EQUESTRIAN RANGE
On display during the Magic Millions Perth
Yearling Sale
Welcome TO THE 2026 PERTH YEARLING SALE
Welcome once again to the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Gosh the year has flown and the yearling sale season is upon us
The year has flown by, and yearling sale season is officially upon us Building on the momentum of last year, entries for 2026 have been exceptionally strong While the 2025 sale gross was slightly lower than in 2024, we maintained very healthy metrics The fact that the top five lots sold for $450,000, $400,000, $400,000, $300,000, and $200,000 is a testament to the high quality of bloodstock on offer
This quality is further reflected in the notable performances of Perth graduates throughout the year—particularly across the Pinnacles including:
• WATCH ME ROCK: Railway Stakes G1, Asian Beau G3, 2nd Northerly G1 - $1 868m
• MACHINE GUN GRACIE: WA Derby G2, WA Oaks G3, Natasha Stakes LR$563,000
• KING OF LIGHT: – WA Guineas G2, Fairetha Stakes L, Belgravia Stakes LR - $586,000
• LUANA MISS: Placid Ark Stakes LR, Supremacy Stakes L - $556,000
• SMOOTH CHINO: Black Heart Bart Stakes LR, Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy RL - $330,000
• DO I FEEL LUCKY: Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic RL- $317,000
A feature of this year’s catalogue will be yearlings by three exciting WA based first-season sires AYSAR, LIGHTSABER and MARINE ONE Certainly the most we have had for a number of years and combines with a further 76 sires, both national and international, will provide a wide variety of bloodlines to our buyers
Magic Millions Pinjarra Ladies Race Day continues to be a “must-attend” event in February, and we are looking forward to hosting another spectacular day this year
Finally I would like to thank our vendors for their continued support in assembling such a strong 2026 catalogue I wish everyone - whether selling or buyingevery success throughout the sale and beyond We look forward to welcoming you all to the glorious Swan Valley this February
2026
SUNDAY 8 FEB
MAGIC MILLIONS WA BARRIER DRAW IN ASSOCIATION WITH RACING WA
Join Western Australia’s racing identities for the 2026 Magic Millions WA Barrier Draw, held in association with Racing WA Come alogn for an enjoyable afternoon and the opportunity to explore the world of racing
Where: Mandoon Estate, 10 Harris Road, Coversham
Time: From 2pm Free event, open to the public
SATURDAY 14 FEB
MAGIC MILLIONS WA RACEDAY
Head trackside for Ladies Day featuring the:
$250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL) Plus
$75,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus
$250,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL) Plus
$25,000 Magic Millions WA Racing Women’s Bonus
Where: Pinjarra Park Racecourse, Pinjarra
Time: Gates open 10 30am
Tickets: Free entries for Ladies, Adults $25, Concession $15 and Children under 16 free www pinjarrapark com au
SUNDAY 15 FEB
RACING CONNECTIONS MASTERCLASS
Yearling Showcase held by Thoroughbred Breeders WA – view some of the stud farms top lots in this annual event
Where: Magic Millions Swan Valley Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: From 4pm Free event, open to the public
SUNDAY 15 – WEDNESDAY 18 FEB
MAGIC MILLIONS YEARLING INSPECTIONS
We welcome you to our sales complex to inspect the catalogued lots available in the 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale The complex is open to the public and this is a great opportunity to get a first hand look into the world of thoroughbred sales
Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley
Time: From 8am Daily Free event, open to the public
WEDNESDAY 18 FEB
MAGIC MILLIONS COCKTAIL PARTY
Magic Millions opening night cocktail party brings together the who’s who of breeding and racing as they gather to celebrate the commencement of the Magic Millions
Perth Yearling Sale
Strictly invite only
THURSDAY 19 – FRIDAY 20 FEB
MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH YEARLING SALE
Magic Millions has a reputation for its consistent supply of stakes winners including the 2025 G1 WATC Railway Stakes winner Watch Me Rock The 2026 edition of the sale will again feature the cream of the crop of WA yearlings, all eligible to be nominated for the $20 millions plus Magic Millions Race Series Where: Magic Millions Sales Complex, Dale Road, Swan Valley Time: Thursday 19 Feb from 11am, Friday 20 Feb from 10am Free event, open to the public Enquiries: perth@magicmillions com au 08 9477 2455
2026 MAGIC MILLIONS PERTH YEARLING SALES
LOT 2 COLT
LIGHTSABER x HARADA QUEEN
LOT 23 FILLY
MARINE ONE x LET’S CUT LOOSE
LOT 72 FILLY
BETTER THAN READY x SAVANIK (NZ)
LOT 104 COLT
BLUE POINT (IRE) x VADETTE DE STAR
LOT 122 COLT
CAPITALIST x AMELIA’S LA BOUT
LOT 123 COLT
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) x AMELIA’S LOVE
LOT 175 COLT
HELLBENT x FIRST AFFAIR
HOW THE WEST Was Won
by Jessica Owers
As the Gold Coast in January celebrated 40 years of the Magic Millions concept, we open the scrapbook on 27 years of Magic Millions in Western Australia.
It was 1999, the world fettered by tech stress and change The Kosovo war was on, the euro on its way into pockets, and The Matrix was showing at the movies In Perth, the big news was Magic Millions
The Gold Coast auction house, newly in Gerry Harvey livery, had programmed its first ever sale in the west, a catalogue (at a screw of $10 a copy) with 310 horses, about half the yearling population of the state The man behind it was John Chalmers, who had an all-west, all-achieving look about him that promised action and a firm handshake
He says; “I had joined Goodwood Bloodstock in about 1985, in its second year of operation Goodwood ran the sales in Perth They’d had their first sale in January 1983, and I left in about 1989 to start my own bloodstock business After that was when things had started to factionalise ”
It was a scenario as old as the hills; horses were going cheap in the Perth sale rings, buyers were thin and breeders were unable to agree on their collective best interests Some broke away, others stayed with Goodwood, but the factions were carving up the greater good like old meat For Chalmers, breeders running their own sales wasn’t ideal, but neither was
a stumbling Goodwood, so in mid-1998, after a decade of frustration and a declining local industry, he reached out to Magic Millions
The Gold Coast auction house was just 18 months into its ownership by Harvey, John Singleton and Rob Ferguson The trio had moved quickly after getting the keys; pop-up sales in Tamworth, Canberra and even Macau had delivered a message to the industry that plans were big and boundless
“I had two options,” Chalmers says “I could have gone to Inglis in Sydney or Magic Millions, and in the end I went straight to Don Hancock ”
Hancock was the managing director of Magic Millions in 1998 He had been with the company since 1992, years ahead of its new, highfalutin owners He had a business brain like few others, having coddled the auction house through its previous years in receivership until it had burst through the acrid ‘90s economy
“I flew over to the east coast and saw Don, and he came here and had a look around, and it was only after that that I went back over there to meet Gerry, Singo and Rob Ferguson,” Chalmers says
The proposal was straightforward Chalmers wanted Magic Millions to stage a sale to rival Goodwood Bloodstock, which at that point had been sold to breeder David Smith One of the carrots dangled for the east coasters was Perth’s direct line into southeast Asia, particularly Singapore The two cities were on the same time zone, and trade in horses had been traditionally strong Perth was as geographically close to Singapore as it was to Sydney But also, Western Australian stud farms were, potentially, a market into which the Magic Millions breeding stock sales could tap
“As I saw it, Magic Millions could stage a rival sale and take a huge chunk of business away from Goodwood, the end result being either Goodwood upping its game, or Goodwood selling out completely to Magic Millions,” Chalmers says “Either way, it was going to be a win for the breeders ”
After initial reluctance, Harvey agreed to move in, with coaxing from Hancock and Singleton They agreed on a 1999 Perth Yearling Sale, and Chalmers made it happen with the support of certain high flyers, including Evergreen Lodge studmaster Ted Van Heemst, the then chairman of the Western Australian Turf Club (WATC) The sale would occur in the grandstand lounge of Belmont racecourse, with a demountable sale ring and facilities that lent no dazzling tints to fancy
“We got about half the horses that year,” Chalmers says “And it was then that I said to Gerry to give it another couple of years and I reckoned I would get the lot And he said, ‘no you won’t Go and buy ‘em out and we’ll get the lot next year’, which was typical Gerry So we made an offer to Goodwood, put our interest out there, and after that we had the sale to ourselves ”
Magic Millions bought no assets in the Goodwood takeover, for Goodwood Bloodstock had neither an office nor a sales complex, only the goodwill as a going concern
“It’s been my greatest achievement in my time in the industry, bringing Magic Millions here,” Chalmers says “And what did Magic Millions get out of it? They got national exposure, and it wasn’t very long after that they moved into Adelaide ”
Magic Millions seemed to suit Perth Maybe it
was the 300 days of sunshine that matched strides with the Gold Coast, or the slower, coastal pace of life that did the same The sales flourished
“The old sales in Perth had never had the capabilities or the capacity to attract buyers from the eastern states,” Chalmers says “But when Magic Millions came in, it provided everything that I hoped it would to get people here from the eastern seaboard, things like finance and assistance in getting here, flights and accommodation and so on And of course you go forward a bit and Gerry builds the brand new complex in the Swan Valley, which lifted everything again ”
It is easy to jump ahead 20 years in the timeline when, in reality, the era 1999 to 2019, when the new complex opened, was hard yards and harder yakka In that time, the landscape of the stud farms started to change dramatically, with many of those older, Goodwood-era operations disappearing
“We lost so many great breeders from those days,” Chalmers says “Robert Holmes à Court was the main one, and the Money family at Coral Park Stud, who gave the game away The way the market was going here, there were better places to invest their money, like in cattle or mining or the Margaret River The same thing happened in South Australia I mean, at one point in our history it was a toss-up which was the centre of the breeding industry, the Hunter Valley or South Australia ”
Wherever the money came from in the west, be it mining, cattle or wine, Magic Millions was there for it in the ring Every other auction outfit fell away in Perth, but the Queenslanders committed until their biggest investment in 2019 – the $10 million Swan Valley complex with its carefully crafted barns on 10 acres flanking the vineyards
“It’s an extraordinary facility if you even think back to what we used to have to deal with,” says David Houston, who first arrived at Magic Millions in 2012 and is now its Perth manager He is of the vintage that was still selling under the Belmont grandstand
“In 2012 I had just finished up working for David Haynes, and I got speaking to Vin Cox (then managing director of Magic Millions), and he said the opportunity was there to head to Perth and that I should go I don’t think I spoke to him for about three days after that,”
Houston says, and the memory still makes him laugh
“Why would anyone go over there? That’s what I was thinking But I did go and I started work on June 7, and I’m still here ”
Back east, Houston had worked for Haynes, Sir Tristan Antico, Brian Nutt and Rob Ferguson’s Torryburn Stud These were eastcoast leviathans, so Perth felt like a very small pond, absent of the spur and whip pace back east
“It was different for sure, but we put a lot of effort into it here,” he says “And you’ve got to think about where we are It’s a very isolated state, Western Australia, with only three million people over two-and-a-half-million square kilometres, which is not many people spread over a massive area Translate that into bloodstock and with the small numbers and a buying bench that is only a certain amount in the first place, there’s only room for one auction house really ”
No states outside of Queensland have fitted
the Magic Millions mould as well as Western Australia With its tall skies, vivid colours and climate, Perth has welcomed an annual Magic Millions carnival that mimics its eastern big brother with a destination sale featuring vineyards and beaches on tap
As the Gold Coast in January celebrated 40 years of the Magic Millions sale-race concept, Perth has nudged past 27 years of a Magic Millions presence And it was a dauntless resolution by John Chalmers that started it all
“It is history that has largely gone forgotten,” he says, “not that any of us are looking for accolades ”
Chalmers is ringside to this day, 81 years old with his hair the colour of tin, his handshake still firm and the 2026 Perth catalogue under his arm And he’s not going anywhere
“It’s a proven fact that I’m the worst golfer to ever step foot on a golf course, so what else would I be doing,” he says “I love the industry It’s a way of life, and a good way of life out here ” n
Socials 2025 SALE
TBWA BREEDER Awards
TBWA members enjoyed a fantastic day of racing and celebrating the best of our industry on Platinum Day at Ascot last month. Apart from a three-way tie on the Stallion Leaderboard competition following Race 10, the highlights were five Breeding Awards and four Staff Awards.
