Snitzel Colt Smashes Magic Millions Record At A$2.8 Million

[Wandering Eyes]

by Kristen Manning/Dane McLeod/Thomas Baddock/TTR AusNZ

The top sales prices continued on Thursday as racing's heavyweights clashed over a cracking son of Snitzel (Aus) from Group 3-winning mare Humma Humma (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), setting a new Magic Millions Yearling Sale record of A$2.8 million.

 

Lot 489 – Snitzel (Aus) x Humma Humma (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), colt – A$2,800,000

Just moments into Day 3 on the Gold Coast, the sale ring erupted with excitement for lot 489, the second foal of three-time stakes-winning mare Humma Humma by champion sire Snitzel. The bidding escalated to an astonishing A$2.8 million, before ultimately being knocked down to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.

Offered by Widden Stud and bred by Widden Bloodstock, Warringah Stud Farm and Frampton Racing the remarkable colt, who hails from the family of G1 Victorian Derby winner Manzoice (Aus) (Almanzor {Fr}) and speedy stakes-winning mare Tycoon Humma (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), comfortably became the highest priced yearling in the history of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“He looks really early and sharp,” Maher said. “He's from a quality family with a sharp pedigree. Bred on a good farm and hopefully he can get back to a farm in good time.

“The quality, you've always got to pay for. The top ones always get stronger. We thought he was one of the colts of the sale.

“It was probably a bit more than expected but the competition is always strong on those big ones.”

After a stellar racing career under the care of John McArdle, which saw Humma Humma claim six wins and over A$650,000 in prize-money, the Denman mare was snapped up by Widden Stud for A$1 million at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

“A really proud moment for us. It has been an amazing sale for Widden,” owner of Widden Stud Antony Thompson said. “We sold Sunlight here as a record price mare. Having sold Clean Energy, I think she was a record-priced filly, and now to have the highest-priced yearling, it is a big honour.

“With nine or 10 serious players on him and a couple knuckling down over a million-and-a-half, I was always confident he'd sell well but it is hard to know how well.”

Humma Humma's first foal by Zoustar (Aus), named Price Tag (Aus), was sold for A$600,000 at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) and has already proved himself a more than handy racehorse, placing in this season's G3 Maribyrnong S.

Humma Humma had a colt by I Am Invincible (Aus) this season and has revisited Widden's champion stallion Zoustar.

Ciaron Maher | Magic Millions

New International Interest in Australia Continues

The Magic Millions sales ring was again lit up by foreign investment as the A$2.8m record-breaking Snitzel colt was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock on behalf of English businessman Phil Cunningham.

It is Cunningham's second venture into Australian racing having teamed with Maher and other stable clients to purchase, for A$825,000 a filly by I Am Invincible at last year's Magic Millions.

Named Life After Love (Aus) (Cunningham enjoying naming his horses with a musical theme; this one a homage to the Cher song 'Believe'), she lined up in the Gold Coast Debut in late December, finishing fifth after showing pace.

“Ciaron was trying to get her to the race on Saturday so we planned our trip around that,” Cunningham said, “but she just needs a bit more time.”

Cunningham arrived at the Gold Coast on sale morning, arriving at the complex just 10 minutes before his A$2.8 million purchase from Widden Stud.

He was delighted to secure the son of the G3 Proud Miss S. winner Humma Humma (Denman) who he will race with partners, having asked Maher who he thought the sale's best colt was.

“We did have to go a bit higher than we thought but you have to go home with the horse you want, there is nothing worse than watching a horse win a big race who you wanted but stopped bidding on,” he said.

The CEO of DCL Insurance, Cunningham has successfully raced horses in the UK since the early 1990s, doing well enough to justify purchasing his own stables; firstly, Albert House Stables and then Sefton Lodge.

Racing as Rebel Racing, he has 50 horses in work at Newmarket with Richard Spencer, also racing in the United States, Ireland and France.

He has always had a liking for Australian bloodlines, racing the G2 Coventry S. winner Rajasinghe (Ire); the English National Stud resident who he still owns and who is a son of Choisir (Aus).

Cunningham is excited to be part of the Australian racing scene though he intends to stay small.

“I am going for quality over quantity here,” he said. “I have runners nearly every day in England and I like to see them in action. It's just not practical to keep getting up in the middle of the night to watch horses race in Australia!

