A beautifully related daughter of Snitzel topped the 2025 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale on the Gold Coast today when selling for $550,000.
Presented at the auction as part of the quality draft from Highgrove Stud, the filly attracted intense interest and in the end it was the bid of North Bloodstock's Mick Malone that proved decisive.
The filly is a sister or half sister to six winners from as many runners - being the latest foal from the grand producing, stakes performed O'Reilly mare Acquired.
Her full brother Splintex was a high class Group winning sprinter in Melbourne and Sydney who is now at stud in Western Australia at Darling View Thoroughbreds.
Acquired has also produced the stakes winner Invictus Salute and the stakes placed Acqume.
"We've come here and we've bought one for $10,000 and one for $550,000 and we've bid on everything in between," Malone said.
"I think the weanling market is as strong as it's ever been for the right ones."
"At Magic Millions here, it's always a great sale to come to - I love it and they've sold really well," Malone added.
The filly was bred at Queensland's Highgrove Stud and the sale topping achievement was not surprisingly well received.
"The market is strong for the right horses - there's no doubt," Highgrove's Ron Gilbert pointed out.
"I sold three out of three culminating in the $550,00 for the Snitzel filly - which I think she was worth."
The $550,000 Snitzel filly from Acquired just edged out the Zoustar-Thai Noon colt who sold for $500,000 earlier in the afternoon.
The half million dollar colt, who was snapped by Yu Long Investments (Australia) is a half brother to Steinem and he was presented on behalf of his owners by Holbrook Thoroughbreds.
Darren Dance of Esker Lodge Australia bred the colt, but until today hadn't laid eyes on him - with Julie Harris at Holbrook preparing him throughout for the sale.
"She was telling me he was a beautiful colt and that it would be good to offer him as a weanling where he can stand out and be a big fish in a smaller pond - rather than competing with more top Zoustars at the yearling sales."
"He was very popular, Julie said he'd had 120 parades and he was really enjoying it and so professional," Dance added.
New Zealand's Kaha Nui Farm and the partnership of Trilogy Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock finished locked together as leading buyer by spend - both spending $850,000 on four purchases each.
Snitzel was leading sire by average ($450,000 for 2 sold), while the stock of Darley's first season sire Anamoe shone with his six sellers today averaging $265,000.
Across the day over $17.6 million was traded on 223 weanlings who sold at an average price of $79,314 and clearance rate of 73 per cent.
"It was a really confident start to a big, big week," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "We sold more horses for $200,000 than we did last year."
"A $550,000 sale topper, another at $500,000, a good number of horses at $100,000 or more and an increased average - all those numbers are really strong and lead to a confident week for the industry."
"It was a very diverse buying bench. I think the Kiwis played a really strong part in the market and the locals - the end users and the pinhookers got involved and played their part. There was also some good money from Hong Kong as well."
"All in all we're really pleased with the market that was here. The clearance rate was slightly disappointing - but it was a very strong market for quality horses."
"I think over the next 24 hours a good number of those passed in horses will be sold and that's what we will be working on as we move forward to our big day on Tuesday," Bowditch added.
To view the results of the sale or to make an offer on a passed in lot click here.
The National Broodmare Sale will commence with Day One on Tuesday featuring racefillies and maiden mares, stallion shares and the international section. Broodmares will follow on Wednesday.
To view the National Broodmare Sale catalogue online click here.
SALE STATISTICS
(2024 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 371 (374)
Lots Sold: 223 (244)
Lots Withdrawn: 64 (70)
Lots Passed In: 84 (59)
Sale Gross: $17,687,100 ($18,827,500)
Top Price: $550,000 ($800,000)
Average Price: $79,314 ($77,162)
Median Price: $44,000 ($41,000)
Sold %: 73 (81)
TOP SELLERS
$550,000 - Snitzel-Acquired filly (Lot 279)
Vendor: Highgrove Stud / Buyer: North B'stock (NSW)
$500,000 - Zoustar-Thai Noon colt (Lot 241)
Holbrook T'breds (As Agent) / Yu Long Investments Australia Pty Ltd (Vic)
$420,000 - Wootton Bassett-Salome colt (Lot 193)
Cornerstone Stud (As Agent) / Tom Magnier (NSW)
$360,000 - Anamoe-Kiki Express filly (Lot 60)
Newgate Consignment (As Agent) / Ciaron Maher B'stock (Vic)
$350,000 - Snitzel-Tell Your Mama filly (Lot 239)
Attunga Stud (As Agent) / Kaha Nui Farm (NZ)
$320,000 - Exceed and Excel-Je Suis Belle filly (Lot 50)
Burnewang North Pastoral Pty Ltd / Silverdale Farm (NSW)