WA 3YO of the Year - Machine Gun Gracie (Joseph Kelly)
Platinum Breeder of the Year - Joseph Kelly (Machine Gun Gracie)
Yanchep-based Joe Kelly was named Platinum Breeder of the Year at the TBWA Awards and he doubled up as the breeder of WA 3YO of the Year Machine Gun Gracie
It wasn’t unexpected following Machine Gun Gracie’s classic double in the G2 WA Derby (2400m) and G3 WA Oaks (2400m) during April The daughter of Alwyn Park sire Maschino is trained by Justine Erkelens at Muchea and is primed for further success this season after a first-up fourth in the LR Starstruck Classic (1600m) on December 13
“I bred her dam Gracie May (Written Tycoon) in Victoria,” Scottish-born Kelly recalled this week “She was the first foal of Miss Libia (Mull Of Kintyre) and the third-dam Libia (Ringaro) was a Group winner in Argentina
Libia’s pedigree struck a chord with Kelly “She was by a Grey Sovereign-line stallion and Grey Sovereign sired Raffingora who was fastest horse I knew in the UK ”
Raffingora won 17 of his 28 starts and was the most popular horse of his era in the 1970s A regular ride for Lester Piggott, the grey flyer clocked a world-record 53 89s over 1000m at Epsom Downs while shouldering 64kg
“Miss Libia retired unraced and I put her to Written Tycoon very early in his stud career He was top-class with speed and strength and backing him gave me some good wins But
the best result was the service fee only cost me $4,750
“The last time they advertised his fee it was $165,000 Now it’s fee on application ”
Platinum Racehorse of the Year - Jokers Grin (Mark Jones)
Jokers Grin is a homebred for former Yarradale Stud manager Mark Jones and Stonevillebased David Gatti He’s a younger full-brother to Cup Night who was the first black-type winner by Maschino in the LR Raconteur Stakes (1500m) of 2019
Their dam Walk In Beauty (Barely A Moment) was prepared by Bernie Miller and was retired after winning two in a row at Bunbury in February 2013 “Walk In Beauty was a gift from Bernie,” Jones recalled recently “I’ve known him for a long time and being involved with family and friends makes this so much more special ”
Jones, his wife Linda along with their daughter Lisa Ludlow and her partner Brandon are in the prized galloper’s ownership group and they’re living the dream this year after victories in the $5 million Kia Quokka (1200m), G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) and G3 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1000m)
Jokers Grin’s wins have also left lasting impressions on Miller after a training career that has spanned over 40 years “The Quokka seemed to take forever but was over in a flash It’s a dream come true and it’s taken a lot of belief from a lot of people that have backed me and helped me out over the years ”
WA 2YO of the Year - Talkanco (Ian Riley)
Former TBWA President Ian Riley is no stranger to breeding black-type winners but nothing matched the thrill of watching his current star Talkanco complete the G3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) - G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) in April Riley bred Hardrada (Marooned) to win the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in 2003 and the quality continues at Woodbridge Thoroughbreds where Ian and his partner Rachelle Huckson have a half-dozen mares at the Henley Brook farm
Talkanco (I’m All The Talk - Calianco by California Dane) is trained by Ben and Dan Pearce and she emulated Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni) in the autumn, however, Ian reckons the wins are about more than just trophies –it’s about sharing the joy at the races
“Winning the Karrakatta was an outstanding reward to the people who support me,” he said “It’s usually all my friends who buy into the horses I take to the sales The whole day was exciting and everyone joined the celebrations That’s what makes it extra special ”
Talkanco is the second winner bred by Riley from Calianco She was a three-time Morphettville sprint winner and was sold off the track for $52,500 at the 2019 Gold Coast Magic Millions Broodmare Sale She’s also the dam of $225,000 earner Richanco (Rich Enuff) and her latest foal is a ‘gorgeous’ filly by Rich Enuff
WA Leading 2YO Sire - Playing God (Darling View Thoroughbreds)
Darling View Champion Playing God once again stamped his authority on the local stallion ranks being awarded his third WA Leading Stallion title and second Leading 2YO Sire title
Darling View’s Christmas Newsletter noted his 2yo division was led by Playin’it Sweet’s who scored a late-season running double in the Country Comfort Perth Plate and Chaff City Plate before completing a hat-trick in the Lawn Pride Australia Plate at Belmont
Playin’it Sweet improved her career-card to 5 wins in 8 starts for Adam Durrant this season when claiming a coveted black-type victory in the LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) defeating Talkanco She emulated Playing God filly Kay Cee who won the 2019 Burgess Queen before landing the G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m)
Playin’it Sweet is from Sweet Ora (Oratorio) and that cross has delivered 38 individual winners at an 83% strike-rate Another Playing God 2yo city winner from that crop to train on this season is Neville Parnham’s LR Placid Ark Stakes placegetter County God
It pays to buy platInum
The Return on Investment (ROI) for Platinum horses is 40% greater than “non Platinum” horses.
*This figure is based on sale prices against racetrack earnings for yearlings sold at MM 2019 – 2021.
TBWA 2025 STAFF AWARDWinners
Leadership Award - Marge Ojapold (Ridgeport) 0419 948 046
Newcomer Award - Imogen Freeman (Forest View) 0417 551 333
Dedication to Breeding - Elizabeth Rogers (Mogumber) Administration & Ancillary Services Award – Bernadette Hamill (Yarradale)
The list of nominations for the 2025 TBWA Staff Awards reflected the incredible contributions of our members whose dedication, skill and passion drive the WA industry forward
The following winners are eligible for nomination in the Australian Stud & Stable Staff Awards Previous WA winners who have also won the prestigious National Awards include Bernie Hamill and Davy Hanratty (Yarradale Stud) and Ngyrie Gonzales (Alwyn Park)
Leadership Award - Marge Ojapold (Ridgeport Farm)
Ridgeport Farm is honoured our Stud Manager Marge Ojapold has been recognised for her exceptional contributions to the breeding industry with the TBWA Leadership Award
During the last three years there have been significant changes and growth at Ridgeport Farm and Marge has been at the forefront to ensure a seamless transition to a successful operation that hasn’t impacted the welfare of the horse or disruption to our loyal client base
Marge arrived here from Estonia in 2012 and her dedication, expertise and passion have significantly advanced Ridgeport Farm’s breeding initiatives and set a benchmark for excellence in the industry
Her leadership and being a mentor for Ridgeport staff has provided opportunities to accelerate their knowledge and create an environment for those individuals to fulfil
their own ambitions within the industry That passion includes racing and breeding from her own mares and that’s been exemplified by Watch Me Rock (Awesome Rock) who won the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) last month Marge races him in partnership with Ridgeport principal Santo Guagliardo, her partner Ben Gudjonsson and former Ridgeport team member Angelina Blaskovic
Dedication to Breeding Award - Elizabeth Rogers (Mogumber Park)
Lizzie has worked at Mogumber Park for almost 10 years in two separate engagements Small in stature but huge in energy, care and commitment, Lizzy has been the backbone of our staff group for many years
In an industry that continually presents staffing challenges, she exemplifies the essence of the person all studs aspire to have First to arrive; last to leave; always available when an issue occurs and with an emotional connection to the farm and the horses
The Mogumber Park blood runs through her veins Every foal and their personalities are etched in her memory Whenever one of our graduates goes to the trials or races, she will remind us of their farm names and their quirks, highlights and challenges and of course the yearling sale details
Her passion and dedication make her an extremely deserving recipient of the Dedication to Breeding Award
Administration & Ancillary Services Award – Bernadette Hamill (Yarradale Stud)
Yarradale Stud has been home for Bernie Hamill since 1990s following stints with Haddow Stud in the Chittering Valley and overseas at world-renowned Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky and Cheveley Park in Newmarket
Bernie has been an ever-dependable supervisor for the stud’s owners Ron and Lyn Sayers as Yarradale Manager since 2004 before taking on a mentoring role in 2023
This year’s TBWA Administration & Ancillary Services Award comes a decade after Bernie received the Godolphin Stud And Stable Staff Award for Dedication to Breeding in 2015
“They make so many people who have gone largely unnoticed by the public feel that they are appreciated and acknowledged
“It adds to the incentive to do better, to make the extra effort and I like to think it gives encouragement to everyone in the racing and breeding industries ”
Bernie is also looking forward to Without Reg making a black-type impact in the LR Pinjarra Classic (1300m) in February and LR Bunbury Stakes (1400m) in March She bred and sold the son of former Yarradale sire War Chant (USA) for $29,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions and kept a share in a syndicate that’s banked $380,000 to date
Newcomer Award - Imogen Freeman (Forestview Farm)
Imogen first came to us as a Year 10 workplacement student at High School What started as one term, extended to Year 11 and Year 12 as well as extra days during the holidays Imogen did the 2024-25 Perth sales prep with us as well as the week at the sales as extra learning for her Equine Studies course
She recently graduated Year 12 and now works full time here at Forestview Farm She has excellent horsemanship skills and her love for horses and working with them reflects in the way the horses respond to her
Every day Imogen arrives for work happy and smiling and the enthusiasm she shows for even the mundane everyday tasks makes it a joy to work with her We are so proud of how she has grown in confidence as a horsewoman and adult and we are grateful to have her on our team
A Sample
The 2026 Perth Yearling Sale has attracted an outstanding line-up of prospective racetrack stars – he’s a sample of what’s on offer:
Lot 14 – Playing God-Jaguar Grey colt
Second living foal of a triple city winning full sister to outstanding Group winner and Group One performer Admiration Express
Lot 18 – A Lot-Kay Cee filly
Second foal of the Group One Kingston Town Classic winner Kay Cee (Playing God) Dam is a sister to stakes winner September Born
Lot 19 – Aysar-Kensington Gem colt
Half brother to five winners including Karrakatta Plate placegetter Penny on the Queen From a Blackfriars half sister to Market Price
Lot 21 – Playing God-Lady Vega filly
Half sister to five time winner and stakes placed Yorga Pride From a four time winning Lope de Vega mare Family of Zoutori
Lot 25 – Zoustar-Lubiton filly
From the Group Three Tesio Stakes winner Lubiton (Snitzel) Dam’s three to race are all winners By champion Australian sire
Lot 27 – Playing God-Magnesic filly
Half sister to stakes placed, three time winner Golden Vale From a twice winning three quarter sister to Malibu Style
Lot 30 – Harry Angel-Meehni filly
First foal of a three time winning Sebring daughter of Caiguna and sister to Serena Bay – the dam of West of Africa
Lot 33 – Playing God-Mizlecki filly
Daughter of superstar WA sire from a four time stakes winning daughter of Lope de Vega Dam’s one runner to date is a four time winner
Lot 36 – Playing God-Mosstiara colt
From a city winning Mossman half sister to Kencella and Bontiara (dam of Misty Metal) Second dam is Kentiara Family of Regal Power
Lot 37 – Playing God-Mrs America colt
First foal of a Natasha Stakes placed and Perth winning American Pharoah daughter of Dark Miss Dam is a half sister to Dark Choice
Lot 39 – Toronado-No Looking Back filly
Half sister to Group Two winner Comrade Rosa From a stakes winning juvenile daughter of Redoute’s Choice Family of Mirror Mirror
Lot 46 – Maschino-Peggie’s Louise gelding
Half brother to seven time winner River Beau From a winning Oratorio half sister to Australian Horse of the Year, Miss Andretti
Lot 47 – Dundeel-Pellicle filly
Half sister to Gimcrack Stakes winner and Karrakatta Plate runner-up Live to Tell From a three quarter sister to It’s a Myth Family of Tentyris
Lot 49 – Ole Kirk-Pink Petals filly
Third foal of an unraced Swiss Ace half sister to WA Oaks winner Moreish Family of crack WA sprinter Smooth Chino
Lot 51 – Bivouac-Plastered colt
Third foal of a stakes placed, seven time winner Half brother to recent Hong Kong winner Greater Bae Second dam is a SW by Storm Bird
Lot 54 – Earthlight-Pouakai colt
First foal of a lightly raced half sister to Group One Lightning Stakes winner Gytrash Family of Danroad, Odeum and Strawberry Boy
Lot 55 – Toronado-Prating colt
From a winning Al Maher mare Colt by same sire as Masked Crusader, Victor the Winner etc Family of Albany Reunion, Dance to the Boom etc
Lot 59 – Playing God-Rare Star filly
First living foal of an unraced Pierro half sister to stakes winners True Attraction and State Prosecutor Family of Crown Prosecutor etc
Lot 60 – Maschino-Real Beauty filly
Half sister to two city winners from two to race Dam, by I Am Invincible, is a sister to multiple stakes winner Real Danger
Lot 61 – State of Rest-Rebel Assault colt
Half brother to Group Three Gimcrack Stakes winner Siren Assault From an international stakes winning daughter of Excelebration
Lot 62 – The Autumn Sun-Rebel Heart filly
From a city winning More Than Ready half sister to Rebel King, Rebelson and Rebel Knight Family of Black Heart Bart By sire renowned for star fillies
Lot 63 – Aysar-Regal Class filly
Half sister to two winners, from two to race, including the stakes performed Revitup From a city winning half sister to Special Choice
Lot 66 – State of Rest-River Goddess colt
By globetrotting Cox Plate winner From a four time winning half sister to Group One winner Crown Prosecutor Family of Captivant, River Dove etc
Lot 67 – Tiger of Malay-Rock My Frock filly
Second foal of a three time winning half sister to stakes winners Fabric and Sewreel Family of G1 winners Lachlan River, Shot of Thunder etc
Lot 68 – So You Think-Rocket Fuel filly
First foal of a three time winning and multiple Group placed Smart Missile mare Dam is a half sister to Elkington Road
Lot 77 – Cosmic Force-Sky Rumba colt
Half brother to Group One winner and exciting young sire Portland Sky From a half sister to London Line and family of Scenic Shot
A Sample OF THE OFFERING IN 2026
Lot 79 – Maschino-Smart Primose colt
Second foal of a three time winning Smart Missile half sister to NZ Group galloper Promise to Reign Family of Spanish Moon etc
Lot 80 – Playing God-Sminky Shorts filly
Half sister to six time stakes winner and champion WA filly and mare Super Smink ($1 57 million) From a once raced blue-blooded Snitzel mare
Lot 81 – Pinatubo-Snowchino filly
Half sister to multiple Perth winner Snow God From a Starstruck Classic winning daughter of Mashino Family of Road to Success
Lot 90 – Spirit of Boom-Star of Rosie filly
Second foal of an unbeaten winning Star Witness half sister to stakes winners Kissonallforcheeks and Russian to the Bar
Lot 92 – Maschino-Stellar Vista colt
First foal of a Sheila Gwynne Classic winner by Star Witness Family of Zabeel, Mornington Glory, Hallowed Crown, Travolta etc
Lot 93 – Capitalist-Succeed Indeed filly
Second foal of a Melbourne winning and Group placed daughter of Akeed Mofeed Dam is from a stakes performed By a former champion juvenile