“It makes sense to have less horses in Australia but to have the right ones.”

Cunningham was introduced to Ciaron Maher by his friend Peter Trainor who races with the stable the dual Group-winning import Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) who contested the 2023 G1 Melbourne Cup. During this trip to Australia, he has spent time with Maher, visiting the Bong Bong complex by which he was most impressed.

Antony Thompson & Phil Cunningham | Magic Millions

At A Glance

• The all-time Magic Millions Gold Coast record price was broken on Day 3 with lot 489, a Snitzel colt purchased by Ciaron Maher for A$2.8 million, who was one of two seven-figure lots for the day. This was down from five on Day 3 in 2024, bringing the total for the sale in 2025 to 11.

 

• The average of A$277,351 is below the 2024 average at the same point of A$289,810, and the same is true for the median at A$200,000 compared to A$220,000 at the same stage.

 

• The current gross is A$144,500,000 at the close of play on Day 3 with 521 lots sold so far. The clearance rate of 79.66% is down on last year's 85.21% at the end of Day 3.

 

• Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing with Kestrel Thoroughbreds continues to lead the buying bench, having signed for 18 yearlings outright for a total gross of A$6,895,000 thus far, plus several more in partnership. Ciaron Maher Bloodstock sits in second, thanks to the sale-topper, with 12 yearlings purchased for A$5,460,000.

 

• Newgate Farm continues to lead the leading vendor standings with 35 of their 37 lots so far sold for A$13.6 million at an average of A$389,143, while in second is Segenhoe Stud who have sold 21 of their 22 lots so far for A$10.7 million at an impressive average of A$511,905.

 

• Arrowfield Stud's four-time champion sire Snitzel jumped to the top of the sire standings by gross with A$17 million for his 22 yearlings at an impressive average of A$777,045, while in second is I Am Invincible with 25 sold for an average of A$616,000 and a gross of A$15.4 million.

 

• Home Affairs (Aus) continues to be the leading first-season sire by gross with 31 yearlings sold for A$10.5 million at an average of A$340,000, which is also the leading average for a first-season sire at the end of Day 3. Stay Inside (Aus) remains in second with 21 yearlings sold for an average of A$312,619 and a gross over A$6.5 million.

 

Lot 505 – Written Tycoon (Aus) x In Her Time (Aus) (Time Thief {Aus}), colt – A$1,800,000

Anticipation was high for lot 505, a colt by champion sire Written Tycoon (Aus) and out of the exceptional dual Group 1-winning mare In Her Time (Aus) (Time Thief {Aus}). He certainly met expectations, selling for a remarkable A$1.8 million to Coolmore's Tom Magnier, marking his third seven-figure purchase for the week.

This colt, bred by Yulong Investments, is the third foal of In Her Time, who was acquired for A$2.2 million at the 2022 Inglis Chairman's Sale. The mare's first two foals, a colt by I Am Invincible and a full-brother to this colt, fetched A$800,000 and A$750,000, respectively. The latter was also purchased by Magnier and is currently in training with Chris Waller, where he is reportedly demonstrating significant potential.

“We're very happy to get this horse,” Magnier said. “Obviously, we got the brother last year for the syndicate as well, again we're very lucky to have the people we have in this syndicate and everybody was very keen on the horse.

“Everybody liked him and you could see again from the bidding the good judges were on this horse. I think Chris has an opinion of the brother, which probably gave us the confidence to come back this year.”

Over the past several years, Yulong has sought-after and established a top-tier broodmare lineup, with over 60 individual Group 1 winners or producers now belonging to the stud. Magnier see's it as an opportunity not to be missed.

“It's a very good page, Mr Zhang and their team have gone out and bought some lovely mares, as we have, and the progeny of that stock is coming through,” Magnier said.

“It's a very good pedigree, he's a nice individual and Chris really liked the horse, as did all the team, so we'll know our fate this time next year but just delighted we got him.”

In Her Time foaled a filly by Diatonic (Jpn) in September and also visited Pierata (Aus) this season.

Tom Magnier | Magic Millions

 

Lot 695 – Extreme Choice (Aus) x Mrs Ramona G (Kantharos), colt – A$925,000

After an intense bidding battle, China Horse Club in partnership with Newgate Bloodstock & Partners, claimed victory by acquiring lot 685, a son of their statistically freakish sire Extreme Choice (Aus), for A$925,000.

