We all know the champion racehorses of 2024 that are household names, but what about the horses that are legends in the homes of their owners?
The release earlier this week of the Aushorse Investor Guide for 2025 highlighting the amazing levels of prizemoney on offer in Australia got us thinking about the horses that win these lucrative races and the reality is you don’t need a superstar to win a million dollar race in this country, you just need a good one and a savvy trainer.
Over 100 races were run in Australia in 2024 worth $1million or more and they were won by 83 individual horses as there were some notable horses that won more than one race worth a $1million or more and they include some of the best horses in the land.
Multiple winners of $1million or more races in 2024 (*NBT No Black Type)
|
Horse |
Sire |
Races |
Source / Purchase Price |
|
4 wins |
|
|
|
|
Via Sistina (IRE) |
Fastnet Rock |
G1 Cox Plate, Champions Stakes, Winx Stakes, Ranvet Stakes |
Tattersalls / 5000 guineas yearling and 2.7million guineas tried horse |
|
Broadsiding |
Too Darn Hot (GB) |
G1 Golden Rose, Champagne Stakes, JJ Atkins, G2 BRC Sires Produce |
Godolphin homebred |
|
3 wins |
|
|
|
|
Bella Nipotina |
Pride of Dubai |
G1 Everest, Doomben 10,000, NBT Russell Balding Stakes |
Inglis Premier / $80,000 |
|
Overpass |
Vancouver |
G1 Winterbottom Stakes, G3 Sydney Stakes, NBT The Quokka |
Inglis Easter / $75,000 |
|
2 wins |
|
|
|
|
Celestial Legend |
Dundeel |
G1 Doncaster Mile, Randwick Guineas |
Inglis Classic / $220,000 |
|
Ceolwulf (NZ) |
Tavistock |
G1 King Charles Stakes, Epsom Handicap |
NZB Ready to Run/ $170,000 |
|
Gringotts (NZ) |
Per Incanto (USA) |
NBT The Big Dance, NBT The Gong |
NZB K1/ $100,000 |
|
Imperatriz |
I Am Invincible |
G1 Lightning Stakes, William Reid Stakes |
Magic Millions / $360,000 |
|
I Am Me |
I Am Invincible |
G2 The Shorts, G2 Concorde Stakes |
Inglis Premier / $210,000 |
|
Pride of Jenni |
Pride of Dubai |
G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, NBT All Star Mile |
Inglis Classic/ $100,000 |
|
Southport Tycoon |
Written Tycoon |
G1 Australian Guineas, Manikato Stakes |
Magic Millions / $300,000 |
|
Zougotcha |
Zoustar |
G1 Queen of the Turf, Coolmore Classic |
Inglis Easter / $500,000 |
The spread of prizemoney extends well beyond the established Black Type pattern to cover a far broader spectrum of owners and trainers with horses that will never appear in any recognized Hall of Fame for champions, but have given their connections the thrill of a lifetime this year in capturing a million dollar race.
Below are some of the unsung heroes that have done their owners proud in 2024! For a lot of these connections Black Type is not a relevant factor, it’s about cash, excitement and enjoying the thrill of having a runner on a big day and being financially rewarded.
|
Horse |
Sire |
Races |
Source / Purchase Price |
|
Abounding |
Rich Enuff |
RL MM 3YO Guineas |
MM Book 2/ $75,000 |
|
Airman |
I Am Invincible |
G2 Premiere Stakes |
Inglis Easter/ $500,000 |
|
Arabian Summer |
Too Darn Hot (GB) |
NBT MM National 2YO Classic |
MM Book 2/ $220,000 |
|
Asgarda |
The Brothers War (USA) |
NBT Newhaven Park Country Championships |
Homebred/ retained to race |
|
Boom Torque |
Spirit of Boom |
NBT MM Queensland Open |
MM March Yearling/ $50,000 |
|
Briasa |
Smart Missile |
NBT The Hunter |
Homebred/ retained to race |
|
Casino Seventeen |
Casino Prince |
G2 Perth Cup |
Inglis Classic Highway / $9,000 and then $45,000 MM 2YO’s in Training |
|
Derry Grove |
Star Turn |
NBT MM The Syndicate |
MM Book 2 / $30,000 |
|
Far Too Easy |
All Too Hard |
NBT The Kosciuszko |
MM Book 2 / $45,000 |
|
Fully Lit |
Hellbent |
RL Inglis Millennium |
Inglis Classic/ $60,000 |
|
Here to Shock (NZ) |
Shocking |
NBT Alan Brown Stakes |
NZB K1/ $70,000 |
|
Iknowastar |
Star Witness |
NBT Five Diamonds Prelude |
Inglis Premier/ $80,000 |
|
Nadal |
Xtravagant (NZ) |
NBT The Meteorite |
Inglis Premier/ $250,000 |
|
North England |
Farnan |
NBT The Golden Gift |
Inglis Classic/ $280,000 |
|
Ostraka |
Pariah |
NBT The Silver Eagle |
Inglis Easter/ $150,000 |
|
Prost |
Snitzel |
G2 Callander Presnell |
Magic Millions/ $650,000 |
|
Robusto |
Churchill (IRE) |
G2 Ingham |
Inglis Digital / $160,000 |
|
So United |
So You Think |
NBT MM Subzero |
Magic Millions/ $190,000 |
|
Stanley Express |
Starspangledbanner |
NBT TBV Showdown |
MM Weanling/ $110,000 |
|
Territory Express |
Territories (IRE) |
NBT Provincial Midway Championships Final |
Homebred/ retained to race |
|
Western Empire (NZ) |
Iffraaj (GB) |
G3 WA Gold Rush |
Inglis Digital/ $150,000 |