Lot 94 – Aysar-Sweet Gold gelding
From a winning and stakes placed Havana Gold mare Dam is from an international Group winner Dam is a half sister to another Group winner
Lot 98 – Hellbent-Taylor’s Command filly
Half sister to Group Two winner Swift Witness and stakes placed Terminology From a winning Command half sister to So Pristine and Restored
Lot 100 – Farnan-Tempting Delight colt
Half brother to stakes winner and Group One placed Swiftfalcon From a once raced half sister to Champagne Harmony
Lot 109 – Playing God-War of Whispers colt
Half brother to two winners From a winning War Chant half sister to G1 winner Covertly Family of Super Smink, So Secret etc
Lot 110 – Playing God-Western Jewel colt
Half brother to Group One Railway Stakes winner Western Empire and stakes winner Western Temple Dam was a Perth Cup winner
Lot 111 – Pinatubo-Wilchino colt
First foal of a nine time winner, $307,000 earner and stakes placed Maschino mare Family of Kim Lisa, Re Enforcing and Reimbursement
Lot 115 – Awesome Rock-Zoushine filly
First foal of a Group Three Bow Mistress Stakes winner and four time winning daughter of Zoustar Second dam was a three time Melbourne winner
Lot 118 – A Lot-Abitcryptic filly
Half sister to stakes winners Cryptic Love and Cryptic Wonder (Joyful Master) From a twice raced Bletchley Park mare
Lot 119 – Hellbent-Aitchdeetee filly
First foal of a lightly raced War Chant half sister to Quilista ($750,650) and Red Can Man ($1 6 million) Family of Zipaway
Lot 120 – Lightsaber-All Cooped Up filly
From a winning Bel Esprit sister to Group One winner Bel Mer (dam of Bel Merci and All Too Royal) and Ken Arok Family of Generosity
Lot 123 – Harry Angel-Amelia’s Love colt
Half brother to three city winners From a two time winning (from four starts) Blackfriars half sister to Karuta Queen (dam of Eawase)
Lot 127 – Dundeel-Asante colt
From a twice raced Authorized half sister to stakes performers Pink Fit and Aligned Family of Hinged, Green Dancer etc
Lot 129 – Splintex-Bantry Bay colt
Half brother to stakes winner All Banter and stakes placed Alotofbanter From a Group winning daughter of Tale of the Cat
Lot 130 – Home Affairs-Batemans Bay filly
From an unraced Exceed and Excel half sister to Fortress Command and the dam of Prairie Flower Family of Marianne, Dylan’s Promise etc
Lot 131 – Aysar-Bella Contessa colt
Half brother to stakes winner Bella’s Idol (8 wins, $448,205) and city winner Mama Tembu From a lightly raced and stakes race fourth placed Bel Esprit mare
Lot 134 – Home Affairs-Black Tulip colt
Half brother to stakes winner Niedorp and stakes placed pair Packing Hermod and Galaxy Witness From an unraced Lonhro half sister to Hanks
Lot 138 – Too Darn Hot-Brave Angel colt
First foal of the Listed Ascot One Thousand Guineas winning Tavistock mare Brave Angel Family of Schilling, Estonian Princess etc
Lot 139 – Brave Smash-Bulloo filly
First foal of a three time winning Written Tycoon mare Family of Eagle Way, Impressive Eagle, Assertive Eagle, Thermal Current etc
Lot 142 – Supido-Caipirinha colt
By the same sire as crack juvenile Unit Five From a triple stakes winning Nicconi mare Dam’s two runners are both winners
Lot 144 – Rommel-Chantorque filly
Second foal of the Listed Placid Ark Stakes winning War Chant mare Chantorque Dam won six and earned
$467,060
Lot 145 – Marine One-Clarecastle colt
Half brother to stakes winner Castle Road and stakes performers Specialism, Royal Strata and More Special and the dam of Do I Feel Lucky
Lot 147 – Playing God-Clear Blue Sky colt
Second foal from an unraced Sessions half sister to former sale graduate and Group One winner Portland Sky Family of Scenic Shot
Lot 148 – Marine One-Coast to the Post colt
Half brother to Miss West Coast and the dam of Group winners Paris Dio and Queen of Dragons From a stakes performed daughter of Nanny Maroon
Lot 149 – Dundeel-Col’s Fan Club filly
First foal of an unraced Fastnet Rock mare Dam is from a winning sister to champion More Joyous and three quarter sister to War
Lot 152 – Tarzino-Concert Girl colt
Half brother to Group One Doomben Ten Thousand winner and $1 2 million earner Music Magnate From a Danehill Dancer half to Marrok
Lot 153 – Spirit of Boom-Controlocracy colt
By Queensland based sire star First foal of a three time winning More Than Ready half sister to stakes performed Silent is Gold
Lot 154 – Playing God-Cosmah Domination filly
Full sister to Group One Railway Stakes winner
Bustler and half sister to WA Derby winner A Lot of Good Men. From a three time winner.
Lot 157 – Pierro-Cristofina colt
Third foal of a winning Vancouver half sister to Northwest Passage Family of Summer Passage By a Slipper winner from a mare by a Slipper winner
Lot 158 – Playing God-Dainty Tess filly
Third foal from a 14 time winning, triple Group winning and $1 million plus earner by War Chant By local sire star
Lot 160 – Splintex-Dalkeith colt
Half brother to four winners (from four to race) including Group placed Titanium Power From an unraced Encosta de Lago mare
Lot 161 – Home Affairs-Damodice colt
Third foal from an unraced Medaglia d’Oro half sister to G1 Railway Stakes winner Gathering and fellow star Florentina (dam of In Italian)
Lot 162 – Lightsaber-Dance on Air colt
Half brother to three winners including Pinjarra Classic winner Clairvoyance (7 wins from 11 starts) From a six time winning half to Caprizzi Strip
Lot 164 – Maschino-Deep Echo filly
Half sister to recent winner Bull Fight From a winning Deep Field daughter of stakes winner Cherokee Echo Strong international family
Lot 165 – Portland Sky-Dreamalong filly
Half sister to three time stakes winner and $618,000 earner Black Fantasy From a city winning Southern Image half sister to Shining Knight
Lot 166 – Maschino-Elsie’s Rhapsody filly
From a twice winning sister to stakes winner Reimbursement and half sister to fellow stakes winner Re Inforcing
Lot 167 – Ghaiyyath-End of Trip colt
Half brother to recent winner Dalt Jaz From an unraced Pierro daughter of stakes winner Ondina Family of champion Ghaiyyath himself
Lot 176 – Playing God-Flirtatious colt
Half brother to two winners including stakes placed Our Paladin Al From a nine time winning half sister to the dam of Chantorque
Lot 177 – Awesome Rock-Fo’ Shizzle colt
Half brother to multiple stakes winner Cool Memory and stakes placed Cold Shizzle From a four time winner and stakes placegetter
Lot 178 – Aysar-French Quarter colt
First foal of a lightly raced sister to Crescent City and half sister to Storyville and Axeman’s Jazz Family of Battle Hero, Treasured Star etc
Lucy
THINGS Wild
by Jessica Owers
and Brandon Fiore are an emerging brand in Western Australian racing, a jockey-trainer partnership that last year left the green turf behind for the arid, unforgiving steppe country of Mongolia. Cue the romance.
For most couples, the IKEA relationship test is enough; buy a piece of flat-pack furniture, squeeze it into a car then attempt to build it at home without a resultant divorce However, racing couple Lucy and Brandon Fiore aren’t most couples
Instead, last winter they got themselves to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, to take their place in the 2025 Mongol Derby Riding side-by-side for 1000 kilometres of steppe country, on semi-wild ponies that move like broken sewing machines, they finished ten days later, marriage intact
“I said I’d never do it again,” Lucy says “The pain was horrific My knees were so sore and swollen, but I guess it’s like childbirth I’m over it now and back to normal and I’m like, that was amazing, I’d totally do it again ”
The Mongol Derby recreates the veinous pony-express system of Genghis Khan’s thirteenth century Back then, horseback messengers rode between inner Mongolia to the east and the Caspian Sea to the west, though today’s route is substantially shorter
Nevertheless, the Mongol Derby is the longest, stiffest horse race in the world through stations set up every 35 kilometres along the route It’s
a test of endurance, horsemanship, and the fortitude of human nature
“They’re wild little bastards, those horses” Brandon says “Three days out from the finish line I came off one and it disappeared with all my stuff Some Mongolian has ended up with a nice saddle bag, new stirrups, a sleeping bag, and all my spare clothes and painkillers The last couple of days were excruciating, but we got through it ”
They did Brandon and Lucy finished the Mongol Derby together in third place behind fellow Australian, cowboy Sam Phelps The organisers labelled the Fiores ‘a high-stakes marital experiment’
“People said there was no way we’d be able to stay together, that it wasn’t realistic and it would be too difficult,” Brandon says “But we did it We stuck together, and crossing the finish line with Lucy, with the satisfaction of not leaving each other, felt pretty amazing at the end ”
In Perth racing circles, Lucy Fiore is one of the state’s leading race riders Brandon, her husband of a couple of years, is a trainer on the rise He started riding just five years ago after meeting Lucy in a bar after the Bunbury
“You are just in the middle of nowhere and you have a map and a GPS, but you have no idea where you are, where you’ve been or where you’re going.”
races, and started training just 18 months ago Ever since, the pair has been on the same trajectory
Brandon’s star horse is the in-form Filthy Habits who is co-owned by his father-in-law, former trainer Justin Warwick of Sheeza Belter fame Filthy Habits was second to Apulia in the Perth Cup, ridden by Lucy, on New Year’s Day
“I was never more congratulated for running second in my life,” Brandon says “I didn’t really want to run second, but I’ll take it ”
Brandon brings a freshness to racing in the west Unlike Lucy, he wasn’t born into the sport His parents have owned Mangles Corner Store, the famous Bunbury deli, the last 38 years, and, before taking out a trainer’s ticket, Brandon worked with his brother for 12 years on civil works It was the kind of heavy work common to Western Australia and it gave him a different outlook on the racing game
“I knew exactly what I was signing up for when I started training,” he says “I’d had all my fun, partying and doing stupid stuff, and I’d grown up with my parents working seven days a week So I was really committed coming in The early mornings and long hours didn’t bother me I still think it’s the most fun ever ”
Lucy, on the other hand, began race riding when she was 16 She has layers of racing in her lines In the current season, she sits fourth on the jockeys’ table in Western Australia, but last season she hit a career-best win tally of 139 races Though a Group One has eluded her, and she’ll admit the frustration, she rides consistently at the top aboard top horses for the top trainers
“A Group One shouldn’t define your career, and I try not to let it, but I’d love to have one, or at least another Perth Cup,” she says
The couple’s Fiore Park is their joint business outside of Harvey, where they live, train and pre-train, and where they ride They bought it four years ago from Lucy’s father and have revived it into a throbbing, profitable family business once again It was from here that the serious training for the Mongol Derby occurred While Lucy had everyday riding on her side, Brandon had only morning trackwork on his, so he took to a gym routine to build up his strength and endurance
“Brandon pulled up much better than I did,” Lucy says “I just used my race riding as my
training and rode as many races as physically possible, but if I was to do it again, I’d probably take Brandon’s approach ”
The Mongol Derby was no match for this couple The thousand kilometres didn’t get the better of them physically (though it got close), and it didn’t get the better of their marriage Theirs isn’t a lukewarm love; it’s lively with dauntless resolution
They were cheerful fodder for the Mongol press pack, snapped constantly together and recognisable for Lucy’s blond plait beneath her skull cap, and Brandon’s fremen-like eyes beneath his And, though both young, they enjoyed the isolation that came with the steppe country, which usually meant zero phone coverage
“I tuned into the isolation a lot,” Lucy says “You are just in the middle of nowhere and you have a map and a GPS, but you have no idea where you are, where you’ve been or where you’re going At one point we were really close to Russia, and at others we went through deserts, mountains, hills We went through a pine forest at one stage that was so beautiful, and it lasted about 15 minutes and then we never saw anything like it again It was so random ”
Brandon adds; “It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced there Your adrenaline is rushing for ten days straight because you see so much stuff that you never see in normal life, and it’s really good for the soul The landscape is so vast and it changes so much, and the culture is amazing It sometimes felt like it’s still the Stone Age ”
The Fiores are among many racing identities to ride the Mongol Derby Annabel Neasham rode it in 2018, finishing a joint first with racing comrade Adrian Corby, her now husband Rob Archibald tracking in behind her in ninth Like the Fiores, Neasham and Corby finished together, reading the pace like their ponies were racehorses, and judging distances like veterans of the running rail
And, like Neasham and Corby, neither Brandon nor Lucy felt any fear
“I’m pretty laid back,” Brandon says “I never get too stressed on the horses I think that’s one of my assets ”
Lucy says; “I’m used to riding feral horses so none of that was really daunting But what was interesting to me was that the Mongolians are incredible horse people Their body language
is so different, and while we approach difficult horses here with calm, going gently with them or backing right off, the Mongolians do a real dance with them to get hold of some of those naughty ones You find yourself just clinging on when they buck, rear or lie down on you until they get over it I don’t think it would work on the much bigger horses we’re dealing with here ”
The Mongol Derby has become an icon of popular equine culture You get the impression that people want to do it for kicks or bragging rights, not realising the breaking points to which they will be driven
“It was Lucy’s idea,” Brandon says “I wasn’t going to tag along just to watch her, so I signed up for it a little bit unaware, and after studying it I was like, what have I got myself into? But everyone takes something away from it It makes you appreciate what you’ve got, and realise how disconnected we are from the environment around us ”
Should they sign up for the race again, they will be more competitive Brandon wants to win it, and he has some screwed-down tactics on how to do it Possibly, it will mean leaving Lucy behind on the steppe, or possibly the other way around Possibly there will be kit negotiations or alliance brokering, or possibly they will do everything just the same
“It does bring out your competitive side,” Brandon says “I’ll admit, there were times when I was being a bit of a brat about things ”
The Mongol Derby has been won by Olympians, endurance riders and racehorse trainers Its oldest winner was 70-year-old cowboy Bob Long That year, just before COVID briefly claimed the race, nearly 40 per cent of the field didn’t finish In other words, just finishing is a win
But racing, be it on thoroughbreds or lowlying Mongol ponies, is a competition, and few understand the arena of competition better than racing people If you can win the race, why would you try only once? n
LIKE FATHER, Like Son
by Jessica Owers
Daniel Morton is a top gun of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, among his greatest hits no less than Scenic Blast, Scenic Shot and current star King Of Light. Ahead of this year’s sale, the trainer talks memories, lessons learned and legacies over a tub of marron and yabbies and an open road.
