SeychellesPeter Moody   and Katherine ColemanProisirDonna MarieF$1,600,000Moody RacingNZB National Yearling Sale
TuscanyGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottZoustar Summer Sham C$1,550,000China Horse Club / Newgate / Go B/stock / TrilogyEaster Yearling Sale
ColumbusPaul Messara   and Leah GavranichDundeel Tides C$1,500,000Dean Hawthorne B/stock / Alpha SyndicateEaster Yearling Sale
Tour De FranceGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottExtreme Choice Euroboss C$1,450,000Rosemont Stud/Suman Hedge B/stock FBAA/Gai Waterhouse /Adrian BottGold Coast Yearling Sale
UnnamedGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottExtreme Choice Tempt Me Not C$1,400,000Go B/stock Australia / Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottEaster Yearling Sale
UnnamedChris WallerWootton Bassett Sunlight C$1,400,000Paul Moroney B/stock / C BruggemanEaster Yearling Sale
Devil NightHawkes RacingExtreme Choice Mischief Night C$1,400,000Highway FarmGold Coast Yearling Sale
ConsciencePeter Moody   and Katherine ColemanSnitzel In Times of War F$1,400,000TFI/Moody Racing/James Harron B/stockGold Coast Yearling Sale
ChicamaGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottWritten Tycoon The Broken Shore C$1,350,000China Horse Club / Newgate / Go B/stock / TrilogyEaster Yearling Sale
ConstellationChris WallerJustify Crystal Fountain C$1,300,000Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster B/stockEaster Yearling Sale
ValedictorianMichael   FreedmanZoustar Lady Cosmology C$1,300,000James Harron B/stock Colt PartnershipGold Coast Yearling Sale
unnamedGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottJustify Invincible Star C$1,300,000Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel T/bredsGold Coast Yearling Sale
unnamedMark WalkerI Am Invincible Palace Talk C$1,300,000D C Ellis CNZM BANZ/Tom MagnierGold Coast Yearling Sale
Return To ConquerMark WalkerSnitzel Vaujany C$1,300,000D C Ellis CNZM BANZGold Coast Yearling Sale
Boa VistaMick Price and   Michael Kent JrSnitzel Serena Bay F$1,250,000Sheamus Mills B/stock FBAAGold Coast Yearling Sale
PimlicoJohn O'Shea   and Tom CharltonExtreme Choice Coco as in Chanel C$1,200,000Rosemont Stud / John O'Shea Racing / Suman Hedge BloodstockEaster Yearling Sale
All StarChris WallerI Am Invincible Anaheed C$1,200,000China Horse Club / Newgate / Go B/stock / TrilogyEaster Yearling Sale
FarcitedGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottFarnan I Am Excited C$1,200,000Waterhouse & Bott/Kia Ora/Farnan Partnership/Mt HallowellGold Coast Yearling Sale
Hi BarbieTony GollanI Am Invincible Outback Barbie F$1,200,000Gollan Racing/Jennifer ActonGold Coast Yearling Sale
unnamedGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottI Am Invincible Adrift C$1,150,000Kia Ora / TFI / Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel ThoroughbredsEaster Yearling Sale
KerberCiaron MaherI Am Invincible Eloping F$1,150,000Belmont B/stock Agency FBAAGold Coast Yearling Sale
ShinjinaPeter Moody   and Katherine ColemanSnitzel Hips Don't Lie F$1,100,000Kia Ora / TFIEaster Yearling Sale
Fury Of FlightMark WalkerZoustar Ready to Soar C$1,100,000D C Ellis CNZM BANZGold Coast Yearling Sale
AloisiMick Price and   Michael Kent JrSnitzel All Too Soon C$1,100,000Rosemont Stud / Suman Hedge B/stock FBAAEaster Yearling Sale
JetGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottZoustar Villami C$1,000,000James Harron B/stock Colt PartnershipGold Coast Yearling Sale
FederalistHawkes RacingI Am Invincible Arcadia Queen C$1,000,000Hawkes RacingGold Coast Yearling Sale
UnnamedGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottFrankel Cercle d'Or F$1,000,000Matt Houldsworth/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottGold Coast Yearling Sale
ExigentGai Waterhouse   and Adrian BottExceed and Excel Dame Giselle F$1,000,000Kia Ora / Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel ThorughbredsEaster Yearling Sale
UnnamedLindsay ParkZoustar Atlantic Emerald C$1,000,000Huang Kai Wen / Bridle B/stockEaster Yearling Sale
Superior DameRobbie   Griffiths and Mat de KockOle Kirk Supara F$1,000,000Griffiths De Kock Fillies Partnership/Peter Ford ThorughbredsGold Coast Yearling Sale
UnnamedChris WallerI Am Invincible Vezalay F$1,000,000Highway FarmGold Coast Yearling Sale