Striking at just under 12% stakes winners to runners, it's no surprise to see that the progeny of Extreme Choice are averaging just over A$500,000 on the first three days at the Gold Coast.

Bred by S F Bloodstock and Henry Field Bloodstock, the eye-catching grey colt is the third foal from the stakes-performed American mare Mrs Ramona G (Kantharos), who recorded four wins from 1200 metres to a mile.

Michael Smith, the Australasian representative for China Horse Club, stated that this colt was an obvious selection due to his impressive physical traits.

“We know how good Extreme Choice is and we thought this was an excellent physical by the stallion out of a fast American mare,” Smith said. “I think they're [US Mares] usually very tough, quick horses with great constitutions, and it just works [with Extreme Choice].

“This colt was a really lovely moving, athletic horse with plenty of strength. Probably more strength than is typical for an Extreme Choice.”

After a fruitful partnership with Newgate Farm which has spanned over several years and produced some of the most prominent sires in the country, Smith is hopeful this colt is the next to rise to prominence carrying the famous red-and-yellow silks.

“Horses like Russian Revolutions (Aus), Wild Ruler (Aus), In The Congo (Aus), Captivant (Aus), Artorius (Aus), Stay Inside (Aus), we've raced a lot of good colts in partnerships and hopefully this can be the next one,” Smith said.

Mrs Ramona G foaled another colt by Extreme Choice this season.

 

Lot 586 – Wootton Basset (GB) x Lady Piaf (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), filly, A$875,000

A stunning black filly and the first foal of I Am Invincible mare Lady Piaf (Aus) continued an outstanding sale for the exciting first-season sire Wootton Bassett (GB), selling for A$875,000 to Clarry Conners' Victory Lodge.

Lot 586 represented the fifth offspring of Wootton Bassett (GB) of 14 presented to date, to achieve a sale price exceeding $500,000 at the auction.

“The Wootton Bassetts have been going great, and we think they are 2-year-olds so we were naturally interested,” Conners said. “My client was interested. We picked out two or three and we liked her a lot. She reminded me very much of Belle Du Jour. Light legged, light on her feet. Nice filly. Not over big, just racy.”

Bred by Cobra Bloodstock Australia and offered by Coolmore Stud, the filly boasts a deep pedigree page, stemming from blue hen and G1 Blue Diamond winner Lady Jakeo (Aus) (Last Tycoon {Ire}), who produced four stakes performers as well as the dam of Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis (Aus) (General Nediym {Aus}).

“It is a good family and as long as we win races with her, I'll be happy,” Conners said.

Lady Piaf was offered in foal to Wootton Bassett at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale but, fortunately for connections, failed to meet her reserve of A$225,000, with resulting foal being this beautiful filly.

Lady Piaf had a filly by St Mark's Basilica (Fr) in September and visited the French stallion again this season.

Clarry Conners | Sportpix

Lot 650 – Snitzel (Aus) x Medovina (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), colt – A$850,000

James Harron partnered with Aquis Farm's Tony Fung to acquire his seventh purchase of the sale when securing a Snitzel colt from Medovina (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Brave Mead (Aus) (Brave Smash {Jpn}) and listed winner Solemn (Aus) (Bernardini), for A$850,000.

Harron has a phenomenal reputation for sourcing future stallions, namely purchasing and racing Group 1-winning sires King's Legacy (Aus) and Capitalist (Aus) from the Gold Coast sale. On Thursday, Harron added a fourth colt to his purchases from Magic Millions 2025, lot 650.

“He's a lovely colt,” Harron said. “From the start of the week to the end of the week I loved the way he progressed through the sale and really went about his work well.

“He's a lovely shape of a horse and you have a lot of confidence buying off a farm like Vinery. They produce good horse's year-in-year-out. We were very happy to get him and we'll all came together on him.

“I looked at him a few times and he didn't put a foot wrong. He looked like a real racehorse.”

Bred by Hybrook Pastoral Co, the striking bay colt certainly has a stallion's pedigree, hailing from the family of G1 Australasian Oaks winner La Volta (Aus) (Laranto {Aus}) and G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss (Aus) (Not a Single Doubt {Aus}).

Medovina foaled a filly by Vinery's All Too Hard (Aus) this season before she was once again covered by champion sire Snitzel.

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