It was 2009 when Dan Morton reached the top, which is when the climb really began
“I had Scenic Blast,” he says, “but at literally the same time I had Scenic Shot, and in that one year I think we won five Group 1 races, and I’m thinking, it’s just little old me from Perth ”
The pair of Scenic geldings took Morton on a clockwise yomp that spanned 17 stakes-level victories across four Australian cities in three states, Royal Ascot in England’s south and, in the case of Scenic Blast, efforts in Hong Kong and Japan
“It was a real defining year,” Morton says, but he’s quick to credit good luck “A hell of a lot of luck, but then we’ve had a lot of success buying yearlings and bringing them right through, which is probably the basis of our business, to be honest ”
Scenic Shot cost Morton Racing just $36,000 as a Magic Millions Perth yearling That was in 2004, and two years later, at the same sale, the trainer paid $80,000 for the snow-faced Scenic Blast The two horses returned over $5 2 million in track earnings
Since then, Morton horses like Dainty Tess, In Good Order and current star King Of Light have matriculated from the same catalogue However, the zenith was Scenic Blast’s 2009
snatch-and-grab of the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, Morton the only Western Australian-based trainer to not just travel a horse to the fabled meeting, but to win there
“As I see it, we should be encouraging outfits from WA to go and compete,” he says “We’ve got some very good horsemen here who punch well above their weight I guess for me, because I’ve had the experience, I like to see the guys with the good horses go and stretch the envelope, if not abroad then at least go east ”
The problem with 2009 is that it was a year as like a shadow, never to be overtaken How does a Perth trainer hope to emulate a season that delivered 17 stakes ribbons, five at elite level, a national Horse of the Year title (for Scenic Blast), and bragging rights at Europe’s best meeting?
“You don’t,” Morton says “But I haven’t lost any zest for it I love working and, more over, I love competing I still love the challenge of trying to get horses to win big races”, of which he has delivered His current tally is seven Group 1 features, 12 Group 2s, 26 Group 3s and 57 Listed events, his overall prizemoney figuring nudging $40 million
Morton began training on a solo ticket in 2003 His first runner that year was the Dexter
King Of Light
Scenic Shot
Scenic Blast
“You see the big outfits doing super well and I do still wonder sometimes, what if we’d stayed. But you wouldn’t swap Western Australia for another place to live anywhere in the world, it’s that bloody nice here.”
filly Pennywest, owned by the late Ron Sayers and who won for him first time out at Pinjarra In fact, Pennywest won her first three races for Morton and, in her first seven starts for the young trainer, won four races and was second in the Western Australian Oaks and two Listed features She was a fly sort of horse, the kind that every trainer should start with By 2005, Scenic Shot had come along The gelding’s stakes wins started in Perth and, by his retirement, he had rattled through stakes races in Melbourne, Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast He would have been the horse of a lifetime if Scenic Blast had not come along
Famously tough, famously flashy with markings seen more on an Indian pony than a well-bred thoroughbred, Scenic Blast cut through the Newmarket Handicap, Lightning Stakes and King’s Stand treble, the latter two part of the Global Sprint Challenge
“I don’t even know if that exists today,”
Morton says “But off the back of winning the Lightning Stakes, we were invited to England, which came absolutely out of the blue So we put everything in place to go up there, and that Global Sprint Challenge outfit was super helpful with the logistics coming together We just rolled along with all of it ”
The Global Sprint Challenge, suspended in 2018, was part of that halcyon era of Australian sprinters dominating at Royal Ascot Scenic Blast followed in the footprints of Miss Andretti, Takeover Target and Choisir, who each had won at the meeting and who each had humbling stories They proved that Australian trainers didn’t need million-dollar yearlings to be competitive at the top, nor did they need powerhouse stables at Flemington or Randwick
Morton travelled with Scenic Blast through his quarantine and overseas trackwork, riding the horse on the Newmarket heath and around Sha Tin during their global exploits For the lad
from Perth, the most isolated city on Earth, it was a priceless experience
But did it plant a seed in him that Perth, perhaps, was too small?
“It didn’t We’d moved to Melbourne a number of years before that, following my dad across We’d sold up the house, two little kids and everything, no plans to come back west But then Dad wound it up there and came back, which left me wondering if we should stay in Melbourne and struggle a bit, or go home where we’ll have more support So that’s what we did, we came back to Perth
“I probably still do think about the what ifs, because it’s the eastern seaboard and it’s a bigger industry You see the big outfits doing super well and I do still wonder sometimes, what if we’d stayed But you wouldn’t swap Western Australia for another place to live anywhere in the world, it’s that bloody nice here ”
Morton, in high summer, finds himself on the roads between stud farms, inspecting yearlings ahead of Magic Millions but never missing a moment to appreciate the good life He leaves Forest View Farm, for example, with a tubful of cooked marron and yabbies, pointing the car towards the Margaret River
“It’s unreal here,” he says “I think you can bypass Perth now and fly straight into Busselton, and you’ve got the Margaret River and Yallingup from there It’s absolutely beautiful ”
Morton’s base is suburban Perth, flanking Ascot racecourse, but he and wife Carol just got the keys to 160 acres on the other side of Pinjarra racecourse, an hour’s jaunt south down the highway He is planning to relocate there in a few years
“The grandkids will probably have a pony that I’ll have to look after,” he says, and it sounds like a whinge but it isn’t The Mortons are a tight family
Dan Morton lays plenty of credit at his father’s feet for his own success Len Morton, whose cloth was cut early on the dusty sheep paddocks of Kalgoorlie, worked early in his life for trainer George Moore before heading to TJ Smith at Tulloch Lodge It was there he learned about a good eye for a young horse, for few were better judges than Tommy Smith
Len’s later decorated career included the Brisbane Cup and Kalgoorlie Cup, the latter among his favourite memories For Dan, the legacy isn’t necessarily the victories, but the lessons
“Dad was always in the top echelon of trainers over here, but he was almost groundbreaking with his travelling of horses to the east I was lucky as I was his number one work rider, and I was his foreman for ten-odd years, so I got to travel with his horses all the time and he gave me the best grounding and the best confidence to do it ”
Those lessons were what helped Morton to send a fit, in-form and robust Scenic Blast out to victory at Royal Ascot
“You’ve got to have the right ammo in the first place,” the trainers says “Otherwise you’re just making up the numbers, and I’m not about that Secondly, the horse has to be 100 per cent fit and problem-free so you’re not chasing sickness or trying to patch stuff up when you’re there Thirdly, and probably the most important, and this is where people miss the mark a lot, is get the horse back into a routine Don’t mollycoddle them, just get that routine back into place All of this worked for Dad and it’s worked for me, and we’ve
travelled a lot of horses ”
Morton finds himself in Len’s shoes these days, not just a first-grade trainer but a mentor to his own kids coming through His daughter, son and son-in-law are all involved in the business, so building the stable, its stars and its assets is a priority
“I want to keep building to a point where it’s going to be a useful business for them along the way, if that’s the path they still want,” he says, although the trainer admits he is nervous about the direction of the industry in Western Australia He says it’s okay, but only just okay, and that if it’s good it would take only a little government influence to make it great
“We’re a wealthy state, so there’s no reason why the industry here shouldn’t be great,” he says
Morton will head to the Perth Yearling Sale with a shopping list of about ten yearlings With 50 or so horses in regular work, he usually finds himself with about 20 to 30 two-year-olds each year, a figure plumped by operations like Oakland Park, which sends generously
There are few trainers in the west with a sharper eye for a yearling racehorse than Morton, and fewer trainers with more success with those yearling graduates
“I’m always one for saying we need the eastcoast buyers here,” he says “They’re really important, but at the same time it’s a luxury for me if I’m not bidding against the Hayes boys, or something, for yearlings ”
He’s laughing as he says it, but Morton is only half-laughing really n
THE 2026 GOLD STANDARD IN YEARLINGS
Introducing the Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeders: 2026 Yearlings unveiled. Experience the pinnacle of breeding excellence with Gold Front ’s 2026 crop, led by the remarkable Awesome Rock .
The elite collection features yearlings by champions Pierata , St Marks Basilica , State Of Rest , and our own Awesome Rock , paired with exceptional mares like, Zoushine, For Your Eyes Only, River Goddess and Fine Approach.
Join us at the Magic Millions Complex from February 19 and secure your connection to the future of racing.
Baleen In Me
Eye Of The Day Fine Approach
Prue
There’s A Thought
Double
For Your Eyes Only
Raceday Winners
DO I FEEL LUCKY
Dirty Work-Mindarie
2nd Perfectly Proper, 3rd Strideaway | Margins: 0 04 length x 1 07 lengths
$250,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WA 2YO CLASSIC (RL, 1200M) & $75,000 MAGIC MILLIONS RACING WOMEN’S BONUS
Time: 1 minute 11 49 seconds | Cost: $100,000 at 2025 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Mogumber Park | Buyer: Maureen Daly
Trainer: Sean & Jake Casey | Jockey: Chris Parnham
Raceday Winners2025
SMOOTH CHINO
Mashino-Amorei
$250,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WA 3YO TROPHY (RL, 1200M)
2nd London’s Image, 3rd Perfect Chant | Margins: 0 39 length x 1 03 lengths | Time: 1 minute 10 62 seconds
Cost: $40,000 at 2023 Perth Yearling Sale | Vendor: Mogumber Park (As Agent) | Buyer: Indianna Weinert
Trainer: Indianna Weinert | Jockey: Austin Galati
$25,000 MAGIC MILLIONS RACING WOMEN’S WA 3YO BONUS
$25,000 Bonus + $46,500 prizemoney (position past the post: 2nd) | Cost: $20,000 at 2023 Adelaide Yearling Sale
Vendor: Holbrook Thoroughbreds | Buyer: Ryan Hill Racing | Trainer: Ryan Hill | Jockey: Jason Brown
Scenic Blast
Mogumber PARK
By Kristen Manning
The sale which showcases a stallion’s first yearlings is always an exciting one for a stud and Colin and Fiona from Mogumber Park are certainly looking forward to seeing the youngsters by Marine One strut their stuff.
