St Jean - New Winner

The first yearlings by Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe have generated huge interest at Magic Millions and a filly from Eawase hit the target on Wednesday when selling for $800,000.

Highly fancied for some time leading into today’s $5m Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup (2400m), the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Half Yours didn’t let his supporters down as jockey Jamie Melham created history in becoming the first female jockey to win the time-honoured race.

The first seven figure yearling to be sold at Magic Millions on Wednesday came through just after midday when the Milburn Creek consigned Snitzel colt from Embrace Me fetched $1.5million.

Yulong have already hit the jackpot with an expensive Extreme Choice colt, purchasing Group I MRC Blue Diamond winner Devil Night at Magic Millions in 2024 for $1.4million and they upped the ante on Wednesday.

With just 51kgs on his back in the upcoming $5m Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup (2400m), and now exempt from the ballot, the dominant victory of Tony and Calvin McEvoy's Half Yours in Saturday’s Group 3 MRC Naturalism Stakes (2000m) suggests the 5yo son of St Jean will be very hard to beat.

Flashy chestnut colt Beadman is already a Group winner and has shown glimpses of G1 ability in his brief six start career to date and his full brother was a showstopper at Magic Millions on Wednesday when knocked down to Tom Magnier at $1.5million.

This year’s Melbourne Cup provided the ultimate fairytale result when Australian bred stayer Half Yours claimed a memorable victory for champion jockey Jamie Melham and popular trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, but there has been a tragic twist to this story.

With Extreme Choice having seven sold through the ring so far averaging $840,000 highlighted by a sales equalling top price of $2m for Kingstar Farm’s colt, the Newgate Farm based stallion only has three to sell on Thursday, which could see Snitzel or I Am Invincible hit the lead on averages.

The Magic Millions is a happy hunting ground for Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis and he struck early on Wednesday for an $850,000 filly by Extreme Choice from prolific Tasmanian stakes-winner Deroche.

There are only two broodmares in Australia by South African sire Var - one of them is Via Africa (SAf), dam of G1 winners Autumn Glow and In The Congo, the other is Delta Queen (Saf), whose Snitzel yearling filly was first into the ring at Magic Millions on Wednesday and sold for $800,000.