Where Everyone Can Play

JO MCKINNON

Prime Thoroughbreds’ Joe O’Neill vividly remembers the first horse he bought at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale back in 1998. He paid just $20,000 for a colt by Snaadee which went on to race by the quirky name of Doodle Dandy and win seven races for his syndicate of owners. The success of that horse heralded the beginning of a long and extraordinary run of luck for Prime Thoroughbreds at Magic Millions auctions and feature race meetings around Australia. “We have had eight Magic Millions winners that collectively cost $424,500. “They have won 35 races and $3,881,891 stakes money to date,” said Joe. 2017 Magic Millions Guineas winner Flying Jess, Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Zizzis and 2010 Magic Millions Stayers Cup winner Hidden Wonder were all purchased from the Gold Coast sale in January. Flying Jess cost just $65,000, Hidden Wonder $55,000 and Zizzis was the most expensive of them at $120,000. With results like this to back him up, it’s no surprise that Joe is a genuine advocate of buying at the Gold Coast sale. “Precocious type horses are sold through that sale and the Magic Millions bloodstock team are at farms looking at them four times through the year. “So, 3-4,000 horses are nominated for that sale and come down to a final 1065. They cut a lot out and that gives buyers confidence knowing that Magic Millions has done its homework.” He also enjoys the unique vibe of the Gold Coast sale. “They create a great environment for the buyers and vendors. They make people welcome. “It’s an exciting sale and a lot of improvements have been made to the complex. People feel like they are dealing with a very professional company.

You can buy horses that will not only get to the races but win races,” he said. On average Joe syndicates up to 15 horses each year and says he sticks to a tried and well tested formula when it comes to buying yearlings for Prime Thoroughbreds clients. “I am very particular about buying horses that have got good conformation and we have a strong selection process that involves our vets that check the x-rays. “We dot the i’s and cross the t’s and do due diligence with the bloodstock.” Joe is hoping to again be well represented by runners at the Magic Millions race days on the Gold Coast in 2020. And so too is top Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker, who, like Joe, has had a great deal of success with his purchases out of the January sale. “I bought three horses at my first Magic Millions on the Gold Coast and one of those that I paid $70,000 for was Unencumbered,” said Bjorn. A bargain-buy, Unencumbered won the 2013 Magic Millions Wyong Classic and the following year went on to also win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast. He later went on to stand four seasons at Three Bridges in Victoria before a freak accident took his life. Without doubt, the success of Unencumbered on the racetrack set the ball rolling for Bjorn as far as buying at Magic Millions sales goes and he now returns the sales ring with gusto each January. “I think it’s the most luck I have had from a sale and it’s a great time of the year and a lot of people take interest because they are on holidays. “It’s an easy sell for me because I have had luck there. Buying horses there I am able to sell them,” he said. For good reason, he enjoys targeting his team for the Magic Millions Raceday in January. “I have had more success there and rather than go to Melbourne I would much rather go there. “It’s a proven formula of success for me and way of getting horses sold and horses in the stable. I love getting up there, it’s an extremely important part of the year.”

One of the great Carnival performers for Bjorn has been Redouble. The $200,000 buy has earned over $1 million across his career including a win in the 2019 Magic Millions Cup over 1400m. Another major Magic Millions success story for Bjorn was a horse he picked up from the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling sale which was the multiple Group winning sprinter Winning Rupert. He paid only $67,500 for the son of Written Tycoon. And he’s now looking forward to Winning Rupert’s first crop of yearlings hitting the sales ring in January. “The word is promising on them and a lot are built in his mould and look fast. They look racy and like they are going to get up and run. “Invariably I will get a few in the stable which will be exciting for me and also my staff and team at home as it’s the next generation coming through.”