An eye-catching chestnut son of Written Tycoon’s Golden Slipper-Gr 1, 1200m winner Capitalist, Marine
One is a $500,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast graduate from a great family
A horse with plenty of speed, he was placed in the Maribyrnong Plate-Gr 3, 1000m at his first start at two and at three he successfully took on the older horses in the Rubiton StakesGr 2, 1100m, ending his career with four wins and two placings from 12 starts, eight of which were at stakes level
“From the moment Marine One stepped off the truck he has ticked all the boxes,” Colin said
“He is drop dead gorgeous with a strong shoulder and hindquarter, deep girth and excellent conformation ”
“Importantly he is Intelligent and an absolute gentleman in both the paddock and the breeding barn ”
“And what is really exciting for us is the way he has stamped his progeny His first foals created an immediate impression with breeders with their looks, physique and temperament and as yearlings they have continued to develop the same striking physique as their sire ”
Colin is exceptionally pleased with the quality
of the Marine One yearlings Mogumber is taking to the sale, kicking off with lot 26, a chestnut colt out of the Magic Albert mare Magical Charge
His dam showed plenty of talent winning at Ascot during a short career and she is a halfsister to the Group 3 placed Niccovi from the great international family of Rahy and Singspiel
His half-brother by Farnan was purchased last year by Trevor Andrews for $125,000 and has definitely shown his trainer enough at this stage to be a touch excited to see what that bay named The Voice Inside can achieve
Another striking chestnut is lot 42 out of the stakes placed Dehere mare Notjustaprettyface
A half-brother to the Goulburn Cup and multiple city winner Green Shadows, he hails from the immediate family of the Group 1 gallopers Voile D’Or and Curata Storm Boasting crosses of the lovely mares Best In Show and Easy Date, lot 76 is out of the winning Not A Single Doubt mare Singing Dixie, half-sister to the Hong Kong Group 2 placegetter Flagship Shine and to the dam of the Singapore Champion 3Y0 & 4Y0 Golden Monkey
The son of a proven broodmare (a debut winner at Caulfield at two), lot 95 is out of Sweet LIttle Lies whose seven foals to race are all winners including the stakes placed Tell Me and city winners Little Stevie, Tunero and Nepravda
The Clarecastle family has been a successful one for Mogumber and that mare, who died in 2025, has her final foal in the sale, lot 145
He is a half-brother to nine winners including the Listed winner Castle Road, the stakes placed Specialism, Royal Strata and More Special and the dam of Do I Feel Lucky Lot 32 by A Lot is also from this prolific family as is lot 322, another Marine One colt
Each of the Marine One yearlings hail from lovely families, others able to boast amongst their relations the high class gallopers Regal Cheer (lot 150), Monopolize (lot 172), Starspangledbanner (lot 197), Encosta de Lago (lot 234) and Elite Belle (lot 252)
Meanwhile fellow Mogumber stallion
Safeguard also has yearlings on offer The dual Group 3 winning Exceed And Excel horse has quietly been doing the job with his 62 5% strike rate
“Safeguard continues to be the ‘what could have been’ stallion,” Colin said
“His metrics are fantastic His exceptional ratios in terms of winners to runners and stakes performers to runners have come off a very small number of foals We know that a stallion needs both quality and quantity
of mares to give them the best chance of success and Safeguard has not had the numbers in either area ”
“But we do know that he produces genuine, sound, tough racehorses and this year we have two cracking fillies who look like they’ll run early but have enough scope to train on ”
Lot 224 is a filly with an interesting pedigree, carrying a 3fx3m cross of the successful broodmare Peach whilst the following lot is a half-sister to the seven time winner October Revolution out of a stakes placed member of the prolific Fanfreluche family
Colin is also happy with the start Safeguard has made as a broodmare sire, noting “he adds strength to the matings ”
The already mentioned lot 32 out of Safeguard’s Ascot debut winner Mindarie who has already produced the 2025 MM 2yo winner Do I Feel Lucky, while her second foal, Maria Lucia (by Rommel) was an impressive winner at her first start
Safeguard is also the broodmare sire of lot 194 by Marine One; the first foal for the three time winner Jevelation
In addition to progeny of their resident stallions, Mogumber Park also present yearlings by Harry Angel, Doubtland, A Lot, So You Think, Capitalist, Time To Reign, Spirit Of Boom, all of whom will have strong appeal to trainers looking to add variety to their local purchases n
Join the Fun and Feel the MagicCelebrating West is Best.
Magic Millions WA Raceday
Pinjarra Park Racecourse | Saturday 14 February 2026
Featuring:
$250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL)
Plus $75,000 in Racing Women’s Bonuses
$250,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (RL)
Plus $25,000 in Racing Women’s Bonuses
Magic Millions Race Series
More Races. More Prizemoney. More Magic.
THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX IS A Magic Purchase
by Josh Miller
Waiting until Lot 268 at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions Sales proved to be a calculated call by Myalup-based horseman Justin Warwick.
While he admitted to being interested in several earlier lots, Warwick was eventually drawn to a bay colt by Grunt that stood out late in the sale
“He caught my eye, he was quite a stunning looking horse,” Warwick said
“He was pretty late in the sale and I had already been outbid on a few I liked that day and I was getting a bit frustrated ”
The hammer fell at $100,000, a figure that now appears unders, although Warwick was adamant he had reached his price threshold for the yearling
Today, that horse races as Heeza Phoenix for trainer Mitchell Pateman, with a group of Warwick’s mates within the ownership
“I was hoping to get him for about $70,000 or $80,000 and it stretched out a bit – $100,000 was probably going to be my last bid so it worked out well,” he said
“The good horses usually stick out and then it’s a case of how much money are we willing to spend on the horse ”
In his first four career starts, the colt out of
Joadja has earned more than $200,000 in prizemoney
Heeza Phoenix broke his maiden status on debut and then claimed a subsequent Saturday three-year-old Plate victory, before running second to King Of Light in both the $125,000 Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) and the $500,000 Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m)
“The Magic Millions sale is the best entry point into racehorse ownership here in WA,”
Warwick said
“They’ve been phenomenal all across Australia, the promotion and outfit that they run and the protocols they have are brilliant They are great for WA racing
“I have a lot of people who like to buy in with me and we’ve had a lot of fun over the years, so I usually go into the sales with them ”
Warwick’s close friend and fellow owner Bree Chislom said Heeza Phoenix had already delivered plenty of excitement in his four career starts to-date
“It’s special being involved in the horse with mates, but you also become friends with the other owners through the journey as well,”
she said
“We all have the best day when we go to the races – Heeza Phoenix, in particular, makes it pretty special as well ”
Chisolm encouraged anyone thinking about ownership to take the plunge, offering some simple advice from her experience
“Go to the sales and get small shares in a few horses,” she said
“Spread yourself around with different groups of people – you learn from experience and its great fun
No decision has to be made on the day, you get on the email list for multiple trainers, and they’ll send the available shares for each horse
“Approach your favourite stable, everyone is so friendly and knowledgeable It’s a fun ride owning a racehorse with great people… win, lose or draw ”
Warwick, a Perth Cup-winning trainer, built a distinguished career in the thoroughbred code, following his domination in the harness racing code
While he no longer trains, his black, red and white silks are still found on WA racecourses through his ongoing involvement as an owner
One of those horses is 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale graduate, Filthy Habits
The son of I’m All The Talk, which Warwick bought for $80,000, has emerged as a tough, on-speed stayer, despite a relatively modest start to his racing career
“At first, he wasn’t competitive in Perth early, so we sent him to Kalgoorlie and he spent a season there with (trainer) Peter Fernie,”
Warwick said
“WA is a very good place to be able to educate a young horse with a lot of tracks and different pathways
We are also very well placed with the Westspeed and Magic Millions incentive scheme bonus system
“It’s quite good value for money here in WA and the training fees are pretty good for what you’re racing for ”
Pateman, a former jockey whose training operation is at Ascot, has been trusted with training a handful of Warwick’s gallopers, including Glasgow Lass
He said Heeza Phoenix always presented himself as a talented type
“Heeza Phoenix was a really nice yearling,”
Mitch said
“He’s a very good horse to look at and when they look as good as he does you expect a bit more of them
“Each time he’s gone to the races he’s just kept raising the bar and taken us on an incredible journey already ”
Pateman said the sales provided an opportunity for people to make connections and look for the next turf star in the making
“Trainers are always looking for new owners and happy to have a chat with anyone who gets in contact,” he said
“The Magic Millions is our only yearling sale in WA so it’s a really important chance to speak to potential owners and try find that next good horse ”
For Warwick, he’ll be going back to the Magic Millions Sales this year, sticking to his philosophy of finding the hidden gem –something he recommends to any first-time buyers
“It’s all about value for money for me,” he said “I’ve had some horses that were under $10,000 that were very good horses that won hundreds of thousands ”
“The thing is, you know you’re not going to be right 100 per cent of the times, but if you stick to your guns you’re going to find a good horse ” n
Justin Warwick
Stakes
SUCCESS STORIES
Sight Success Magnus - Tarp John Size
Black Heart Bart Blackfriars - Sister Theresa Lindsey Smith
Scenic Shot ScenicSweepshot Daniel Morton
Ima Single Man Gingerbread ManSingle Spice Tony Cruz
Luckygray Bradbury's LuckDamah Lady Trevor Andrews
Boom Time Flying Spur - Bit of a Ride Hayes & Dabernig
Sheeza Belter Gold StandardSaxabelle Peter & Paul Snowden
Watch Me Rock Awesome RockWhat Ch Grant & Alana Williams
Valour Road Frost Giant - Melba Avenue Simon Miller
Bustler Playing God - Cosmah Domination Neville Parnham
Playing God Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do Neville Parnham
Moment of Change Barely a MomentEuropium Peter G Moody
$5,295,074 $45,000
$4,817,950 $20,000
HKJC Premier Bowl, Gr 2, Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, Gr 3, 2d HKJC Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Gr 1
SAJC Goodwood H , Gr 1, MRC Memsie S , Gr 1, Underwood S , Gr 1-twice, CF Orr S , Gr 1, Futurity S , Gr 1
$3,097,855 $36,000 VRC LKS Mackinnon S , Gr 1, BTC Doomben Cup, Gr 1-twice
$3,019,027 P $40,000
WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, HKJC x 6 wins
$2,696,025 $46,000 WATC Railway S , Gr 1-twice, Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1
$2,554,125 P $65,000 MRC Caulfield Cup, Gr 1, Mornington Cup Prelude, L, WATC Melvista S , L
$1,884,400 $50,000
BRC JJ Atkins P , Gr 1, ATC Hot Danish S , Gr 2, BRC Sires' Produce S , Gr 2, Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL
$1,859,320 P $37,500 WATC Railway S , Gr 1, Asian Beau S , Gr 3, Old Comrade S , L, Grandstand Cup, L
$1,821,357 $60,000
WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, Lee Steere S , Gr 2, SAJC Euclase S , Gr 2, WATC Hyperion S , Gr 3, AJ Scahill S , Gr 3, Prince of Wales S , Gr 3
$1,854,800 $130,000 WATC Railway S , Gr 1, Belmont Sprint, Gr 3, Fairetha S , L
$1,669,200 $27,000
$1,657,638 $50,000
WATC Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1-twice, Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2, Northerly S , Gr 3
MRC Sir Rupert Clarke S , Gr 1, Futurity S , Gr 1, CF Orr S , Gr 1
Magnifisio Magnus - Ifestio Vaughn Sigley $1,547,200 $80,000
Red Can Man Gingerbread ManBrocky's Ace
Great Shot Magnus - Satin Covers Rhys Radford
Super Smink Super OneSminky Shorts
Rope Them In Playing God - Lead Rope
God Has Spoken Blackfriars - Dolly Will Do Neville Parnham
Silent Sedition War ChantFiorentina Andrew Noblet
Gemma's Son SnippetsonPrincess Gemma
Man Booker Discorsi - Morine
Winterbottom S , Gr 1, Lee Steere S , Gr 2, Roma Cup, Gr 3
$1,505,290 $50,000 MRC Sir John Monash S , Gr 3, WATC RS Crawford S , L, Fairetha S , L, HG Bolton Sprint H , L
$1,479,375 $31,000 WATC Railway S , Gr 1, Belmont Guineas, L, Cyril Flower S , L, Old Comrade S , L
$1,570,280 $45,000 WATC Karrakatta P , Gr 2, Lee Steere S , Gr 2, Asian Beau S , Gr 3, WA Sires' Produce S , Gr 3
$1,347,455 $60,000
$1,189,250 $41,000
David Harrison
Daniel Morton
Snowdome Rommel - Snow Pixie Neville Parnham
Achernar Star Gingerbread ManMorine Lindsey Smith
Admiration Express My AdmirationComme Ci Jason Miller
Let's Galahvant Galah - Secret Crush
Daniel & Ben Pearce
Man Crush Manhattan RainCrushed Luke Fernie
Colonel Reeves S , Gr 3, RS Crawford S , L
WATC CB Cox S , Gr 2, Sires' Produce S , Gr 3, RJ Peters S , Gr 3, Strickland S , Gr 3
$1,177,150 $45,000 MVRC William Reid S , Gr 1, MRC Summoned S , Gr 3, Mannerism S , Gr 3-twice, SAJC Auraria S , Gr 3
$1,172,733 $20,000
Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic, RL, Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy, RL, WATC Perth S , L
$1,115,680 $25,000 Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2, WATC Northerly S , Gr 3
$1,019,025 $180,000
$1,017,021 $75,000
$966,280 $60,000
$937,710 $10,000
WATC WA Sires' Produce S , Gr 3, Prince of Wales S , Gr 3, Cyril Flower S , L, Pinjarra Classic, L
WATC Grandstand Cup, L, Bunbury S , L, 3d Kingston Town Classic, Gr 1
WATC Champion Fillies S , Gr 3, Ascot One Thousand Guineas, L, 2d WATC Northerly S , Gr 1
WATC Strickland S , Gr 3, Carbine Club of WA S , L, Kalgoorlie Boulder RC Hannan's H , L, Northam Cup, L
$932,565 $45,000 Pinjarra RC Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy, RL, WATC Miss Andretti S , L
Aztec Ruler Universal Ruler - I Love Rubies Stefan Vahala $798,215 $40,000
WATC Carbine Club of WA S , L, Bunbury S , L Hemlock Stone Dalghar - Spiritual Grant & Alana Williams
A Lot of Good Men A Lot - Cosmah Domination Trevor Andrews
Quilista Scandal KeeperBrocky's Ace Peter & Paul Snowden
Portland Sky Deep Field - Sky Rumba Matt Laurie
$785,390 $11,000
$760,440 $42,500
$750,650 $10,000
$584,075 $85,000
WATC Perth Cup, Gr 2
WATC Western Australian Derby, Gr 2, 2d WATC Western Australian Guineas, Gr 2
ATC Sapphire S , Gr 2, Birthday Card S , Gr 3
MRC Oakleigh P , Gr 1, MVRC Red Anchor S , Gr 3, MRC Manfred S , Gr 3
Ruby Racing & Breeding provides a combination of warm winters and strong feed not seen elsewhere in the state.
RubyRACING & BREEDING
By Kristen Manning
Very much a family business - run by the siblings Daniel and Jaime O’Bree, Ruby Racing and Breeding operation located at Geraldton have been presenting lovely yearlings at the Magic Millions for several years now and the winners have been flowing!
