Hermitage Goes To The Limit To Secure A$1.6m Snitzel Filly At Magics

[Wandering Eyes]

by Tom Baddock/TTR AusNZ

Bidders came thick and fast for the offspring of Snitzel, I Am Invincible, Frankel, and Wootton Bassett on Day 3 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where the sale's total tally of million dollar yearlings rose to 12.

A Snitzel three-quarter-sister to Anders set the tone for a high-octane day, which saw another four yearlings reach seven figures heading into the final day of Book 1 selling.

At A Glance

• Four yearlings made seven figures on Day 3, led by lot 504 who sold for A$1.6 million to Hermitage from the Arrowfield Stud draft. The Snitzel filly is a full-sister to this season's Listed Gosford Guineas winner Caffe Florian, and a half-sister to Anders and Listed winner Ostraka. Four yearlings at this benchmark figure was up from two on Day 3 in 2025, bringing the total for the sale in 2026 to 12, one less than at the same time in 2025.

 

• The average price of A$281,043 is above the 2025 average at the same point, which was A$277,351. The median at A$200,000 is the same as last year at the corresponding stage.

 

• The current gross is A$146,142,500 at the close of play on Day 3 with 520 lots sold so far. The clearance rate is currently at a healthy 85.39%, which is well above last year's 79.66% at the end of Day 3.

 

• James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership with Tony Fung Colts leads the buying bench by gross expenditure, having signed for seven yearlings outright for a total gross of A$5,475,000 thus far. Tom Magnier remains the leading buyer by average with four purchased for an average of A$1,175,000.

 

• Arrowfield Stud leads the leading vendor standings with 35 lots so far sold for A$11.57 million at an average of A$330,571, while in second is Segenhoe Stud, who have sold 22 lots for A$10.3 million at an average of A$468,182. Milburn Creek remains on top by average (two or more sold) with six yearlings sold for an average of A$616,667.

 

• With four lots in the top 10 for Day 3, Arrowfield Stud's deceased four-time Champion Sire Snitzel sits at the top of the sire standings by gross with A$15.97 million for his 21 yearlings at an impressive average of A$760,476, while in second is I Am Invincible with 24 sold for an average of A$608,750 and a gross of A$14.61 million.

 

• Extreme Choice leads the sire tables by average (two or more sold) with his eight lots sold averaging A$822,500. Anamoe is the leading first season sire with 20 yearlings sold at an average of A$425,000 and a gross of A$8.51 million.

Lot 504 – Snitzel x Madame Andree (War Emblem), filly – A$1,600,000

Hermitage Thoroughbreds went to their absolute limit to secure lot 504 for A$1.6 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, emerging successful after intense competition for their standout filly of the catalogue.

Offered by Arrowfield Stud, the chestnut filly is by Champion Sire Snitzel and out of the outstanding producer Madame Andree (War Emblem), one of the most proven broodmares represented at the sale.

The purchase was heavily influenced by Hermitage's success with star Snitzel filly Lady Shenandoah, with manager Shannon Clarke making no secret of the similarities that drew them back to the same sire-line and physical type.

“There was a lot of competition. She was our top pick for the sale,” Clarke said. “Obviously we've had a lot of luck with a Snitzel filly recently and that's probably guided us into this filly today.”

Clarke admitted the bidding pushed them right to their ceiling.

“That was our limit. That was where we were going to sit and my heart was pounding at that point and I'm happy that we were able to secure her,” he said.

“We have a lot of luck with Arrowfield-bred horses, sold horses. It's a great partnership that we have and long may it continue.”

Physically, Clarke believes the parallels with Lady Shenandoah are hard to ignore.

“They're both very athletic fillies. They just have an athletic physique, they showed that early on at their parades,” he said.

“Nice leg on them, good movers and we're just chuffed to get her.”

Madame Andree has built an exceptional record as a producer, already responsible for Group 3-winning sire Anders, stakes winner Ostraka (Pariah), and recent Listed Gosford Guineas winner Caffe Florian (Snitzel). She has also produced the dam of Group 3 winner Skyhook (Written Tycoon). The mare has a filly at foot by Snitzel and was served by The Autumn Sun last spring.

Lot 680 – Snitzel x Play That Song (Showcasing), colt – A$1,200,000

James Harron Bloodstock, in partnership with Tony Fung's Colt Partnership, continued a strong Magic Millions campaign by securing lot 680 for A$1.2 million, marking Harron's 10th purchase of the sale across various partnerships.

Offered by Newgate Farm, the bay or brown colt is by Snitzel and out of sharp Group 2-winning filly Play That Song (Showcasing), a mare renowned for her speed and precocity.

The purchase also added further weight to Snitzel's impact on the sale, with the colt becoming the sire's fifth seven-figure lot sold during the week.

“They're not making any more Snitzels,” Harron said. “He's a really good, strong, purposeful colt, lovely medium size, his mother was a good, sharp 2-year-old, so he profiled up really nicely.”

Harron was full of praise for the quality of Snitzels on offer and the confidence drawn from buying from Newgate Farm.

“I thought it was just an incredible line-up of Snitzels, to be honest. I was really pleasantly surprised that there were so many nice ones here,” he said.

“We've been able to pick up three now, so we're really happy with how they've averaged out for us across the three days so far.

“Every weekend he's in the headlines as a stallion, so it's a great loss to the industry that he's not with us anymore, but it's brilliant that we've still got the opportunity to pick up these beautiful colts.”