Located “a bit away from the other studs,” Daniel is proud of what the farm has been achieving
A farm named in honour of a favourite family home-bred, Ruby the nickname of the two time Geraldton winner Emerald Dancer A very special horse for the O’Brees “the first thoroughbred foal we bred, sparking the family’s passion!” Daniel said
In operation since 2020, they have been represented by such talented horses as the dual Group winning young stallion Tiger Of Malay who they bred and sold as a yearling - and the Group 1 miler Bustler, a successful pin-hook who they loved so much they stayed in for the racing ride!
The dual stakes winner Starry Heights and the in-form Onemoretwomany (who at two recorded an easy victory in the Magic Millions Gai Waterhouse Crystal Slipper) are also Ruby graduates as are Girls Day Out, Earthstorm, Southern Scandal and Bohemian Diamond who have all been racing well in recent times Proud of Ruby’s 8% stakes winners to runners strike rate, Daniel puts the farm’s success down to a number of factors
“Our farm is perfect for growing athletes Rocky hills, creek beds and large paddocks allow the horse to be able to think for themselves be and physiologically ahead of their peers ”
“That environment along with the finer details we pursue enhances the horses’ ability to be more prepared for high athletic performance than most, both mentally and physically
This is everything we revolve our decisions around ”
“At the end of the day, the foundation of the horse begins from birth ”
“The preparation of our yearlings starts from birth, it’s about the long term future for our horses, not just until the sales ”
“The warmer climate makes sense from a scientific view, your body will direct energy to where it’s needed Having them in a warmer climate means that they are able to direct their energy to growth and maturity rather than managing body heat ”
Whilst their parents were hobby breedersbreeding only one every year or so - their son and daughter are ambitious in their desire to really make a go of the commercial world and their 2026 draft is a strong one
Highlights of which include Lot 60 bay filly by Maschino from Real Beauty (I Am Invincible)
A granddaughter of the dual stakes winner Real Charm (dam of the two time Listed winner Real Danger), she is a half-sister to the promising three-year-old Twisted Steel (a $100,000 graduate of this sale) from the family of the WA Derby-Gr 2, 2400m winner
Mystic Prince
“She is a powerful, well built filly with excellent strength, good bone and a strong, purposeful stride,” Daniel said
“She mirrors the quality of her half-brother Twisted Steel and will present as a standout, strength-filled filly at sale time ”
Lot 67 bay filly by Tiger Of Malay from Rock My Frock (Rock ‘N’ Pop)
First live foal for a three time winning halfsister to the stakes winners Fabric and Sewreel from the family of the Group 1 gallopers Lachlan River, Sudurka, My Brilliant Star and Shot Of Thunder
“She is a tough, classy filly who effortlessly covers the ground with a balanced, fluent action She displays the professional attitude of the Tiger Of Malay progeny and has the constitution and athleticism required to develop into a high-level racehorse ”
Lot 162 bay/brown colt by Lightsaber from Dance On Air (Perugino)
Half-brother to the Listed winner Clairvoyance out of a multiple city winning half-sister to the stakes winner Caprizzi Strip
“He is an An athletic, forward-moving colt and a strong, correct representation of what Lightsaber can produce ”
“He is a quality individual with presence and natural scope Once you see him, you won’t be able to forget him! He is one of the nicest colts we’ve had on the farm ”
Lot 176 bay colt by Playing Gold from Flirtatious (Purrealist)
By a stallion whose progeny have topped the last three editions of this sale, he is out of a nine time winner whose first two foals are both winners including the promising Our Paladin Al
“He is a colt very much in the mold of his sire, boasting substance and strength with a smooth, ground-covering action He is a halfbrother to the progressive stakes performed gelding Our Paladin Al who is currently working his way successfully through the grades ”
Other Ruby youngsters worth looking out for include a Shamus Award from the family of Black Caviar (lot 28), Tarzino half-brothers to the Group 3 winner Chaillot (lot 29) and the Group 1 mare Music Magnate (lot 152), an Awesome Rock filly (lot 140) from a prolific Bob Peters family, a Tiger Of Malay colt from a big Group 1 family (lot 208) and a Lightsaber colt (lot 337) closely related to the spring carnival Group 1 winner Sepals n
BUSTLER, winner of the G1 WATC Railway Stakes
Jamie & Dan O’Bree
THE TRIO LEADING WA’sNew Wave
by Kristen Manning
An exciting aspect to any yearling sale is the appearance of the progeny of first season sires and it is not often that the Perth Magic Millions has three such outstanding local young horses represented.
Geisel Park Stud's Aysar, Mogumber Park's Marine One and Darling View Thoroughbreds's Lightsaber
Three quality performers, all stakes winners by highly successful stallions from Australia's most popular sire lines; that of Northern Meteor (via Deep Field, sire of Aysar and Zoustar, sire of Lightsaber) and Written Tycoon (via Capitalist, sire of Marine One) And each of these horses hail from outstanding families, Aysar a half-brother to Home Affairs out of a half-sister to Russian Revolution, Marine One a brother to the Gr 3 winner Cannonball out of the Gr 1 placed Listed winning Golconda and Lightsaber closely related to Fastnet Rock
Between them (at the time of writing in early February) these exciting youngsters have 69 yearlings in the sale, representing over 20% of the catalogue; something not often seen with WA Magic Millions Manager David Houston excited
"We don't have the selection of young stallions the east has," he said, "so to see these fresh faces is encouraging "
"Especially as they are all impressive horses with the right bloodlines, their sire lines all doing well "
AYSAR - GEISEL PARK
A $260,000 graduate of the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the Torryburn Stud bred Aysar was purchased by Shadwell Stud and placed under the care of the team at Lindsay Park
Racing twice at two, the eye-catching chestnut charged home on a track not playing to suit at debut but was able to quickly atone with a three length victory at Sandown at his second start
A winner at that same track at his first start at three, Aysar was thrown in the deep end contesting the Gr 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude second up; finishing off strongly in the style of a horse looking for the mile
Up to that trip in the Gr 1 Caulfield Guineas, he ran a great race for second behind Ole Kirk before going down by a narrow margin in the Gr 3 Carbine Club Stakes on Derby Day
Continuing to prove himself one of Victoria's best three-year-olds in the summer/autumn, Aysar split Portland Sky and Tagaloa in the Gr 3 Manfred Stakes and Tagaloa and Mo'Unga in the Gr 3 C S Hayes Stakes
Competitive in Gr 1 company and adding the Listed Chautauqua Stakes to his record, Aysar retired to stud as a three time winner of over $700,000
He is one of the 40 stakes winners sired by the brilliant Deep Field who has made a most encouraging start to his career as a sire of sires with Cosmic Force and Portland Sky both siring promising types
With the legendary matriarch Fanfreluche as his fifth dam (she being the grandam of Rolls to whom Aysar is line-bred 5fx3m via Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur), Aysar is an exciting prospect especially with his Home Affairs making such an exciting start to his stud career
This is a family renowned for producing classy stallions, Aysar also able to boast amongst his relations such Gr 1 sires Night Shift, Van Nistelrooy, Lode, Holy Roman Emperor, Golden Voyage and Brazen Beau
"We are very excited to be heading to the sales with his first yearlings," said Geisel's Conor Dunlop, adding that "this is always a fun time "
"We have been very happy with the mares he has been covering and we are looking forward to getting out to the sales "
Conor is delighted by how Aysar has let down, noting that "you would struggle to see a better specimen in Western Australia "
And the horse has an inkling that he is something a bit special; "he is stunning and he knows it!"
"And he has a great temperament and what is great is that he is passing that onto his progeny I could not speak more highly of the attitude of his yearlings, they are so levelheaded "
"They go about their work so professionally and they are very nice horses to work with "
Conor is proud to stand one of the three first season sires at the sale and hopes each do well; "it would be great if they all got off to a ding-dong start," he enthused
MARINE ONE - MOGUMBER PARK
Another handsome chestnut, Mogumber Park's Marine One caught the eye from day one, secured for $500,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions
And he too found form quickly, at debut a game third in the Gr 3 Maribyrnong Plate on Melbourne Cup Day before finishing close up in Blue Diamond lead-ups
Easily winning his three of his first four runs at three, Marine One went on to add the Gr 2 Rubiton Stakes to his record; an 1100m dash that has been won by the likes of Nature Strip, Chautauqua, Lankan Rupee, Schillaci and Zeditave
A horse who headed to stud as a four time winner from 12 starts with over $400,000 in stakes, Marine One is by one of the Champion Sire Written Tycoon's best sons in Capitalist; Gr 1 Golden Slipper Stakes winning sire of 28 stakes winners including the elite level winners Reserve Bank and Captivant
Capitalist is one of the six sons of Written Tycoon to have stood at stud and remarkably all of them have sired stakes winners whilst Capitalist's first two sons to stand; Profiteer and Captivant, are both off and running with early winners
Marine One's dam Golconda was classy and adaptable, at two winning the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes and at three finishing a game third in the Gr 1 VRC Oaks
Marine One is that Snitzel mare's foal, the second being the speedy Gr 3 and dual Listed winner Cannonball (also by Capitalist) and her third the stakes placed city Supercilious Golconda's dual Group winning dam Eureka Jewel has also fared nicely at stud, producing
the Listed winner Sermon and the dam of the Listed winner Smart 'N' Sexy
Marine One is one of the 42 stakes winners (six of whom are Gr 1 horses) combining Written Tycoon and Redoute's Choice, a cross that provides for a duplication of the wonderful mare Best In Show, grandam of Written Tycoon's great grandsire Try My Best and fourth dam of Redoute's Choice
Stood in partnership with the China Horse Club and Kingstar Farm, Marine One was spelling at Mornington when Mogumber's Fiona Lacey and Colin Brown heard that he was available
"We were in Sydney at the sales, Fiona hopped on an early flight to see him and was back that evening for The Chairman's," Colin recalled,
"and she just said 'we have to have him!'"
And from the moment Marine One landed in WA everyone was impressed
"He is just a lovely horse, wonderful to get along with," Colin said, happy to note that his progeny are the same
"They are just him, out-and-out their dad!"
"Not only in regards to their impressive build but also their personality "
"The feedback on his foals, then his weanlings and now his yearlings has always been strong and we had a few senior trainers out on the farm recently and they are all excited about him "
With his pedigree, talent, conformation and temperament Marine One is, Colin said "a hosre to does not have a box ticked as a stallion prospect "
"Now we just have to tick those next two boxes, selling and running!"
LIGHTSABER - DARLING VIEW THOROUGHBREDS
The Emirates Park bred Lightsaber, a resident of Darling View Thoroughbreds, is another headturner in regards to looks and he has the performance and pedigree credentials to go with it
A three time winner from five juvenile starts, Lightsaber showed pace and heart going through the classes to win the Gr 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes
Going right on with it at three, Lightsaber won the Gr 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and was just behind the placegetters in the Gr 1 Caulfield Guineas won by Anamoe with subsequent dual Derby winner Hitotsu behind him
A four time winner of over $820,000 in earnings, Lightsaber is one of the 76 stakes winners sired by reigning Champion Sire Zoustar whose first three sons at stud; Zousain, Lean Mean Machine and Sun City, have all already been represented by stakes winners
And he hails from a family with a two time Australian Champion Sire in its midst, his stakes placed third dam Cirque du Soleil being a full sister to Fastnet Rock
With his rich colouring and flashy tail, Lightsaber is a horse who catches the eye and he knows, noted Darling View's Brent Atwell, that he is something a bit special!
"He prances around his paddock and sings out to let everyone know he is there," Brent chuckled
"He is a very well behaved horse but he is a handsome lad and he knows it "
"His paddock is close to Splintex's and the two have their daily race up and down the fence and Lightsaber puts on his showy trot!"
Splintex is another youngster, having had his first yearlings sell last year and on the back of promising performances by the likes of recent Ascot winner They'reallsisters, his second crop should prove popular in the ring
Brent is looking forward to seeing those yearlings, also excited about Lightsaber's prospects, admitting that taking a new stallion's first horses to the sales is "always a bit of an anxious moment "
"But the feedback on Lightsaber has always been good We were getting strong reports on his weanlings and we've now been getting phone calls from those impressed after inspecting his yearlings " n
THE HEART OF THE 150 YEARS OF WA COUNTRY RACING Outback
by Colin Brand
Racing in country Western Australia has a strong and vibrant history. Of the affiliated clubs today, the earliest records show that the North West Jockey Club (Roebourne) was first established in 1867. Others included the Irwin (Dongara) District Race Club 1871 and the Gascoyne (Carnarvon) Racing Club 1883.
Interestingly, in 1882 Frank Wittenoom and a group of pastoralists formed the Murchison Amateur Race Club, based at Nookawarra Station Given the number of Victorians in the district, they decided to race under V R C (Victorian Racing Club rules)
Over the next 100 plus years, racing in towns and regional areas across WA was very strong Importantly, the Country Racing Association (CRA) was finally established in 1988, at the time of the West Australian Racing Industry Inquiry (The Quin Report)
In that period, WA Turf Club (WATC) was the Principal Club for the thoroughbred racing industry; there was no formal body of association to represent country racing clubs at a State level Negotiations with WATC on the development of country and rural racing was a piecemeal affair, which in the eyes of country delegates, left much to be desired
Some delegates felt that WATC’s approach disadvantaged country racing and without
a strong voice, the success and continuity of country racing would be jeopardised
Subsequently Mr Dixie Solly and Mr Arnold Carter lobbied extensively and brought about the establishment of the Country Racing Association
CRA is an effective body, actively involved in the development of racing operations and integrity standards It represents 20 thoroughbred racing clubs in WA and is recognised by RWWA as an eligible body as prescribed in the RWWA Act 2003 Section 12 It is invited by RWWA to engage in both regular and structured consultation and is a point of reference for industry communication
The value of country racing is intrinsic to our communities and significantly enhances social profits and other non-financial benefits The CRA member clubs are predominantly run by volunteers and they make outstanding contributions to the overall success of country racing right across our vast State
East Pilbara Race Club East Gascoyne Race Club Junction Race Club Kojonup Race Club
Kununurra Race Club Laverton Race Club Leinster Race Club Leonora Race Club
Marble Bar Race Club Mingenew Race Club Moora Race Club
Mount Magnet Race Club
Nor West Jockey Club Pingrup Race Club Port Hedland Turf Club West Kimberley Turf Club
Delegates from each of the above clubs attend CRA meetings to deal with the complexities of compliance, funding, RWWA initiatives and policy impact, industry concerns, infrastructure demands, communication, sponsorship, promotion and race dates etc CRA is recognised as an eligible body and as such has delegates attend scheduled meetings with RWWA and other associated bodies
Each and every member club makes an outstanding contribution to enhancing the positive image of country racing throughout Western Australia
Since COVID, employment, tourism and community investment have exploded in the bush The long and established history of our country race clubs is being exceptionally well promoted and tourism has grown exponentially
Importantly, TV race coverage through SKY and Seven +, has given a new focus on country racing across the breadth of our State Noticeably, young people are far
more involved in volunteering, attendance and increasingly taking out shares in horse syndicates
More than ever, increased corporate sponsorship for country racing has been profound and is making a significant difference for all clubs Positive examples include airline, fuel and accommodation subsidies, provision of power generation and technology access and support, as well as significant monetary sponsorship Additionally, many corporate sponsors hold staff functions on course and commit to further enhancing social and community engagement
Importantly, television coverage of all of our meetings is having a profound and positive impact on betting turnover, tourism, community engagement and sponsorship It has been fabulous for country racing and our isolated communities Viewers Australia wide and an increasing international audience tune in to our meetings at Laverton, Marble Bar, Broome and all our other clubs to marvel at the contest, the colour and the magic of country racing
CRA Members
Broome Turf Club Carnarvon Turf Club Collie Race Club Dongara Irwin Race Club
Annual Awards
A significant responsibility of CRA is the positive promotion of country racing The Annual Awards presented are valued by all sectors of the industry and provide due recognition for the patience, dedication and commitment of trainers, jockeys, owners and volunteers
In 2025, the following awards were presented to very worthy recipients and we acknowledge and appreciate our valued sponsors for their continued support:
CRA Members
AWARD
Jockey of the Year
Trainer of the Year
Apprentice of the Year
Horse of the Year
Services to Racing Industry
WINNER
Kate Pateman
Leigh Murray
Sharni Webster
Fries With That
Alan Smith
SPONSOR
Saddlery Wholesalers
Ramsay’s Horse Transport
Skippers Aviation
Magic Millions
Racing WA
CRA since 2013 has formally recognised, each year, people from racing clubs around Western Australia who have made a long and dedicated commitment to improve racing in their respective communities
Kevin Scott, Doug Milner, Kevin Danks, John Biggs, Gary King, Des Daniels, Neil Biggs, Darren White, Kelvin Moore, Don Hammarquist, Tom Day, Geoff Rodier, Roseanne Pimm, Eugine Crawford and Alan Smith
Honouring Our Life Members
Our Life Members represent the heart and soul of the racing community Their unwavering dedication, decades of service and tireless contributions have helped shape the country racing landscape across Western Australia
We honour our Life Members:
2015 – Dixie Solly and Arnold Carter
2016 – Darryl Roone
Challenges
Everyone in racing understands that all sectors of the industry face serious and significant challenges The Country Racing Association, as an eligible body in thoroughbred racing, participates in processes to enhance and improve funding and conditions that can have a positive impact for all country race clubs across Western Australia
CRA acknowledges and certainly appreciates that RWWA make at least the following contributions for each meeting held around our vast State Including; provide stewards, vets, ambulance and staff, stakes monies (including unplaced stakes), jockey subsidy and trainer and jockey % of stakes won
However, each Country Race Club provides enormous additional resources to ensure that their meetings can be held and be successful
Consistently they include; significant volunteer input, food and drink, security, sponsorship, trophies, additional trainer and jockey subsidies, transport incentives, track upkeep, facilities improvement, social licence to support the wider community, music, dance and competitions on course, and topping up RWWA stakes
In context, country racing clubs enhance the social fabric in their towns, have an embedded volunteer culture and foster community engagement and inclusion They all keep cultural heritage and tradition alive and importantly, encourage tourism and hospitality in their respective regions
The Western Australian Racing Industry holds a place for all Its ethos must enshrine the unique attributes of the State It has to meet the challenges of economic highs and lows, geographical distances and shifting populations which are intrinsic to its nature
The Country Racing Association will work tirelessly to ensure there are no disproportionate funding adjustments to country racing The matters are complex to navigate, but necessary for the overall good of racing in Western Australia and especially for the twenty Country Race Clubs that are at the very core of our rural communities n
barrier draw 2025
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WATCH HER Rock
by Jessica Owers
Estonian-born Marge Ojapold has had a year to remember, from a leadership award to a Group 1-winning owner of the hottest horse in Western Australia.
The city of Tallinn in Estonia is over 8000 flying miles from Perth, a capital with fewer than half-a-million people and a summer that lasts, if they’re lucky, a couple of months Either side is a winter’s ice and snow, daylight lasting just six hours at its thinnest
It’s a medieval, beautifully cultural European city, and a world away from the sunburnt skin of Waroona, south of Perth
“Just about the only thing they have in common is the beach,” says Marge Ojapold, whose childhood home was a nearly twokilometre stretch of white sand lapping the Baltic Sea in Tallinn
Marge, 36, is the stud manager of Santo Guagliardo’s Ridgeport Farm in Waroona It is home to stallions Rommel and Ducimus, and it’s been home to the Estonian for close to five years Sat over 160 acres, with any number between 100 and 130 mares, young stock and spelling racehorses, the farm is a burgeoning presence in western breeding
“Santo first approached me when most of his breeding stock was still being looked after by Mogumber Park,” Marge says “At that time, he had a farm in Adelaide and we spent about six months driving around WA, trying to find a suitable property here We became very close, and he and Michelle (Guagliardo’s wife) are almost like my family here They’re very nice people, and very supportive people ” Santo Guagliardo is the tycoon behind
one of Western Australia’s largest haulage companies, McMahon Burnett Transport A Ron Finemore of the west, if you like He grew a single truck into a fleet of 70 prime movers, and it’s that acme he has brought into horse racing
“It’s been really exciting to be here next to Santo, building up this farm and building his dream,” Marge says “We have grown a lot just in the last three years ”
Santo speaks openly about how racing and breeding has drawn him in A lifetime ago, he had told himself that, when he could afford it, he would buy a racehorse He did that on the Gold Coast in 2013 when he bought the yearling Rommel, and the rest is an oft-heard tale of the mud, blood and beer that eventually led to the success of Ridgeport Farm
Santo credits Marge with much of the farm’s fledgling success She is hands-on with the horses, but she is also a manager and mentor of the staff Santo says Marge has set a benchmark for excellence in the industry, which was recognised Christmas week when she received the Leadership Award at the 2025 Thoroughbred Breeders Western Australia (TBWA) Staff Awards
“Santo told me that I had been nominated, and that meant a lot to me because they really do appreciate what I do,” Marge says “My sister was here from Estonia and she sent the video back to my mum, who had always
“They’re little, but they’re a tough, tough horse,” she says. “They would live outside in minus 20, and though they had these walk-in, walk-out stables, they always preferred to be outside. Most of the time they didn’t even mind a big snow storm.”
said when I was growing up that horses were a waste of time I think, in the last year, I might have changed her mind ”
The Ojapold family weren’t horse people, and least of all racing people In Estonia, the only racetrack that existed was the Tallinna Hippodroom, which served mostly harness racing and closed in 2022 shy of its 100th birthday
When Marge was eight, she began riding Icelandic ponies that belonged to a local farm, and before long she was breaking and training this hardy little breed
“They’re little, but they’re a tough, tough horse,” she says “They would live outside in minus 20, and though they had these walkin, walk-out stables, they always preferred to be outside Most of the time they didn’t even mind a big snow storm ”
Like most horse girls, Marge matriculated into show jumping as she grew up, then into university where she did a year of accounting and finance She then took what was planned to be a year’s sabbatical and travelled to join friends in Port Hedland
“The plan was to work and travel, but we didn’t end up travelling,” she says “The money was really good up there (in mining), so we just ended up working the whole year there ”
Marge’s story isn’t unusual in these parts In Western Australia, migrants account for nearly 22 per cent of the employed workforce, with as much as a quarter of the mining subdivisions (exploration, oil and gas extraction, metal ore, etc) made up of migrant workers
“It was a really interesting period for me,” Marge says “I ended up going back to Estonia for three years to finish my studies, and my then partner and I decided to come back to Australia, only we thought we would really see Australia this time, not just Port Hedland But we got an opportunity for an employment sponsorship visa and so we stayed up north, again, for another three years ”
The couple ended up parting ways eventually, and Marge headed south to where her horse skills were put to good use For four years she was with the Gingin-based Gold Front Thoroughbreds “and I really liked my job
there, but after a few years I went over to the east coast and did a full sales season, mainly with Bhima ”
Mike Fleming, the ‘straighty 180’ studmaster of Bhima, remembers Marge well
“She was a good, level-headed horse person,” he says “She fitted in really well with the team and she understood the importance of showing a horse well, every time it came out of the box ”
Marge says; “I did the whole sales circuit with them and a few weeks at the Bhima farm, and it was a pretty cool experience It was great to see what goes on in the east coast actually, because it’s very different to here in the west ”
For Marge, it was hard to be involved in the grassroots of breeding without wanting a stake herself, and a friendship she forged with Western Australian breeder Graham White, whose Bullsbrook property was nextdoor to the Guagliardos before they bought Ridgeport, helped her along that road In partnership with White she bought one mare, then two more, until the pair produced three foals in their first year of breeding
“And they’re all very good horses too, so it was a great journey for me from the start ”
Of the three mares, the most notable proved to be Watch Me Choux, a complicated, New Zealand-bred daughter of Jimmy Choux who was Group 2-placed at Matamata in 2016 before winding up her career with four starts in Western Australia for two different trainers
Her arrival into Marge’s ownership wasn’t straightforward, but when she and Graham got her she needed surgery and considerable veterinary attention
“She was in a pretty bad way when Graham and I got her,” Marge says “We got her two weeks after she foaled Watch Me Rock ”
Recent history shows that Watch Me Rock, by the Gold Front-owned Awesome Rock, is one of the hottest horses in the west today Through 2025 he cleaned up the Group 1 Railway Stakes, Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes and the listed pair of the Grandstand Cup and Old Comrade Stakes He has won 11 of his 20 starts, was a photo-finish second in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes in December, and
he is touching $2 million in prizemoney with a flight booked to Melbourne in the autumn “He’s been an incredible horse for us,” Marge says, with a nod to her co-owners Ridgeport, her partner Ben Gudjonsson and best friend Angelina Blaskovic “There was a point, when he was just a couple of weeks old, where we didn’t know if he was going to make it, the mare was that sick I thought I was going to have to bulk-feed him and find a foster mare, but here we are The plan is to race in Melbourne at the end of February and then The All-Star Mile in March ” Back in Tallinn, Marge’s mother is constantly asking about the racehorse they call ‘Rocco’
Horses are no longer a waste of time as her daughter, half the world away, has made a dazzling impact on a sport she knew nothing about until a handful of years ago
From furry Icelandic ponies to the refined speed of the Australian thoroughbred, and from a childhood home with just one racecourse to an adopted home with nearly 400, Marge has learned the ropes and climbed the rigging of racing right to the top
“I have this goal to breed winners, even if I don’t own them,” she says, though she wouldn’t turn down another Watch Me Rock in her life n
JFarm
Presenting our 2026 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Draft
Lot 15CS: Stronger (AUS) D: Jeddah Aheadah (AUS)
Lot 37CS: Playing God (AUS) D: Mrs America (AUS)
Lot 43CS: Tarzino (NZ) D: Our Armistice (AUS)
Lot 45CS: Tarzino (NZ) D: Pearl Heart (NZ)
Lot 101CS: Playing God D: Tommy Blue (AUS)
Lot 117CS: Awesome Rock (AUS) D: Fo’ Shizzle (AUS)
Lot 217FS: Tassort (AUS) D: Malakiya (AUS)
Lot 243FS: Playing God (AUS) D: Our Sustar (AUS)
Lot 305FS: Playing God (AUS) D: Wine I Am (AUS)
Lot 317CS: Playing God (AUS) D: Awesome Rival (AUS)
Lot 319FS: Maschino (AUS) D: Bergantina (AUS)
Lot 329CS: Shooting To Win (AUS) D: Classics (AUS)
Lot 335 CS: A Lot (USA) D: Dancing Anna (AUS)
Book One
Book Two
Janey Napoli - 0400 305 544 - 693 Brockman North Road, Waroona
ALWYN PARK STUD
Showcasing Our 2026 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sales Graduates
Introducing our Perth Magic Millions Yearling Draft for 2026, representing twelve sires; Awesome Rock, Aysar, Barbaric, Cosmic Force, Ducimus, Lightsaber, Marine One, Maschino, Nicconi, Playing God, Shooting To Win and Street Boss. Lightsaber and Marine One headlining with their first crop destined to go under the gavel, featuring yearlings by Maschino who sired the 3-Year-Old WA Horse of the Year in Machine Gun Gracie and winner of WA Richest Race The 2025 KIA Quokka, Jokers Grin and Awesome Rock, sire of the 2025 Group 1 Railway Stakes Winner, Watch Me Rock.