Play That Song was a standout juvenile in New Zealand, capturing Group 2 honours and was named the country's leading 2-year-old filly in the 2019-20 season. She is a half-sister to Group 2 winner It's A Wild Night (Vanbrugh), and the family continues to deliver at stakes level, including recent Group 2 Let's Elope Stakes winner Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress).

Reflecting on the week, Harron said the depth of quality and consistency across the catalogue had underpinned their buying confidence.

“It's been great. Once we got through inspections and went through the shortlist, we were really pleasantly surprised with how many we had on the list and how deep that catalogue was,” he said.

“The horses vetted out really well and handled the sale super, so that gave us the confidence to go in and invest in them alongside our partners. We're very happy with how it's gone so far, with one day to go.”

Lot 545 – Frankel x Miss Alacrity (Munnings), colt – A$1,100,000

James Harron Bloodstock, in partnership with Tony Fung, added a colt bred on an intriguing blend of elite international class and American speed when securing lot 545 for A$1.1 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Offered by Newgate Farm, the bay colt is by Juddmonte's super sire Frankel and out of Miss Alacrity (Munnings), a stakes-winning juvenile over 1000 metres in the United States.

Harron highlighted the influence of the dam's precocity and speed, noting the colt's athleticism and the depth of quality on the page.

“He is from a fast American mare who made her name as a 2-year-old. He was very impressive,” Harron said. “From a family that includes one of the top leading stallions in America and we were really pleased to see that speed come through the dam side. It is going to be interesting to see what sort of horse he shapes into, but he's a beautiful athlete.”

Miss Alacrity hails from a deep and accomplished American female family that includes exciting stallion Nyquist. Her dam Just Jenda (Menifee) was an eight-time winner, including victories at Group 2 and Group 3 level, and proved her versatility by scoring from 1200 metres to 1700 metres. The pedigree is rich in black type and speed.

Further strengthening the page, damsire Munnings has established himself as a highly effective broodmare sire, responsible for eight stakes winners from just over 200 runners, complementing his record as the sire of 88 individual stakes winners, including six at Group 1 level.

This is the first foal of Miss Alacrity, with her second foal a colt at foot by Shinzo.

Lot 455 – I Am Invincible x Lankan Star (Nicconi), filly – A$1,000,000

A filly bred to be fast and forward was the clear focus for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, in partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds, when they secured lot 455 for A$1 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Offered by Segenhoe Stud, the bay filly is by champion sire I Am Invincible and out of G1 Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Lankan Star (Nicconi), a mare renowned for her precocity and speed.

Few buyers are better credentialled to target elite 2-year-old prospects than Waterhouse and Bott, with Waterhouse being the trainer of a record eight G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winners. The filly's physical presence and early profile made her a natural fit for the stable's proven juvenile program.

“She's a beauty. A lovely way to start the day and has put a pep in our step,” Bott said. “We're delighted to secure her where we wanted to be and where we wanted to land. We probably didn't have too much more after that.

“A real quality filly. She's one to get excited for the way she handled the sale and she profiles up really well with her breeding and pedigree.”

Lankan Star was a sharp and precocious performer herself, and Bott was quick to highlight the parallels between mare and filly.

“The mare was fast and precocious in her own right so hopefully her daughter can do the same,” he said.

“That's what we came to target and she well and truly stood out physically. The farm did an immaculate job presenting her.”

The filly is the second foal of Lankan Star and hails from a strong international female family that has interestingly consistently produced performers capable of getting over ground, adding further depth to the pedigree.

Lankan Star was purchased for A$600,000 by Allam Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Inglis Chairman's Sale while in foal to Russian Revolution, with that resulting filly now an unnamed 2-year-old. The mare also has a filly at foot by I Am Invincible and was served by G1 Cox Plate champion Anamoe last spring.

Lot 593 – I Am Invincible x Mumbai Rock (Fastnet Rock), filly – A$950,000

Ciaron Maher Bloodstock continued a dominant Magic Millions campaign by securing lot 593 for A$950,000, marking the stable's 30th purchase of the sale and drawing them level with their top-priced buy alongside lot 35.

Offered by Coolmore Stud on behalf of Morning Rise Stud, the bay filly is by Yarraman Park's I Am Invincible and out of Mumbai Rock (Fastnet Rock), from one of the deepest and most proven female families in the catalogue.

Maher's bloodstock manager Will Bourne was quick to point to both the filly's physical presence and the proven nature of the pedigree.

“She's an imposing type, a big strong Vinnie filly, who Ciaron's had a lot of luck with, like Loving Gaby,” Bourne said.

“She's a horse who's got plenty of residual, so you're not completely gambling your money per se. Hopefully she can justify the price tag but at the end of the day she's still worth a fair bit of money if she's unraced, so a little bit of protection there.”

Bourne also highlighted the commercial confidence behind the purchase.

“She's (Mumbai Rock) been a very proven broodmare and (this filly is by) a proven sire, so I'm hoping it's a proven purchase,” he said.

The filly is bred on a cross that has already delivered at stakes level, being a full-sister to Japanese stakes-winning filly Jazz Etude (I Am Invincible) and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Mumbai Muse (Zoustar), formerly trained by Michael Freedman. She is also a full-sister to stakes-placed Mumbai Jewel (I Am Invincible), further underlining the success of the mating.

Adding further depth and residual appeal, the second dam Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot) was a Group 1 winner of the Saratoga Spinaway Stakes, anchoring the pedigree with elite international black type.

Mumbai Rock was not served in 2024, but visited Widden's champion sire Zoustar last spring.

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