In 2025 Alwyn Park were represented by a draft of 22 yearlings, resulting in Alwyn Park setting the record for a colt at the Perth Magic Millons Yearling Sales. With the gavel falling on a Playing God colt out of Clear Blue Sky, an unraced half sister to Group 1 Winner Portland Sky, selling for $450,00 for clients Anita Vale. Last years record breaking colt now named God’s Hammer in work under the guidance of Daniel Morton for winning bidder Idan Young and connections. This year we offer the full brother to God’s Hammer in lot 147, another cracking colt by Playing God for the Anderson family of Anita Vale.
This year we present a strong draft line up of 18 quality yearlings, with vendors from the likes of De Grey Park, Lonsdale Park Stud, Rivercrest Park and other select vendors, who all aim to breed quality, true to type, fast winning horses.
2026 will be the curtain call draft line up of yearlings from Rivercrest Park, these are the last yearlings to go under the hammer for Rivercrest Park as our longtime clients, friends and stalwarts of the industry hang up the breeding boots and head collar for the last time. From their Stratham nursery we offer, Lot 137 a filly by first season sire Marine One out of the American Bred mare Bound Copy, producer of UK Winner Chairmanoftheboard (IRE). Lot 271 is a Ducimus filly out of the three-quarter-sister in blood to dual Group 1 winner I Wish I Win (NZ). Lastly we put forward Lot 338, from the family of listed winners Bonjoy and Prayerful, this Ducimus gelding will the swansong on Rivercrest Parks’ yearling draft.
We wish Steve & Diane Hoare a happy retirement and successful sale. The knowledge, character and humour you’ve brought to the WA industry will be missed by many.
We look forward to presenting our draft lineup at the Swan Valley sales complex this year. Join us on February 19 & 20, to secure your next race champion.
John Andrew - Stud Manager 0419 929 483 alwynparkstud@gmail.com 119 Utley Road , Serpentine, WA, 6125
Lot 24 the Street Boss colt out of Lonsdale Lady, winner of the Listed Ascot Guineas, half sister to Rosmopolitan, a Belmont Oaks & Belmont Guineas winner.
Lot 35 comes from a strong West Australian family, with the half brother a black type winner for Peters Investments, we offer this Playing God colt out of Morning Song.
Lot 77 out of the half sister to Group 1 winner Portland Sky, this colt by Cosmic Force, is sure to catch an eye.
Lot 129 half to All Banter Listed winner and out of Group 3 winner Bantry Bay, we offer this Splintex colt.
Lot 146 this chestnut colt by first crop sire Aysar out of the Listed Starstruck Classic winning family of Snowchino.
Lot 189 sired by Barbaric as agent, out a winning mare of $162,000 and half sister to Listed winner Glendara.
Lot 324 from a winning producing mare who is 3 from 4 to hit the track to win, we offer this chestnut colt by Shooting To Win out of Champagne Bubbles. Half relation to Grand Reserve, winner of the 2025 Parliamentarians’ Cup.
Lot 340 from the dam of Group 2 Perth Cup winner Buster Bash, set to under the gavel is this Aysar filly.
Lot 345 hails from the family of Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes winner Barakey. Offered for sale is this Nicconi filly, half sister to Paint It Red.
2025 record setting colt, Lot 15 Playing God out of Clear Blue Sky.
YOUR NEXT EVENT AT MAGIC MILLIONS Elevate
Looking for a venue with scale, style, and a touch of prestige? The Magic Millions Swan Valley Sales Complex is now available for private hire. Nestled in the heart of Western Australia’s premier wine region, our venue offers a unique backdrop for your next function.
EXPANSIVE, OPEN-PLAN FLOOR LAYOUTS A PRIVATE, EXCLUSIVE ATMOSPHERE FOR YOU AND YOUR GUESTS FROM 50 TO 500+ GUESTS
PERFECTLY SITUATED IN THE ICONIC SWAN VALLEY A VERSATILE FACILITY WITH A UNIQUE EQUESTRIAN EDGE
“Bringing our event to the Magic Millions site this year was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Swan Valley Artisan Market in such an iconic and prestigious setting The atmosphere, combined with a highly engaged audience, created the perfect platform to celebrate some of Western Australia’s finest artisans, gourmet producers and handcrafted excellence It was fabulous working with Don and Rebecca of the Magic Millions team — their warmth, professionalism and genuine support made the experience seamless and truly memorable ” – Fleur Adams, Perth Hills Events for hosting of Artisan Markets.
“We have had many guests comment on what an amazing facility it was, many of whom have never visited before, and those that knew it as the Magic Millions sales complex were impressed with the versatility of it! We really wanted to showcase the beauty of the complex by using 2 different grass areas and the auditorium as the main reception area
with the band utilising the statement piecethe stage, however, the weather gods had other ideas, throwing some cyclonic winds into the mix However, due to the size and flexibility of the venue, yourselves, combined with our wedding day coordinator, we were able to make the most of the huge auditorium and move all of the reception area inside which created an amazing atmosphere and buzz within Not to mention, the amazing wind break that the auditorium created for us to still have the ceremony outside like we wished and managed to dodge the rain!” – Brad McManus & Stephanie SpencerMcManus, Wedding & Reception at Magic Millions Swan Valley.
Transform your event into an experience Contact us today to book a site tour
Magic Millions Perth - 08 9477 2455 or perth@magicmillions.com.au WWW.MAGICMILLIONS.COM.AU
LIGHT BEAMING FOR MINING INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHT Horse Ownership
by Steve Butler
The horse racing “bug” that bit WA mining industry heavyweight Bill Beament as a child in Esperance, suddenly became an obsession on a warm Sunday afternoon in Bunbury in March nearly a decade ago.
Beament was the sole part-owner on course that day in 2016 to watch flying filly Amelia’s Love – his first horse - win her maiden race With the $5000 in win bets he had placed on his $1 80 favourite, his heart was quickly in his mouth as she missed the kick before working through the field to hit the front in the straight
The daughter of Blackfriars then managed to hang on to win by a small margin and a racing dream was born
“It was just electrifying - we spent the whole afternoon in the committee room having a drink,” recalled Beament, who made his fortune by turning gold company Northern Star Resources from a penny dreadful into what is now a $38 billion company
“It was a fantastic day and that’s what makes racing great It can be for the five-year-old through to the 90-year-old It’s an amazing thing and it caters for all ages
“If you’ve got a sporting background and a competitive spirit, that white-line fever … horse racing is white-line fever It’s the sport of kings and there is so much to it, so many one-percenters or half-percenters like in any elite sport or business where you have to get
it all right to win
“Was I hooked that day? Absolutely ” Beament is now still basking in the thrill of winning the 2025 $500,000 Group 2 WA Guineas with emerging star King Of Light and a group of passionate owners It was the type of high-profile victory he would not have imagined when he would head to the Esperance track at the age of 10 with his father John, who was a long-time official at the local club
Then, it was when he moved to Kalgoorlie and started forging his way through the WA mining ranks that he became entranced by thoroughbred racing through the magic of the Goldfields’ annual Race Round Later on, he became connected with Amelia Park’s Peter Walsh through a mutual mate and bought into Amelia’s Love to start his horse ownership journey
Beament says it is the relationships he has built with WA trainers such as Chris and Michael Gangemi and Dan Morton that has made his ride through racing so much more valuable and enjoyable
Dual Lee Steere Stakes winner Massimo, who amassed more than $1 3 million in prizemoney
from his 49 career starts, was a highlight of his ongoing relationship with the Gangemi brothers and he is also in the ownership group of 2025 Listed Beaufine Stakes winner, Repossession
“They’re such a good fun group, who enjoy the big moments,” Beament said
He initially became connected with Morton through mutual friend and Genesis Minerals Managing Director Raleigh Finlayson, when the pair bought into nowretired galloper Paddy’s Lad But he decided two years ago to pivot from buying into tried horses to target yearlings – and that is where his King Of Light opportunity presented
“I’m a big fan of the yearlings, now,” he said “I’d rather back really good horse people to pick the yearlings and then nurture them and turn them into racehorses ”
Morton said King Of Light quickly progressed through his strict potential yearling buy parameters after first seeing him at Amelia Park and he ultimately bought the gelding for $120,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Perth
Yearling Sale He has now already won nearly $587,000 in prizemoney, with much more fun still to come
“I saw him at the farm (Amelia Park) and I loved him down there,” Morton said of the son of Earthlight
“He caught my eye and every time I went through my list he kept making the next cut He made it onto my final list, and I was bullish about getting him
“We’ve had enough handy horses go through our hands now to know a good one and every step of the way, he’s just kept raising the bar He’s the real deal ”
Beament could barely describe the feeling of watching King Of Light go so quickly through the grades so early in his racing life
“It’s been an amazing journey so far,” he said
“It’s why you own a horse, to get a horse like King Of Light The ultimate prize and the ultimate goal of horse ownership is having a horse like him
“He was a raging favourite for the Northerly Stakes – a three-year-old carrying 52kg and his first race had only been four months prior You get huge admiration for the horses themselves and the prep that often goes into just that one run
“Sometimes it makes you wish you were a jockey so you could feel what it feels like with the acceleration and turn of foot on a horse like King Of Light Those guys and girls are so lucky to be able to sit on those amazing animals and feel that ”
And like his feeling with the Gangemi’s, he said dealing with Morton had been a pleasure
“Danny’s obviously one of the State’s best trainers and a super human, too,” he said
“He’s got the formula right and whatever he’s doing
in that stable at the moment, he’s nailing it And it’s really everything to have a good relationship with your trainers
“You form friendships and relationship, and I love the communicating and the updates you get, the progress reports, good or bad You can see how much they love their horses and care for their horses ”
Beament was also adamant that the best way to enjoy the industry was to share it with fellow owners He said he only had between five and 20 per cent shares in the horses he owns
“It’s an amazing industry, but it obviously has its ups and downs and highs and lows and you have to be prepared for that,” he said
“I say, never own 100 per cent of a horse because it’s no good celebrating by yourself You can own a toenail or a leg and the more horses you’re in, the more fun you can have
“I’ve met a heap of new people, who I wouldn’t otherwise have met in the course of my life without being in horse ownership The bigger the syndicate, the more people, the more horses and the more fun you have ”
Morton said watching groups of people enjoy the racing success that came out of his stable was one of the most satisfying parts of his craft
“We get so much enjoyment out of that ourselves,” he said
“We’re an entertainment business, so if you’re not making it entertaining, you’re failing I can’t guarantee they are going to be world champions, but I can guarantee you’re going to be part of the ride all the way
“And when they do turn out like King Of Light, it’s cherries on top ” n
Own The Dream: Your Ticket to Racehorse Ownership
Ever wondered what it feels like to cheer home a horse that’s yours? In 2026, Own The Dream is back, inviting West Australians to step behind the scenes of racing and discover the thrill of racehorse ownership
This Racing WA initiative isn’t just about watching from the grandstand—it’s about opening the door to part-ownership and guiding newcomers with simple pathways and the tools to get started Gather your mates, form a team, and prepare for an experience that takes you inside the sport, introduces you to the people who live it every day, and gives you the chance to walk away with a thoroughbred of your own
At the heart of the competition are three unforgettable events designed to immerse you in racing life:
• Trackwork with the Trainers: Start before sunrise at Ascot, watching horses run through their paces and meeting the trainers who shape their careers
• Open Stable Morning: Your backstage pass to Ascot Wander through working stables,
meet leading trainers, and get close enough to pat the equine stars you usually only see on race day
• The Grand Finale: A full owner-for-a-day experience at Ascot, complete with free entry, Vantage Bar access, and behind-thescenes tours of the stalls, jockeys’ rooms, and mounting yard It all ends with the live Racing WA TV prize draw, where three lucky teams will each win a $10,000 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale voucher Adding extra spark to the 2026 edition are ambassadors Brittany Taylor and Chad Warner, both passionate about giving more West Australians the chance to join the racing industry
Racing WA wishes all the teams competing the best of luck!
Presenting Dawson Stud’s next generation of stars at the 2026 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Lot 34 – State of Rest-More Spark filly
Lot 59 – Playing God-Rare Star filly
Lot 81 – Pinatubo (Ire)-Snowchino filly
Lot 90 – Spirit of Boom-Star of Rosie filly
Lot 91 – Russian Revolution-Star Via Strada colt
Lot 215 – Sessions-Magical Hour filly
All under preparation at Evergreen Lodge, Myalup.
Please contact Stud Manager Paulette Ralston on 0437 904 284 for inspections and further details
BREEDER OF EXCELLENCE WITH GROUP WINNING STARS IN WA, INTERSTATE AND ABROAD!
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Key CONTACTS
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
David Houston Manager 0408 609 994
davidh@magicmillions com au
Rebecca McGrechan
Office Administrator 08 9477 2455 | 0428 866 905 rebeccam@magicmillions com au
Alan Campbell
Complex Foreman 0418 953 472
SALES
Dane Robinson 0488 005 572
dane@magicmillions com au
FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION & RACE SERIES
Cassandra Simmonds 0429 063 387 cassandra@magicmillions com au
FINANCE
Mark Schofield 0420 932 815 mark@magicmillions com au
MARKETING
Natasha Dawson 0490 234 928 natashad@magicmillions com au
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Greg Irvine 0408 280 979
greg@magicmillions com au
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